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8/10/2019 Bloom on Bateson Metapatterns Interdisciplines http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/bloom-on-bateson-metapatterns-interdisciplines 1/22 Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines 2014-10-06 1 of 22 Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines © Jeffrey W. Bloom, 1999 *** Please note that a version of this paper will be submitted for publication. *** Patterns that onnect! "ethin#in$ our %pproach to &earnin$ and 'eachin$ Jeffrey W. Bloom enter for ()cellence in (ducation orthern %ri+ona niversity -la$staff, % /011 2345 3467003 or 8eff.bloomnau.edu Paper presented at the annual meetin$ of the %merican (ducational "esearch %ssociation, :ontreal, %pril, 1999 ;"%-' Please do <' cite without permission. omments and =uestions are welcomed. Science and science education, and for that matter schooling in general, are situated in the midst of the problems of living in a postmodern world. Broadl spea!ing, postmodernism involves "...the social construction of realit which relativi#es claims to !nowledge and authorit$ multiple realities, multiple goals, and diverse evaluation criteria..." %S&'() * +, 1, .  23. urthermore, such a perspective of our current cultural conte5t sees an increasing fra$mentation of #nowled$e and of the way we approach problems. Such fra$mentation is evident in the modernist perspective of past decades, upon which our scientific communities have been built. &odernist perspectives are based on positivist,

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Page 1: Bloom on Bateson Metapatterns Interdisciplines

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Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines 2014-10-06 1 of 22

Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines

© Jeffrey W. Bloom, 1999

*** Please note that a version of this paper will be submitted for publication. ***

Patterns that onnect! "ethin#in$ our %pproach to &earnin$ and 'eachin$

Jeffrey W. Bloom

enter for ()cellence in (ducation

orthern %ri+ona niversity

-la$staff, % /011

2345 3467003 or 8eff.bloomnau.edu 

Paper presented at the annual meetin$ of the %merican (ducational "esearch

%ssociation, :ontreal, %pril, 1999

;"%-'

Please do <' cite without permission.

omments and =uestions are welcomed.

Science and science education, and for that matter schooling in general, are situated in the

midst of the problems of living in a postmodern world. Broadl spea!ing, postmodernism involves "...the social construction of realit which relativi#es claims to !nowledge and

authorit$ multiple realities, multiple goals, and diverse evaluation criteria..." %S&'() *

+/ , 1, .  23. urthermore, such a perspective of our current cultural conte5t sees an

increasing fra$mentation of #nowled$e and of the way we approach problems. Such

fra$mentation is evident in the modernist perspective of past decades, upon which our

scientific communities have been built. &odernist perspectives are based on positivist,

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reductionist, and mechanistic approaches, as well as "...the premise that dealing with realit

as a set of technical fragments will inevitabl produce moral, aesthetic, and scientific

 progress for the human race" % '7/ , 18, . 3. )owever, as liver suggests in reflecting

on +9:/  /;<=S +/: , the modernist approach has resulted in numerous pathologies,

including environmental destruction, and a host of other "bi#arre human behavior" %pp. 8-3.

> +)9( 9/ S&  () 9()?'S  9/(@ +)< A ()< &9((/   )+ ;9C B9A 

9/( )9/& DS@ &'S 9CA () 9'D/  () B9D)9DS 9S()('; 'C ;/9('C? '79B 

S9;S, 7S ;/9(S&9C 9CA +/'?)(, 9CA E99CS 9S()(';S  )D&9C S;9 9CA 

/;('C F ?regor Bateson %1G3 pointed to this situation of increasing patholog in

terms of adaptation of both the biological world and of human societies -- adaptation leads

to increasing speciali#ation resulting in patholog. >() 9()?< ;9C B SC 'C () 

/9?&C(9('C  9S ;&&DC';9('C B;&S &/ +/D, 9S () /9'(< ()9( 

+ S)9/ ;&&C 'C(/S(S B;&S &/ ?9/'C?< '&/(9C( ( D/  +B'C?

9CA SD/7'79, /;S ()9( /9?&C( 9+9/CSS 9CA DCA/S(9CA'C? 9/ 

9()?';9, 9S + 9S 9C< 9;(/S ()9( 'CS/( &'SDCA/S(9CA'C? /  ADS'C %/9?9CA93F 9s our own speciali#ed worlds focus increasingl upon a narrower view, we

lose a sense of panoramic awareness, of how our view fits into the whole. Patholo$y arises

as we feel separated and disconnected from our worlds. We fall into patterns of

relationships which are 2a5 anta$onistic or 2b5 controllin$ and submissive.

>9()?';9 :C+A? /AD;S 9()?';9 /9('CS)'S  )S(' 9CAH/  

'(9('7, AS(/D;('7  D/  C7'/C&C(S, (;.F Bateson %1G3 refers to these

 patterns of pathologic relationships as smmetrical %e.g., individuals in competition for

 being in control or being "right"3 and complementar %e.g., one individual in control and the

other submissive3. Both of these patterns of relationship tend to promote cascading effects

of separation.

