Complexity Theory as Paradigm When Researching Education Reform: The South African Case

In education systems there is inter-connectedness with multiple sub-systems which interact with each other. This paper argues that complexity theory is well suited as a lens to research education reforms. Key elements of complexity theory that are particularly useful are applied to the South African case. Aspects of complexity theory include: interaction of the elements which constitute an education system; feedback based on these interactions; the connectedness of these elements; the emergence of new properties and behavior based on the interactions and feedback; the contexts of the different elements of the system; and the nonlinear nature of the causes and effects of educational reform. Complexity theory not only enables researchers to research education reforms from a whole system perspective, but also accommodates the dynamic nature of an education system. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]