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GLOSSARY INQUIRY: DYNAMIC STRUCTURE
In complexity, structure is understood in the biological sense, as a constantly evolving, recursive process. A complex system’s history, knowledge, identity and possibilities for acting are embodied in its dynamic structure.
A complex system’s structure continually emerges through the interaction between its rich internal dynamics and its experiences in the world. As a result, it makes little sense to try to separate “nature” and “nurture”. Indeed, a complex system’s adaptive learning can be described as a form of “structurally coupling” with its environment. For instance, a human being’s knowledge of tennis is embodied in the structure her muscles and nervous system, as well as in structural couplings with racquets, balls, nets, other players, and the socially-regulated rules of the game.
Students’ and teachers’ structures embody their histories and identities, but these structures are continually, recursively adapting to experience and/or coupling with their environments. In addition, the classroom as a complex system has a dynamic structure that evolves or unfolds through the interaction of its participants.
See related terms: Recursion, Knowledge, Identity, Embodiment, Parts, Learning, Emergence, Environmental.