>Aestructive or IpathologicalJ effects of speciali#ation

(his paper addresses contemporar %i.e., postmodern3 concerns with the disintegration of

meaning and fragmentation of !nowledge. 9s we continue to move towards increased

speciali#ation and separation of disciplines, people are becoming increasingl disconnected

%a3 to the broad connecting conceptions within disciplines, %b3 to the patterns that bridge

disciplines, %c3 to the natural world, and %d3 to each other. 9 potential remed -- based on the

wor! of ?regor Bateson and &ar ;atherine Bateson -- for providing a wa to develop

such connections will be e5plored. Such a remed is founded on the framewor! of "patterns

that connect" %Bateson, 1G3. 'n the present paper, the discussion of such patterns is

situated within the conte5t of a view of learning that is based on non-linearit of thought

 processes and on variation as both a source and outcome of our thin!ing %Bloom, 199/>

apra, 19903. (his view of learning %including "patterns that connect"3 leads to %a3 more

cohesive and elaborate understandings, %b3 an emphasis on meaning rather than

deconte5tuali#ed content, >on the fact that + /'C; () +/A  C( 9S 

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A'S;CC;(A BE;(S 9CA 7C(S BD( 'C &('79(A +9<S, 'C (/&S  

/(DC'('S 9CA ()/9(S, 'C (/&S  ;&&DC'('S, 'C (/&S  9((/CS  

&9C'C?S F %c3 an emphasis on creativit, %d3 a greater sense of connection to the learner=s

world, and %e3 the development of a sense of ownership over  what is learned. >()'S 'S 9 

+/C? (/& 'C S& +9<S, ()D?) () 'A9  <W("?@AP 'S 9S 9C;'C( 9S () 'A9 

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'CS(9A  A7'C? 9  HUMAN  'AC('(<, +  IDENTIFY  +'() +)9(7/  'S 

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9/( 9S 9 +9< ( /;CC;( +)9( ;&S DC;CC;(A

onte)t of Postmodern &ife

Science education, even with its "reforms," still maintains a strong base in modernist

 paradigms. ?oals and obNectives focus on the acOuisition of conceptual content within

narrow areas of speciali#ation. (he approach is a linear one, with hopes of progress and

technical solutions to the problems facing our world. )owever, the whole notion of progress

is Ouestionable. ven ?ould %163 finds our notions of human progress to be curious.

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9lthough biological evolution is not progressive, >()/JS 9 /'& 9&  9C 

DC(S(A 9CA DC/7C 9SSD&('CPP Q 9CA C B'A B< () 7'AC;, +)';) 

S)+S /?/SS (+9/A 'C;/9S'C? ;&'(< 9CA 'C('?C;  () :'CA  

/?/SS C SS 'C SYSTEMS  WHICH   LEARN F human societies have the potential to change

in was that are progressive, >)D&9C ;&&DC'('S )97 () (C('9 ( 9/C  

S;'C; 9CA (;), ?/9AD9 D(9+'C?  S97/<--BD( &9C< A  C(P@P@  +)9( /;S (/C9 /  ;C(/9A';('CS 'C(/C9 /S'S( 9/C'C? B< 

;&&DC'('S@ 93 C9(D/9 ;CS/79('S& 9CA /ADCA9C;<  +)9( ?( DS )/ 'S 

+/:'C?, ACJ( (/< ( ' +)9( 9'CJ( B/:$ B3 'C(/S(S  '(S, I/9;('C9/< 

&C(SJ$ ;3 +'D '?C/9C;, () 9SS'C (  NOT   KNOW  Q BD/SF but the

evidence of our "progress" is mar!ed b a rather dubious record of achievement. 'n addition,

science education has alwas and continues to isolate and distance itself from other

disciplines and other was of !nowing. Such isolationism continues to fragment our

understandings of the world, to disconnect children from their own was of !nowing, and to

disconnect them from their worlds.

