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The purpose of this paper is to present a theory of career development drawn from current work in the physical and biological sciences, specifically work that is associated with chaos and complexity theories. The paper includes specific suggestions for practice based upon the theory and reflections of career professionals on its use. The theory and its applications can be used to help clients utilize principles of chaos and complexity, understand the unity underlying change, create new, satisfying forms and recognize the "strange attractors" that are the unique organizing linchpins of their lives. (Contains 10 references.) (GCP)

This paper considers the use of heuristic methodology as a research vehicle for new science investigations in education. The paper describes heuristic methodology and its use as a means of new science-based research in schools. It also describes how heuristic methodology was used in a 2002 study to explain educational practices through the metaphors of chaos and complexity theory. The heuristic study relied on the intuitive or tacit knowledge of the researcher and seven participants, who held different positions in the school system. Participants attempted to examine their school through a new science paradigm while reflecting on chaos and complexity theories. The paper also discusses how this type of research knowledge might improve educational practices, improve teaching and learning, and influence educational policy. (Author/SLD)

This paper begins with a discussion of the characteristics and the singularity of chaotic systems, including dynamic systems theory, chaotic orbit, fractals, chaotic attractors, and characteristics of chaotic systems. The second section addresses the digital libraries (DL) concept and the appropriateness of chaotic models, including definition and characteristics of the digital library, collection, material technical organization, users and the circulation of knowledge, and organizational changes. (Contains 12 references.) (MES)

This paper is a brief account and argument for using Built Environment Education Workshops (BEEWs) as a data collection method. The research is based on women of African descent and the connections among their social practices, the spaces that generate them and are generated by them, and the language they use to mediate and/or negotiate those spaces. Feminist popular education models and other relevant feminist perspectives are used to design the BEEWs. The paper notes that the research process and product are "real" and "imagined" effects of chaos theory. Chaos theory has been and will continue to be used as both metaphor and process to capture the dynamic amorphous layered reality of the city's postmodern, geohistoric condition, the "place" of women of African descent within it, the role that building industry professionals play in defining the spaces in which these women live, the empowering possibilities of utilizing popular education to enable critical understanding of spatial politics, the varied critical theoretical frameworks used to illuminate and define the phenomenon, the foregrounding of a peculiar standpoint within this research agenda, the methods used to develop this standpoint and to gather research data, and lastly, the actual way that the final dissertation research results will be presented. The paper uses June Jordan's poetry to move the reader through the academic discourse. This use of both creative writing and academic discourse is an example of the layering effects of chaos theory, in which similar themes can be read in both texts. (Contains 14 notes and 48 references. Appendixes include a BEEW summary and motivational images.) (Author/BT)

This paper reports the results of a qualitative study investigating the dynamic operation of students' multiple motivational goals among the senior year cohort of a Catholic secondary boys school in Sydney, Australia. The study found that the relative salience of students' multiple goals, as well as the changing state of their ongoing academic motivation, varied dynamically across school contexts and across time. The study also found that key variables, influencing both the quantity and quality of students' academic motivation, also acted in dynamic ways in various school contexts and over time. One way to conceptualize this dynamism in students' motivation and its related motivational variables is to use a theoretical framework that explicitly addresses the operation of dynamic systems. This study proposes the Chaos Theory, in which dynamic elements are hypothesized to interact in unpredictable but describable ways, and provides an appropriate framework for examining students' motivation, especially in "real life" school and classroom contexts. The study concludes that chaotic perspectives may prove particularly appropriate for future investigations into students' motivation and the processes underlying and associated with this motivation. Thus, this study may act as a template for future studies seeking to explore dynamic perspectives with respect to students' motivation. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/MKA)

