On October 30, 2026, the ESERA SIG 12 Journal Club on Systems Thinking and Modeling held its first online session. This new quarterly initiative brings together the science education community to explore current research on systems thinking and modeling. Each session features an invited author who introduces their work, followed by prepared questions and an open discussion with participants.
The first session welcomed Halil Tümay, who presented his paper “Systems Thinking in Chemistry and Chemical Education: A Framework for Meaningful Conceptual Learning and Competence in Chemistry” (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00474). The session was moderated by Leon Rogowski from the organizing team.
In his presentation, Tümay argued that systems thinking should not be regarded merely as an additional approach for addressing sustainability-related topics, but as an inherent aspect of chemistry itself. He emphasized that chemical systems are complex and dynamic, with properties emerging from the interplay of their components, interactions, and structural organization. Building on this perspective, he introduced a systems thinking cycle consisting of three interconnected practices: modeling systems, making predictions, and reflecting on unexpected observations. He also highlighted the role of chemical heuristics in managing complexity and the importance of making their limitations explicit in chemistry education.
The subsequent discussion explored connections to broader science education research, particularly the relationship between systems thinking and mechanistic reasoning, as well as differences between novices and experts in their use of chemical heuristics. These exchanges highlighted the importance of making underlying reasoning processes explicit to support students in developing a deeper understanding of complex systems.
We warmly thank Halil Tümay and all participants for this engaging first session! We are already looking forward to our second session on February 22, 2027, at 17:00 CET. Cynthia Passmore and Julia Gouvea Svoboda will join us to present and discuss their paper“’Models of’ versus ‘Models for’ – Toward an Agent-Based Conception of Modeling in the Science Classroom”, offering insights into the role of models and modeling in science education.