'n general, children face man conflicting messages from societ, >SS  () 

;&&DC'(<-B'CA'C? DC;('CS  9/(, /'(D9 9CA &<()P /9;A 'C 9/( B< (7

S)+S IA'A <D S T  RUE  D ETECTIVE @JF including those of fractionated !nowledge and

views of the world. >+) /  +)9( BC'(S@ 93 7/<BA< +)S &9(/'9 S(9CA9/A

 '7'C? 'S '&/7A ' S'( 'C 9 ;9C, ;'&9(-;C(/A 99/(&C( +'() 

;(/'; '?)('C? (<'C? C 9 9(, +'() 9;;SS ( () 'C(/+B$ B3 () 

'CS('(D('CS 9CA '(S ()9( (9: () ;/9&RF 'n the west, especiall in the Dnited

States where individual rights are paramount, children are sociali#ed towards the cultural

values of separateness %i.e., individualit3 and autonom. )owever, when the enter schoolthe find that these values are no longer valid. 9s &ar ;atherine Bateson %143 observes,

"... what an e5traordinar thing it is that in a societ where we regard the self as central,

>()'S AA /9?&C(9('C BC'(S () /;S  ;//9( /AD;('C 9CA '( 

/'(S  9( () CS  9&''S 9CA ;&&DC'('SF we are so often engaged in

silencing its e5pression or putting confidence at ris!" %p. 6G3. >()9( 'S 9 (C A;(% ()9( 

()/ 9/ /;S 'C 9/( AD;9('C ()9( 9/ SD/SS'C? () ;C'AC;  

;)'A/C 'C ()'/  +C 'C(/C9 SCS  B99C; 9CA 79'A'(<  () 'CC9( 

/'&9( SCS  9'/CSS, /  'CS(9C;.F (he learning that children do outside of class

in their families and neighborhoods %e.g., self-sufficienc, beliefs, cultural and societal

mores, conceptual understandings, processes and procedures, etc.3 are reOuired to be left

outside the door to their schools. B demanding conformit and obedience, schools

contradict children=s learning from the societ in general. Aemocratic ideals are e5changed

for the corporate agenda of efficienc, conformit, and obedience %+ood, 103. >A + 

+9C( ( (9:  9BD( ()'S MDS('C  /)9S 9BD( () 'C(/C9< ;C(/9A';(/< 

 C9(D/  IAD;9('C9 S<S(&SJ 'C ?C/9@@

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;9C + 'CS(9A AD;9( /  ;/9('7'(<, /'S: , DC'MDCSS, 9CA COOPERATION @

urthermore, this whole notion of separateness of individuals and isolation of disciplines

contributes to the propagation of a blindness to the whole - to the comple5ities and

interconnectedness of the conte5ts in which we live and wor!. >D DC(' /;C(<, 9 

';(D/  () +) +9S  C( 979'9BPP %+) 9/() ;9(9?  '/S( ';(D/ 

 () 9/() 9S 9 +)PP3 BD( ()/ 9/  CD&/DS /;S &''(9('C? 9?9'CS( ()'S

9+9/CSS R ;C';('C? 'C(/S(S, 9CA ()S +)S 'C(/S(S 9/ 'C ?C/9('C?

;C';(..F 9s autonomous individuals, we ma find it difficult to see patterns that connect

us to our worlds, because of a focus on our own needs, on our own agendas. 'n the same

wa, disciplinar isolation fails to recogni#e patterns that connect across disciplines and

across was of !nowing. ?regor Bateson %personal communication, Eune G, 1G3

suggested that schools "obscure the vast dar!ness of the subNect" b attempting to be

obNective, while ignoring the conte5t in which a phenomenon occurs or an obNect is situated.

or e5ample, children studing fish in an aOuarium ma be reOuired to record observationsin a rather "obNective" wa, while not paing attention to the entire conte5t or conte5ts. 'n

addition, both Stephen Ea ?ould %163 and ?regor Bateson point to our difficulties in

seeing the comple5ities of phenomena b concentrating on abstractions, such as those used

in statistical analses of human or animal behavior %Bateson >1GF refers to such analses

as obscuring the vast dar!ness of the subNect3. 'n other words, our learning tends to be

deconte5tuali#ed and, therefore, lac!s meaning.

>+ 9+9<S 9/9;) 9/( +'() ()'S ;& /  ;?<  ;C((S  BD( + 

&9<  C( B + 9+9/  '(  ' D/  79/'DS 9/9;)S 9/ /9?&C(A, C( 

9+9/  9;) ()/ , 'C 9C(9?C'S('; /9('CS)'S, ()C D/  'C(/9;('CS +'() 9/(+/:S +'  C( B 9S &9C'C?D 9S ()< ;DA B

+  CA ( 9B/9( 9 ;C;(  &9C'C?  9( S& 'C(  

C 9/9;) ;DA DS B9(SCJS 'A9S  13 9 A'/C; ()9( &9:S 9 

A'/C;  () A'/C; 9 A'/C; &9:S

'C () )<S';9 +/A ()/ 9/ A'/C;S, BD( C< 'C () B'?';9 

+/A AS 9 A'/C;  MAKE   A  DIFFERENCE 

23 9 9((/C ()9( ;CC;(S  ;. +)9( 'S () A'/C; B(+C ()

)<S';9 +/A  /&9, +)/ /;S 9CA '&9;(S /7'A SD';'C( B9S'S 

9C9('C, 9CA () CREATURA, +)/  C()'C? ;9C B DCA/S(A DC('  DIFFERENCES  9CA  DISTINCTIONS  9/ 'C7:A @ B9(SC,  MIND  AND  NATURE  'C(/

