• Integrate systems thinking gradually—begin with one example, a unit, a case study, or an assignment.

• Start with relatable, everyday contexts and focus on a few aspects of systems thinking to avoid overload. As confidence grows, gradually expand and refine your approach—treating teaching as an iterative process with no single perfect method.

• Connect with colleagues across institutions and through professional societies to help reduce the feeling of isolation. Engage with networks like ACS Green Chemistry Institute and Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community to access shared materials and collaborative learning opportunities.

• Share your experiences of what has worked and needs improvement, and give each other feedback as “critical friends”. Discuss the contextual factors in your environment and support each other in finding ways to overcome perceived barriers.

• Systems thinking can push educators  beyond their disciplinary comfort zones, especially into interdisciplinary areas. Instead of working alone, collaborating with colleagues from other fields can build confidence and support shared implementation.

• Join the Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education group on the GCTLC to form collaborations and share ideas!

• Institutional support can include both resources and encouragement—such as time, flexibility, recognition, and policy backing—to help develop and sustain systems thinking in education. Regardless of form, this support creates the space and legitimacy needed for long-term success.

• Encourage your institution's professional education learning center for resources and ST implementations in other disciplines.

• Encourage your department to recognize time spent on innovation as part of workload or merit reviews. The ACS Approved chemistry programs are expected to demonstrate the importance of developing a comprehensive view of the interconnection between physical, chemical, and biological systems. This “systems thinking” skill set is now a part of the professional skills and competencies section of the guidelines.

• Research found that many participants reported having little to no knowledge about systems thinking but were implementing ST principles and characteristics into their teaching.

• Due to overlap of existing approaches, chemistry educators may not need to make huge modifications to their current approaches.

Szozda, A. R.; Bruyere, K.; Lee, H.; Mahaffy, P. G.; Flynn, A. B. Investigating Educators’ Perspectives toward Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education from International Contexts. J. Chem. Educ. 2022, 99 (7), 2474–2483. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00138.

• This study examined experienced tertiary instructors' perceptions of the affordances and constraints of systems thinking and found that their experience with systems thinking greatly reduced their perception of the barriers’ significance.

• This study also provides descriptions of student and instructor benefits that may inspire potential future adopters of a systems thinking approach.

• The descriptions of potential challenges might help future adopters proactively address barriers to successfully implementing systems thinking in chemistry education.

York, S.; Orgill, M. Experienced Tertiary Instructors’ Perceptions of the Benefits and Challenges of Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education. J. Chem. Educ. 2024, 101 (1), 10–23. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c01000.