Promoting a systems approach

• NLT's systemic perspective
• Breaking the cycle of underachievement - A systemic perspective [PDF] Report from NLT 2002 annual conference
• Seeing the big picture Neil McClelland explains why systems thinking is the key to building a literate nation

NLT's systemic perspective

At the NLT, we are continually developing our analytical approach to help maximise the effectiveness of interventions to raise literacy standards while minimising unforeseen counterproductive effects.

The capacity of learners to achieve to their full potential is determined by a complicated mix of home, community and environmental factors. A systems, or systemic, approach promotes analysis and action across the whole of a system rather than just one part of it; an approach that enables us to identify and influence the key interrelationships that affect behaviour over time. Therefore, the NLT believes this perspective is essential to policymakers and those leading implementation across education, libraries, health, social services, business, the arts, and beyond.  

Systemic

• Looks at the whole structure of systems that input upon an issue 
• Looks for interrelationships across system
• Seeks to understand the long standing causal factors which generate problems
• Looks for the key levers of influence across the whole system
• Looks to see how one sector or organisation's actions or influence impacts upon the rest of the system both short and long-term
• Consciously avoids 'shifting problems' to other parts of the system 
• Looks for the main sources of resistance to change, rather than pushing harder to overcome resistance and barriers by increasing the driving forces
• Generally is geared to the long-term and seeks to identify the slow, subtle and often hard to detect changes which over time can have powerful implications

• Looks only at component parts in isolation from other possible influences
• Does not look for interrelationships

• significantly higher levels of educational achievement
• better job prospects for young people 
• a stronger local economy 
• higher income levels 
• a work-force better equipped for skills up-dating and lifelong learning 
• less crime 
• less social exclusion/alienation 
• less welfare dependency 
• less school truancy 
• more social participation and democratic involvement. 

The learner, of literacy in this case, is the product of a network of interrelated systems which work for or against achievement and often take years to fully reveal their patterns and their impacts. Our goal is to maximise the ability of the home, the community, the teacher and the learner to give of their best so that each learner can fulfil his or her potential; and a systemic approach to learners' literacy needs recognises that the issue is far from one-dimensional (i.e. the quality of school teaching) but that this key component needs to be complemented by systems analysis of need.  

Amongst the systems variables are:  

• quality of teaching/school effectiveness 
• home literacy modelling and opportunities 
• early language development 
• the quality of pre-school support  
• peer group influences 
• media influences 
• housing conditions 
• the learner's health  
• poverty 
• racism 
• the expectation of satisfying employment, and the motivation this provides 
• workplace literacy and training 
• and the availability of libraries, arts provision, youth service support community and adult education, can all work to support many learners.  

Organisations that seek to implement systemic approaches will:  

• work with their communities to develop a shared vision
• recognise that deep causal issues will take a long time to resolve. But they will commit to a constancy of purpose in moving from an assessment of their current situation to the delivery of their vision for the community. They will recognise that in some ways 'slower is faster'
• pursue urgent action to meet needs but will be alert for long-term unintended consequences
• establish either key post-holders or strategic planning groups, normally both, which will lead and implement systemic thinking and action
• work to encourage all systems partners to: contribute to the vision; maximise their own influence in the context of the shared vision; act co-operatively; be cognisant of the wider implications of their own activity, and share different perspectives and expertise in order to strengthen each other's ability to contribute to the delivery.