>+ ;9C (9;) D/S7S 9CA ()/S ( B SCS'('7 ( () /9('CS  

;C(( 'C )+ + 9/9;) 9/(  ( 9 () ()'C?S 'C DS 9CA 'C () C7'/C&C(

()9(  MAKE   A  DIFFERENCE  'C )+ + /'C; 9CA 'C(//( '(@

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:< 'A9 TTT +)C 9/ + 'C(/9;('C? +'() /9'(<, 9CA +)C 9/ + 

'C(/9;('C? C< +'() ()/  JS 9C(9S'S 9BD( /9'(<@@ Q () 'A9 'S ()9(

S& 9/( ;9C /(D/C DS ( /9'(< 'C S& 9S;( /  ()/  %)D&9C%3 /SCSS3,

+)' ()/  9/( ;9C A'S/D( ()9( /;SS  ;)9C?S B(+C 'C(/C9 9CA 

(/C9 /9&S  /9'(<, 'C(/AD;'C? A<SDC;('C9 &C(S 'C( B()

 C  () ?/'S  / ;:+  )'S 9'C('C?S ;9C B SC 9S 

I/9;('C9/<J BD( ()< 'C 9;( ;B/9( ?CD'C )D&9C'(<, ?CD'C 7'/(DS

'n essence, these two models of living sstems and social sstems describe self-sustaining,

comple5 networ!s, >A<C9&'; S<S(&S DS'C? AB9;:  S 9CA S-

AD;9('CH9/C'C? /;SSSF in which the relationships among components of sstems

emerge as interdependent patterns -- as  patterns that connect . Based on the previous

discussion, e5amples of such patterns appear to fall into three categories %a3 patterns that

connect in living sstems, %b3 patterns that connect in phsical sstems, and %c3 patterns that

connect in social sstems. 9t the same time, the contrasting positions between &aturana andBateson set up a division between %a3 patterns that connect as ontological descriptions of

emergent phenomena %i.e., descriptions of the nature of the phsical, biological, and social

world3 and %b3 patterns that connect as epistemological descriptions of phenomena %i.e., the

nature of !nowledge about, or even contained in %T3 >9C()/  )D? :< 'A9 ()9( 

:C+A? 'S ;C(9'CA 'C 9 :'CAS  S<S(&'; ;C((S, 9 :'CAS  /;SSS

C;A 7D('C9/<, ;D(D/9 9CA 'CA'7'AD9 9/C'C?  BD( ()9( () 9/C'C? 

/;SS 'S 'C;&(, () ;C((S S&+)9( 9A ); 'C &S( ;9SSF, the phsical,

 biological, and social world3.

rom the perspectives of Bateson and &aturana, we can distinguish two basic was of"viewing" patterns that connect %a3 as emergent, ontological patterns and %b3 as descriptive,

epistemological patterns. >+(PP +)< 9/CJ( + 9SSD&'C? 9 DC''A 'A, 9CA 

:'C? 9( )+ S)'('C? /& C I7'+J ( 9C()/  /79S IA()J 'C () 

9((/CS + 9/ 7'+'C?@PUTVWVTUPPP3. mergent patterns are active processes that are

ta!ing place in real time, at the moment. +e can be active participants in such processes. n

the other hand, descriptive patterns are viewed as >B< +)&@F features or characteristic

 patterns of a particular conte5t. >9 ()'S 9;(D9< &9CS 'S ()9( + )97 &&/'S,

9CA ;9C /;?C'L 9&''9/  9((/CS  9C()/  +9<  ;CC;('C?RF +ithin the

conte5t of education, the point seems to be of a difference in "view." 9n emergent pattern

can be viewed as epistemological -- as a wa of understanding relationships. n the other

hand, wor!ing within an emergent pattern can provide was of !nowing and acting. or

instance, we can e5amine the patterns that connect specific concepts in biolog %which ma

 be emergent within the conte5t of the biological sstem3 as a wa of developing more

comple5 and interconnected understandings. +ithin the conte5t of classroom dnamics, we

ma see emergent patterns of relationships occurring. 'n such a case, we can act in was that

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facilitate such relationships or that change those patterns in was which are more

 productive.

