Designing Schools as Ecosystems: Lessons from the "Cloud Forest"
- David Lee
- Jan 20
- 2 min read
Last year, I visited the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore with my family. Standing in front of the magnificent 35-meter indoor waterfall and walking through the cooled conservatories (kept perfectly between 23°C and 25°C), I was blown away.
These aren't just tourist attractions; they are marvels of design. Horticulturalists and soil specialists utilized a deep understanding of light levels, plant physiology, and soil science to bring together over 250,000 diverse plant species. They didn't just plant them; they coordinated a complex system to help them thrive harmoniously.
It struck me immediately: Educators need this same "designer’s mindset."
We shouldn't just be managing schools; we should be utilizing our knowledge of the educational landscape to skillfully foster environments where students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. The best approach for this? Systems Thinking.
What is Systems Thinking?
Donella Meadows defines a system as an “interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something.” Systems Thinking, then, is the skill of identifying these connections to predict behaviors and produce desired effects.
In the Gardens, the "desired effect" was a viable, living ecosystem. In schools, it is high-quality learning.
Putting Theory into Practice: The TCR Review
I recently applied this approach during a curriculum review for our Technology, Computer Science, and Robotics (TCR) program. Our goal was to move from our current reality to an ideal state of high-quality, project-based STEM learning.
Rather than just writing a list of goals, we decided to map the system.
Research: We examined existing STEM frameworks using a jigsaw protocol to understand their elements.
Mapping: Our team drafted "network maps" to visualize the interconnections between different parts of our program.
Synthesis: I took these prototypes and synthesized them into a single framework centered on four major elements: Instructional Design, Core Competencies, Learning Spaces, and Supporting Systems.
Why This Matters
By creating this framework, we can now "zoom in and zoom out." We can see our work as a nonlinear network rather than a checklist. It allows us to identify "leverage points"—areas that are not always obvious but where a small shift can change behaviors and create a big impact.
Just as the Cloud Forest relies on the precise interaction of moisture and altitude, our schools rely on the connection between curriculum, teaching methods, and staff support. When we recognize that a change in one area ripples through the entire system, we can design experiences where everyone succeeds.
Resources used:
“A Definition of Systems Thinking: A Systems Approach” - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2015.03.050
Donella Meadows’ (2008) book: Thinking in Systems: A Primer.
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