Several themes are prevalent in the literature on college administration. Motivating staff, planning, conflict management, ethics, power and influence, communication, strategy and decision making, vision, and financial issues are consistently discussed. However, common administrative processes such as planning, morale, and administrative climate are not mentioned. More recent themes include outsourcing, privatization, mergers, reengineering, collaboration, technology, and equity. Only a few applications of management or administrative theories to the administration of higher education institutions were noted in the literature for 1996: these included chaos theory, reengineering, and total quality management (TQM). Restructuring to meet administrative challenges is a major theme and is often discussed with TQM and reengineering. One way that campuses are restructuring is by privatizing or outsourcing certain functions. Collaborations with industries, alumni, and other institutions are also discussed. A major international concern is the issue of accountability, and higher education institutions worldwide are struggling to redefine how they contribute to national goals. Another major theme in the literature is concern about the growing number of legal mandates for equity. Another issue discussed is the way technology can address administrative problems. Overall much of the literature on college administration tends to be opinion pieces or unscientific case studies. (Contains 36 references.) (JM)

The purpose of this study was to examine Edward Lorenz's psychological processes and other environmental aspects in the discovery of chaos at that time. The general concept of chaos is discussed based on relations with previous scientific theories such as Newtonian physics and quantum mechanics. The constraints of discovery in terms of available technology at the time of discovery are explained. The following general arguments are made in this paper: (1) the idea of chaos is discovered utilizing the computer and it is hard to investigate without computer technology; (2) Lorenz's accumulated beliefs (knowledge) create a perceptual problem space which is a path toward the discovery of chaos; (3) knowledge can be a tool to guide discovery; (4) the approval of the discovery is a generalized and abstract process; and (5) visual representations give a general picture of the effects of chaos simulation. (Contains 36 references.) (DDR)

A study examines the use of Kiswahili as representative of the dynamism of Kenyan society and the degree to which the Kenyan body politic has achieved cohesion. It focuses on a series of urban centers with overlapping spheres of influence, referred to as the urban corridor. The Kenyan situation is viewed through a model provided by chaos theory and its derivative complexity theory. An introductory section explains the relevance of chaos and complexity theories in this context and describes the general demography and language situation of Kenya. The history of the spread of Kiswahili is then chronicled briefly, and current patterns of use are described. The relative positions of English and Kiswahili are also examined, noting factors that affect this relationship. Finally, the state of Kenyan language policy is considered. Contains 12 references. (MSE)

This paper proposes a model, based on chaos theory, that explores strategic planning in higher education. It notes that chaos theory was first developed in the physical sciences to explain how apparently random activity was, in fact, complexity patterned. The paper goes on to describe how chaos theory has subsequently been applied to the social sciences and social systems, with mixed results. An application of chaos theory for strategic planning in higher education is then introduced in the form of propositions based upon the theory, including: (1) the ideal outcome of planning is planning, not a plan; (2) planning begins with a distillation of the institution's key values and purposes; (3) the widest possible universe of information should be made available to all members of an institution; (4) dissent and conflict are creative, healthy, and real; (5) linearity does not work in strategic planning; (6) the institution should budget for failure; (7) the expense of time spent on planning is an investment; (8) the executive is empowered, not minimized, by chaos-savvy planning; (9) that which can be quantified should not be overvalued; and (10) the future is a creation, not a prediction. (Contains 48 references.) (MDM)

A review of studies on chaos theory suggests that some elements of the theory (systems, fractals, initial effects, and bifurcations) may be applied to classroom learning. Chaos theory considers learning holistic, constructive, and dynamic. Some researchers suggest that applying chaos theory to the classroom enhances learning by reinforcing systemic approaches to human interactions, encouraging cultural diversity as beneficial, and reaffirming theoretical notions of intelligence as dynamically multidimensional without linear progression. Other researchers believe that chaos theory cannot be applied to human learning systems; instead many of these researchers suggest social constructivism as a more appropriate model. The paper demonstrates applications of chaos theory using systems, fractals, initial effects, and bifurcations. A final section discusses models of learning, highlighting Piagetian theory and theoretical models. The paper concludes that more important than a model is the development of a perspective encompassing both the theory and its applications, and that researchers should explore the application of chaos theory to classroom learning before trying to construct a satisfactory model. (SM)