>()'S 'S  CASS< 7/ -;&';9(A ()/ 9/ (+ 7S )/, ()9(  

9((/CS ()9( 9/  HAPPENING 9CA ()9(  9((/CS 'C  AWARENESS   9((/CS 9S 

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(he discussion thus far essentiall describes the notion of patterns that connect as networ!s

or webs of relationships. )ow is such a notion different from what we have been doing

alread in classrooms@ or instance, we teach children about the "food web" as a networ! of 

relationships among various organisms %e.g., producers, consumers, predators,

decomposers3. Such a web has the appearance of connecting patterns of relationships, but

the relationships describe onl a small part of the conte5t and do not point to processes of

self-organi#ation or hierarchies of !nowledge. urthermore, as Bateson %1G3 contends,

 patterns that connect are meta-patterns or patterns of patterns of relationships. 'n the case offood webs, the relationships are onl a small piece of larger patterns of energ flow,

 population growth and stabilit, and various smbiotic relationships. 9ll of these larger

 patterns are interrelated as self-organi#ing and self-maintaining processes %see igure 13.

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-i$ure 1. ood webs as a networ! of relationships vs. food webs as one aspect of meta-

 patterns of self-organi#ation.

(he defining features of patterns that connect can be described as %a3 meta-patterns or

 patterns of patterns of relationships %or patterns of patterns of connections3$ %b3 conte5ts of

relationships that provide greater depths of meaning$ %c3 pointers to processes of self-

organi#ation or hierarchies of !nowledge$ and %d3 creative processes that generate new

!nowledge %e.g., new forms of biological structures or new forms of !nowledge and

understanding3. Such features appear to be characteristic of both emerging and epistemic

 patterns that connect in biological and social conte5ts, and to some e5tent in phsical

conte5ts. )owever, within the realm of education, it ma be helpful to categori#e patterns

that connect in terms of conte5ts of applicabilit

1. atterns that connect within a particular discipline, such as biolog, phsics, histor,

economics, etc.$

 

2. atterns that connect across disciplines, such as between %a3 biolog and phsics$ %b3

 biolog and art$ and %c3 biolog, geolog, economics, histor, etc.$

 

K. atterns that connect people with their biological and phsical worlds$ 

4. atterns that connect people to one another across individual, social, and cultural

differences.

'n each of these categories, patterns that connect can be viewed as either emerging or

descriptive. )owever, in either case, such patterns go beond the networ!s of simple

relationships to overarching patterns of connections evident in such relationships. 'n

addition, categories can overlap resulting in even more comple5 patterns.

Patterns 'hat onnect Within a ;iscipline 

(picall, schooling emphasi#es the acOuisition of specific facts and concepts, which are

generall presented in was that are devoid of or are wea!l embedded in conte5t. 9s a

result, an learning that occurs tends to be fragmented. Such !nowledge lac!s the depth ofmeaning that is possible when concepts are learned within richl interconnected conte5ts. 9s

in figure 1, students who learn about the food web ma leave with an understanding that

different organisms are food for other organisms. +hat is important about that concept@ Cot

much. )owever, if students were to e5plore what happens %a3 when certain populations lose

their natural predators, %b3 how the energ flows through the phsical and biological

environment, and %c3 what relationships e5ist among various organisms and between those

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alwas e5act. ne side of the crab was not identical to the mirror of the other side -- the

claw on one side was bigger than the one on the other side. So, the notion of smmetr was

not limited to e5act mirror images. Such smmetr of "similarit" is evident in man tpes

relationships. (he relationship between a couple can be smmetrical, if both individuals

tend to vie for control over the relationship. (wo countries or groups who vie for control

over a land area or an economic entit are in a smmetrical relationship.

9t the same time, the notion of smmetr can e5tend to gala5ies and other astronomical

 phenomena, to tornadoes, to mathematical eOuations, to poetr, to patterns represented

artisticall, to a dance performance, and so forth. )indu and Buddhist understandings of

 pschological and social aspects of life involve smmetrical representations in the form of

mandalas. &an native cultures view the world as a smmetrical balance of various factors

and forces. +hat might start as a discussion of bilateral smmetr %i.e., structure3 can e5tend

to smmetr of function, action, behavior, power, and so on.

Aeveloping such cross disciplinar patterns of connectedness provides opportunities to

develop much more comple5 understandings and conte5ts of meaning. Such understandings

lead to the development of abilities to criticall discriminate. or instance, we can ta!e a

terms, such as "power," and loo! at how it is used in different conte5ts. ower, as a scientific

term, has a specific meaning which is Ouite different from uses of the term in other conte5ts

"that was a powerful movie," "who has power in the classroom," or "the power of the

written world." 5amining how such terms var in meaning across conte5ts is not tpicall

done in classrooms. 9s a result, students are often confused and have difficult doing well in

courses, especiall in science where the meanings of commonl used words %e.g., force,

resistance, energ, etc.3 often have ver different and sometimes counter-intuitive meanings.)owever, when such differences in meaning are addressed, students are given the tools to

start discriminating between conte5tuall appropriate meanings. Students not onl can

discriminate between differences in meaning across conte5ts, but also can e5amine how

such terms are similar. 9lthough "power" has a specific meaning in science and one that is

different from "power" in human relationships, there is a sense of similarit in both usages.

