Stopping Teacher Shortages by Network Mapping

Many social issues are so complicated that they seem impossible to resolve. This apparent inexplicability stems due to our inability to comprehend complex systems and understand the full scope of the problem, and also the short-term and long-term advantages of one solution over the other. When we consider gun violence as a matter for instance there are many reasons that are all interspersed including The Second Amendment, the gun lobby, political fundraising and poor voting on gun issues to name some. In most cases in our attempts to sort out the chaos or even tackle the issue, we either throw our hands in frustration or focus our attention on whichever particular issue we have the potential to affect. Both do not lead to improvement rather, they only fuel frustration and discontent. At their heart complex systems revolve around connections: Who is dependent on who? And what is the cause? One method to analyze these connections is to conduct structural network analysis. This analyzes the fundamental structure as well as the patterns that a system has. It also analyzes how one source of the problem impacts one. Analysis of the structural network teaches that the trick to simplifying complicated systems is to realize that, while everything is interconnected, the connections aren't random. The more connected a node in relation to its neighbors, then the greater the likelihood that positively impacting the first node will benefit the overall system. What if we had ways to map, model and analyse, and consequently improve the resolution of big complicated social problems? What if we approached these complicated systems as networks , and focus on learning from their structure on the dynamic processes that take place within them? It's already happening beginning with STEM educational opportunities across the United States. with 4 million instructors and 50 million children in 100,000 public and charter schools, and federal as well as state and local laws and regulations that are layered over deep expectations and norms in the culture and norms, our American educational system can be complex as well as vast and Like any complicated issue there are a myriad of factors at play.

Yet, America does not have enough skilled teachers needed to impart these abilities and attitudes. In the year 2006, 100Kin10, an effort across the country focusing on the reasons why it's difficult to find and retain top teachers, particularly in STEM was set to bring 100,000 top STEM teachers to the classrooms of America's K-12 schools in 2021. To achieve the goal of 100,000 100Kin10 enlisted the help of hundreds of independent organizations comprising nonprofits, universities along with government departments. Each organization took an agreement to work towards the goal. The resultant network is set to reach the 100,000 STEM teachers milestone in time, by 2021. However, would simply an increase in teacher numbers enough? Incorporating 100,000 teachers into the schools across the country would surely help the next Generation of children. However, without addressing the root causes that don't enough people would like to be teachers or remain within the schoolroom, particularly in STEM the field, it could not do much to aid future generations. If we don't figure out the best way to tackle those fundamental issues--such as the low reputation of teaching, limited chances for advancement in careers without leaving the classroom, or limited time for collaboration or professional development in the day--there's going to require a 100Kin10-style initiative every 10 years. It would be running in endless, Sisyphean cyclics.