Teaching Systems Thinking and Practice through Environmental Art

In a recent article bemoaning the declining state of education, psychology professor Judith Schlesinger laments, "I've had a front seat for the slide in student skills and motivation and—worst of all—curiosity. For too many, grades are more important than learning" (Schlesinger(2002). Confronted with worldwide social and environmental crises that appear insurmountable, many students have succumbed to instant gratification, whether that is bargaining for grades or the American dream. Many do not recognize how issues and disciplines are related, nor how an understanding of history, art, or ecology might be relevant to their lives. In this context, teaching environmental art provides a venue for integrating the disciplines and promoting systems thinking. It can translate insights from the humanities and the sciences into functional and elegant responses to our environment. This paper discusses my pedagogical approach to teaching environmental art at the college level and its potential for fostering systems thinking and practice.