'n such cases, where a particular word appears in man different conte5ts, but with different

meanings, the notion of patterns that connect can involve such transitions in meaning while

maintaining an almost poetic similarit.

Patterns 'hat onnect People with 'heir Worlds

Both of the previous categories of patterns that connect have the potential for allowing us

%including students3 to connect with our world. )owever, more e5plicit was of developing

such connections are possible. or instance, a grade five girl describes her e5perience of

wal!ing in the forest "...' thin! sOuirrels are reall reall nice. ' have a bunch of sOuirrel

friends down in the woods.... whenever '=m down in the woods the sOuirrels alwas come

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around and chatter to me" %Bloom, 14, data set3. 'n this e5ample, the girl feels a

connection with the sOuirrels, who come and chatter to her. f course, from what we !now

of sOuirrel behavior, their chatter is probabl a reaction to a perceived threat. (he important

 point is that she feels a connection to and understanding of her world. )er understandings

are enlivened b the connection she sees between the sOuirrels and herself. n the other

hand, the same sense of connectedness could hold true if she saw the sOuirrels as screaming

at her for invading their territor. 'n either case, the anthropomorphism serves as a basis of

the pattern that connects the girl to her world.

'n a similar wa, the grade K girl who sas, "it=s wagging its tail," as she observes an

earthworm in a tra, is ma!ing a connection to the earthworm %even though earthworms do

not have tails3 %Bloom, 10, 123. "+agging" a tail has implicit meanings. 9lthough the

following "meanings" are often discouraged in biolog, a cat wagging its tail is generall an

indication of "irritation"$ and a dog wagging its tail generall means that it is "happ". Both

of these meanings of wagging tails deal with emotions with which we have e5perience. So,when we tal! about a dog being happ when it=s wagging its tail, we can identif with the

dog=s e5perience to some e5tent. (he point here, however, is that in school we either ignore

or critici#e such statements. n the other hand, we should be encouraging such connections

and e5plorations of meanings. +e could as!, what do ou thin! it means when the worm is

wagging its tail@ +hat does it mean when a dog wags its tails@ when a cat wags its tail@

Such Ouestions can lead to further e5plorations, such as, how do we and other animals

e5press different emotions and so forth@ +hat other meanings for wagging tails are there,

such as with cows, horses, and mon!es@ (hen, do we, as humans, do similar things with

similar meanings@ 9gain, as with the previous two categories of patterns that connect we

can see how such Ouestions can lead to the spinning of comple5 webs of interconnectionsand understandings. )owever, in this case, we also are creating connections between us and

our world.

Patterns 'hat onnect People to <ne %nother

(he fourth categor of patterns that connect people to one another, e5tends beond the

tpical scope of science or an other discipline, although it becomes vitall important within

the conte5t of the classroom, as well as in our societ, in general. (he notion of "difference,"

as described b &a5ine ?reene %1883 and isa Aelpit %13, is at issue in all classrooms.

 Cot onl is each individual different, but racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural groups each

 bring sometimes radicall differing conte5ts of beliefs, world views, and was of

conducting oneself. 'n e5treme cases, some children ma feel culture shoc! as the enter as

immigrants into a strange new societ. &ar ;atherine Bateson %143 suggests that "true

culture shoc! occurs when differences run deep and immersion is complete, so much so that

ordinar assumptions are overthrown, when panic overcomes irritation" %pp. G-83.

;hildren in our classrooms ma be in the midst of such panic. )owever, as &ar ;atherine

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Bateson suggests, loo!ing for the patterns that connect us across cultural and individual

 barriers ma be a solution. /evealing such patterns reOuires empath and openness. +hat

common sense of humanit do we share@ +hat things do we care about and share in

common@ (hese and man more Ouestions are a start to the development of patterns that

connect people to people.

'n a wa that is similar to patterns that connect us to our world, we can begin to e5plore our

similarities across e5pressions of difference. 5plorations of our e5periences of love,

securit, fear, friendship, insecurit, and so forth can open avenues for people to begin to

understand one another. 9s these avenues are opened, we can begin e5ploring difference.

)owever, as we e5plore difference we need ccle bac! to how such instances of difference

affect commonalties of shared emotions and feelings. or instance, man cultures view the

act of a child loo!ing at an elder in the ees is an insult. &an white teachers e5pect

children to loo! at them when the are tal!ing. (his difference in relating to adults can lead

to a lot of misunderstandings and negative feelings. n the other hand, what is thecommonalit between the two different was of relating to adults@ Both are e5pressions of

how a particular group shows respect for adults.

Such investigations and discussions of difference and similarit can lead a diverse group of

students to come to an understanding and appreciation of each other. 9s all individuals

continue to e5plore their relationships, the can continue to develop comple5 webs of

understandings of differences and similarities in their was of communicating meaning. 9t

the same time, we are providing students with the tools to communicate effectivel with

others %Bateson, 143.

