Revision of 'A System':
- is an entity (something that exists by itself, although it need not be of material existence)
- has components
- is goal oriented
- comprises of input – processing –output
Characteristics of a System - moving towards system
approach:
A system:
- is a relative concept: : a system is studied in relation to other systems.
- can be open or closed: : can or cannot be influenced by its environment respectively.
- has its goals : : the main purpose of a system is to achieve its ultimate goals.
- has its constraints: : a system has its limitations and faces obstacles on its way to achieve its goal.
- needs to think of alternatives : : in order to attain its goals, a system as to overcome its limitations by searching for alternatives.
- needs to put in place a general feedback system : : when the intended goal is achieved, a feedback system is implemented wherein the achieved goal can be improved further. Lack of a feedback system hampers progress and thus will adversely affect the intended goal.
- it follows the trend of revisibility: : for improvising, the intended goals need to be revised and hence the process begins all over again. Thus, one can say that no one design is final.
Example:
Consider the department of curriculum development. The
curriculum set is compared with the curriculum of different boards and the best
of all boards is selected. (relative concept)The curriculum can be restricted
to a single board or can include objectives of other boards. (open or closed systems)The
ulterior goal is always to make a good human being out of the learner. Hence, the
curriculum is set considering a holistic view and overall development of the
learner. (ultimate goal)The department may face the constraints of budget, time
and learners with special needs. (constraints)The curriculum framed is
inclusive of simple and complex activities.(alternatives)The curriculum is
tested by teachers for a stipulated period of time. Suggestions, comments and
reviews are collected. (general feedback system)The collected feedback is
thought over and revised, keeping in sync the changing needs of the society. (revisibility)
