Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Abstract
Central paradigms of modern science are being questioned by an emerging group of scientists called chaos theorists. They argue that the reductionist approach to analysing real systems in order to predict future behaviour of the system cannot succeed. They go further arguing that unpredictable dynamic systems when observed holistically reveal patterns which have the capacity to bring order to chaos. This paper suggests that the reductionist approach to investigation and the ideology of determinism has been absorbed by many other disciplines including education and that investigators in these disciplines need to re-assess their activities in the light of the work being done by chaos theorists. It is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss all the work being conducted by chaos theorists. The paper will therefore limit discussion to those aspects of chaos theory which strikes the author as having implications for one initiative in education - Competency Based Teacher Education.
Recommended Citation
Chappell, C. (1989). Chaos Theory and Competency Based Teacher Education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.1989v14n2.1