This paper explores the principal features of nonlinear dynamical systems and applies the theory to parents' acceptance of a child adopted at an older age. Although family systems theories tend to be weak in addressing family change, chaos theory and catastrophe theory allow consideration of sudden, discontinuous change. If stable, the family may withstand environmental and interaction variations without major system changes. If unstable, there may be a qualitative transformation in family interaction. Attractors are rituals, ideals, and behaviors which provide continuity and stability. Chaotic family behavior is seen in irregular movement among competing attractors without settling on one of them. Instability is present in the early stages following adoptive placement of an older child, as the family and child try to determine if the adoption is going to work. If instability reaches a threshold, the system is confronted with at least two possible steady states different from the first. There may be a sudden or gradual behavior change, or a sudden shift called a catastrophe. A catastrophe model of adoption success and failure involves the combination of unfulfilled parental expectations and the lack of a sense of parental entitlement to produce a catastrophe. If adoption is not clearly fulfilling, high entitlement levels force a choice between accepting and rejecting the child. Catastrophe theory predicts that near the threshold, a small change in fulfillment level may result in a large change in acceptance. When families are in an unstable state, they are sensitive to intervention. (Contains 22 references.) (KB)

Insights from quantum physics and chaos theory help create new metaphors about ethical frameworks and moral practices in outdoor education. The seemingly straightforward concept of values is analogous to the initial simple nonlinear equation of a fractal. The value claims of outdoor education--trust, cooperation, environmental awareness, self-awareness, freedom, justice, community, respect--are often interwoven within the very structure and outcomes of programs. If there are repeated iterations of the initial equation (values and value claims), the fractal shapes of ethical frameworks emerge. Ethical frameworks are complex sets of value claims, rationales, and rules that guide moral reasoning, decision making, and behavior. Such complexity implies that various forms, ranging from experiential activities and artistic creations to scholarly essays and research, are necessary to explore ethical frameworks and moral practices of outdoor education. Prominent themes related to outdoor ethical frameworks are: (1) outdoor education research focused on individuals and discrete links among attitudes, knowledge, affect, and behavior; (2) prominent scholarship about outdoor ethical frameworks is becoming more prominent; (3) research findings on moral development in psychology and education indicate the development of moral reasoning is complex; (4) moral practices encompass relational characteristics: love, friendship, compassion, caring, passion, and intuition; (5) spiritual journeys, traditions, and insights are an important aspect of relating to others; and (6) an individual or group can be ethical only when there is mutual material interaction and critique. Understanding the relationships and processes applicable to outdoor values and ethical frameworks requires embracing their complexity. Continuing with physics metaphors from field theory, six ways of embracing complexity are proposed. Contains 124 references. (SV)

Chaos theory provides a useful mental model for guiding change as leaders garner the energy from unpredictable events for realizing transformation goals. The paper considers chaos theory as a framework for managing school change toward Total Quality Management work cultures. Change is possible to manage when plans are made and then followed by a careful and continuous reading of the chaotic landscape of the school workplace, using the unexpected patterns that surface as energy for change. The paper discusses issues that school leaders now face in managing change, presents a few of the basic concepts found in the yet scant literature of chaos theory, and reports what teachers and principals in 28 schools had to say about change. The study examined the change process in 28 schools in Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Virginia. Data were gathered through interviews with the 28 principals and through questionnaires administered to 1,235 teachers. Findings indicate that change is more likely to be successful if an array of collaborative structures and systems are created to foster continuous dialogue, exchange, and problem solving among work groups. The principals reported that it is possible to engineer the end of unresponsive structures, systems, and programs. The patterns that emerged from the interviews reinforce the utility of Quality as a mental model for guiding change, and chaos theory as a way to ground educators' efforts. (Contains 33 references.) (LMI)

The influence of theory on instructional-design models of the future is explored on the basis of the theoretical developments of today. Anticipated model changes are expected to result from disparate theoretical thinking in areas such as chaos theory, constructivism, situated learning, cognitive-learning theory, and general systems theory. Instructional-system design models (ISD) are likely to continue to be a driving force among practitioners for the next decade. The typical pattern of use for such models is linear, but support for nonlinear models is appearing. The constructivist influence is permeating much thinking on instructional design and will surely be part of the newer, expanded needs-assessment orientation. Design models of the future are likely to incorporate more formative and summative evaluation. These enhancements of the typical macrodesign model will be complemented by changes in micromodels that guide the selection and sequencing of instructional strategies. Two key issues will be the nature of learner control in design models of the future and in the transfer of training strategies. The diversity of approaches in the future offers new challenges for practitioners and researchers alike. (Contains 27 references.) (SLD)