Amplications for &earnin$ and ?choolin$

&eaning is not self-e5isting in the world. +e create meaning through patterns of

connections with our world. Such patterns of connections comprise the conte5t or conte5ts

that provide the possibilit of generating meaning %Bateson, 1G3. rom the perspective of

semiotics, a sort of cbernetic ccling occurs between the sign, obNect, and the individual or

individuals involved in interpreting. 9s we encounter and relate to phenomena, we assign

labels, which can, in turn, be related to specific conte5ts of meaning. ur connections to

specific conte5ts can then lead to interactions with the particular phenomena, which can lead

to further labeling and connections to conte5ts and so on. (his ccling occurs as non-linear

 patterns of !nowledge construction and meaning-ma!ing. Student to student discourse

freOuentl follows such cclical processes. 'n argumentative discourse, students react to

other students= claims, which are countered b the original proponents of a claim. 9s such

arguments continue, the comple5it of meanings and understandings increase %Bloom, in

 press3. Bateson %1G, personal communication3 referred to such processes as "multiple

 perspectives and loop processes." Such processes result in increasingl comple5 patterns of

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-i$ure 4. 9 representation of a traditional approach to curriculum and instruction.

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Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines 2014-10-06 1G of 22

-i$ure 6. 9 representation of a tpical integrated curriculum.

'n contrast, &ar ;atherine Bateson %143 suggests that learning occurs when various

e5periences and ideas interconnect as the spiral together over time. Such an approach can

 be established b providing students with opportunities to engage in learning e5periences

and lines of inOuir arising from common over-arching topics or Ouestions. )owever, these

e5periences need to have a common grounding in critical reflection, where students can

 ponder and discuss their insights and understandings %see figure 43. Such an approach

 provides for the development of "patterns that connect", which result in understandings

connected within and across disciplines. 'n this approach, teachers cannot necessaril

 predict the outcomes of instruction in terms of what is tpicall referred to as specific

"learning outcomes." n the other hand, learning goals which describe general

characteristics of student learning can be described. Such general characteristics can include

%a3 comple5 and richl interconnected conceptual understandings$ %b3 meaningful

understandings embedded in one or more conte5ts$ and %c3 descriptions that discriminate

 between conte5tuall appropriate !nowledge claims and understandings.

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Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines 2014-10-06 1 of 22

conceptual area would serve as the maNor theme in other courses, such as those that

emphasi#e %a3 science teaching methods$ %b3 was of representing understandings %e.g.,

written and spo!en language, mathematics, visual arts, dramatic arts, etc.3$ %c3 reflection on

e5periences wor!ing with children$ and %d3 children=s learning, thin!ing, and discourse.

-i$ure 3. 9 representation of a "patterns that connect" approach to elementar scienceteacher education.

>C( () 9+  /  () DC(9:C  C(  CAA S(

'C ()S A'9?/9&S

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S)+ () /SD( 9S 'C(/+7C, BD( 9S () S9/9( A'S;''CS S(' S9/9(A  

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+)< 9/ 9 () S(S 'C ?/DS  () S9& ;/ @

9CA () 'C(/;CC;('CS B(+C ?/DS 'C B9;:   C( 'C ;/S@

Such patterns that connect approaches to curricular design provide students with

opportunities to see and develop connections between various learning e5periences. 'n some

cases, what develops are emergent patterns that affect their actions, whether in their inOuir

within and between subNect matter disciplines, in the teaching of children, or in their

wor!ing with others %e.g., fellow students in group wor!3. 'n other cases, descriptive

 patterns that connect result from their inOuir within conceptual areas.

(a!ing a "patterns that connect" approach to instruction reOuires students to be inOuisitive

and to see the relevance in e5ploring the comple5it of relations. Such student

characteristics are not generall encouraged in schools where %a3 teachers act as !nowledge

authorities, %b3 the curriculum is narrowl focused and follows a linear progression, and %c3

students are e5pected to recall specific information for tests. or a "patterns that connect"approach to wor!, the classroom needs to be viewed as communit of learners and inOuirers.

Arawing on the ave and +enger=s %113 notion of situated learning, students need to

formulate identities of independent learners and move toward full participation in

communities of learners and inOuirers. Aeveloping such communities in the classroom

reOuires that teachers act as models, coaches, and facilitators %?allas, 13. B ta!ing on

such roles, teachers can help move students from the peripher as the enter the classroom

in the fall to full participation %ave * +enger, 113.