The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of chaos theory for counseling. The scientific notion of chaos refers to the tendency of dynamical, nonlinear systems toward irregular, sometimes unpredictable, yet deterministic behavior. Therapists, especially those working from a brief approach, have noted the importance of the client's situation upon entering therapy and that a single therapeutic session can promote substantial changes. The interest of chaos theory for the counselor may lie in its ability to provide metaphors for understanding the complexity of the client's life situation, among them sensitive dependence, turbulence, strange attractors, and iteration. Sensitive dependence on initial conditions is the notion that small variances multiply and later magnify to a point of crisis or chaos. Turbulence is a mess of disorder at all scales. Turbulence has implications for the conditions that bring clients to therapy. Entrance into therapy is thus not a random event, but usually occurs in the context of the complex interpersonal and developmental changes within and around an individual. The analogy to chaos is that therapy may begin in the process of the movement from smooth to turbulent flow. In phase space, all that is known about the state of a dynamical system at a single moment can be collapsed to a point. Phase space is composed of as many variables as needed to describe a system's movement. The chaos pattern or strange attractor is the shape of the map that results. Iteration is the simple repeating of a certain function using the previous output as input for the next operation; a feedback loop. A case presentation is used to illustrate the metaphors that chaos may provide for the process of counseling. (LLL)

This paper explores questions associated with chaos theory as it relates to problems in the arts. It reviews the work of several scholars including Minai, Eckersley, Pickover, the Kirsches, and the Molnars. The document directs special attention toward three basic areas in art and design education, which are: (1) the integration of the computer into the practice of the fine arts (as separate from computer assisted design) as a conceptual and a creative tool; (2) the implications of chaos theory for design and aesthetic theory; and (3) the challenge of chaos theory for modern and post modern movements in art and design. The paper concludes with some remarks about the nature of randomness and the relationship of order and chaos in design theory. It concludes with observations about the limitations of present theory of the elements and principles of design. It attempts to apply elements of the three disciplines of cognitive psychology, Gestalt theory, and computer science to educational as well as artistic problems in areas of art and design education. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/SG)

Chaos theory describes the way systems change over time. It proposes that systems governed by physical laws can undergo transitions to a highly irregular form of behavior and that although chaotic behavior appears random, it is governed by strict mathematical conditions. This paper applies chaos theory to administrative and organizational issues. Three goals are addressed. First, the use of chaos theory to model social dynamics is justified. Second, organizational theory is defined from a chaos perspective. Finally, the mathematics of chaos is applied to a simple issue of informational theory to demonstrate how new perspectives of social dynamics are gained. (34 references) (Author/RR)

The Golden Section as a concept and a term has had a long history in the arts as well as the sciences. It is one of those concepts that has undergone much recent research, which is presented as part of this review. The research is considered in relation to the design fields and to the creation of visual forms rather than aesthetic preference studies. This review of the Golden Section is limited to psychological rather than philosophical studies. A basic assumption in this and other studies is that the study of aesthetic preference has a prior relationship to decision making in design, art, and art education. The material is reviewed in terms of the current interest in symmetry theory in both the arts and sciences. The evolution of chaos theory and the new science of chaos makes the studies that this paper reviews all the more relevant. (Author/SG)

Rehabilitation professionals may unknowingly rely on stereotypes and specious beliefs when dealing with people with disabilities, despite the formulation of theories that suggest new models of the adjustment process. Suggests that Catastrophe, Chaos, and Complexity Theories hold considerable promise in this regard. This article reviews these theories and suggest applications in adjustment to chronic illness and disability. (Contains 44 references and 2 figures.) (GCP)

Describes how chaos theory can be used to understand the nature of quality in early care and education settings. Reviews research on quality and quality initiatives, noting challenges to such quality enhancement initiatives. Details an application of the tenets of chaos theory to early care and educational settings, and includes recommendations for research and policy. (Author/KB)