'n order to deal with the fragmentation of !nowledge, approaching learning and teaching as

a wa of revealing and constructing "patterns that connect" ma provide a wa ofdeveloping a coherence and cohesiveness that has been missing in our societ. ocusing on

"patterns that connect" can lead to greater understandings of the comple5ities of the world,

while serving as a fundamental organi#ing principle. 9s such, "patterns that connect" can

allow children to develop s!ills in dealing effectivel with comple5it and diversit and to

develop broader and more relevant conceptual understandings. 9s suggested b ave and

+enger %113 and &ar ;atherine Bateson %143, the development of such s!ills and

comple5 understandings are essential in helping children move towards full participation in

learning communities and beond.

"eferences

Bateson, ?. %1G3.  Mind and nature A ne!e""ar# unit#$  Cew <or! Bantam Boo!s.

Bateson, ?. %113. Sa!red unit# Furt%er "te&" t' an e!'(')# '* +ind  %/. . Aonaldson,

ed.3. Cew <or! )arper ;ollins.

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Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines 2014-10-06 21 of 22

Bateson, &. ;. %143.  Peri&%era( i"i'n" Learnin) a('n) t%e -a#$  Cew <or! )arper

;ollins.

Bloom, E. +. %in press3. ;lassroom discourse and cognition 9n e5tended argument about

densit.  .'urna( '* t%e Learnin) S!ien!e"$

Bloom, E. +. %183. T%e i+&(i!ati'n" '* e'(uti'nar# &attern" 'n (earnin) I""ue" '*

ariati'n, n'n/(inearit#, and n'n/&r')re""ii"+$ aper presented at the annual meeting of

the 9merican ducational /esearch 9ssociation, San Aiego, 9pril.

Bloom, E. +. %123. ;onte5ts of meaning and conceptual integration )ow children

understand and learn. 'n /. 9. Auschl and /. )amilton %ds.3, P%i('"'&%# '* "!ien!e,

!')nitie "!ien!e in edu!ati'na( t%e'r# and &ra!ti!e %pp. 1GG-143. 9lban, C< State

Dniversit of Cew <or! ress.

Bloom, E. +. %103. ;onte5ts of meaning <oung children=s understanding of biological

 phenomena. Internati'na( .'urna( '* S!ien!e Edu!ati'n, 01%3, 4-61.

;apra, . %163.  T%e -e2 '* (i*e. Cew <or! 9nchor Boo!s %Aoubleda3.

Aelpit, . %13. Ot%er &e'&(e3" !%i(dren Cu(tura( !'n*(i!t in t%e !(a""r''+$  Cew <or!

 Cew ress.

?allas, :. %13. Ta(4in) t%eir -a# int' "!ien!e Hearin) !%i(dren3" 5ue"ti'n" and t%e'rie",

re"&'ndin) -it% !urri!u(a$  Cew <or! (eachers ;ollege ress.

?reene, &. %1883. T%e dia(e!ti! '* *reed'+$  Cew <or! (eachers ;ollege ress.

?ould, S. E. %163.  Fu(( %'u"e T%e "&read '* e6!e((en!e *r'+ P(at' t' Dar-in$  Cew <or!

)armon Boo!s.

ave, E., * +enger, . %113. Situated (earnin) Le)iti+ate &eri&%era( &arti!i&ati'n$  Cew

<or! ;ambridge Dniversit ress.

&aturana, ). /., * 7arela, . E. %183.  T%e tree '* 4n'-(ed)e T%e 2i'(')i!a( r''t" '*

%u+an under"tandin) %/evised dition3. Boston Shambhala.

liver, A. +. %with ?ershman, :. +.3. %183.  Edu!ati'n, +'dernit#, and *ra!tured

+eanin) T'-ard a &r'!e"" t%e'r# '* tea!%in) and (earnin)$  9lban, C< State Dniversit

of Cew <or! ress.

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Bloom on bateson metapatterns interdisciplines 2014-10-06 22 of 22

rigogine, '. %1843$ Order 'ut '* !%a'" Man3" ne- dia(')ue -it% nature$  Cew <or!

Bantam Boo!s.

Sable, (. %163.  An't%er (''4 in t%e +irr'r Re"ear!% int' t%e *'undati'n" *'r dee('&in)

an a(ternatie "!ien!e !urri!u(u+ *'r Mi34+a- !%i(dren$ Dnpublished &asters thesis, St.

&ar=s Dniversit, )alifa5, Cova Scotia %9pril3.

Smith, /., * +e5ler, . %13.  A*ter P'"t/M'derni"+ Edu!ati'n, &'(iti!", and identit#$ 

+ashington, A; almer ress.

+ood, ?. ). %103. (eachers as curriculum wor!ers. 'n E. (. Sears and E. A. &arshall

%ds.3, Tea!%in) and t%in4in) a2'ut !urri!u(u+ Criti!a( in5uirie"$ Cew <or! (eachers

;ollege ress.

%T3 B "or even contained in", ' am referring to ?regor BatesonHs %1G, 113 notion that

!nowledge is contained within an particular cbernetic sstem.

"eturn to Jeff BloomEs @ome Pa$e