The Open University
Yorkshire Region

Cultural Studies Research Forum
Reports and Abstracts 1995 -2000

introduction | contents

Getting to Grips with Gender and Systems

Ruth Carter

Discussions of gender issues in systems thinking, systems education and systems research is almost non-existent. Conscious of its absence, and prompted by a unique session on gender at a staff development meeting, a group of systems tutors in the Yorkshire Region of the Open University (O.U.) formed a research group in April 1996. Their aim was to pursue areas of interest that they identified as potentially contributing to such discussion.

As is characteristic of Open University systems tutors, members of the group were already applying and developing systems thinking in their work elsewhere which included teaching in other universities and colleges, training childcare professionals and running small businesses and a charity. The contexts of their dual roles had already led them to consider some conjunctions of gender theory and equal opportunities practice with systems thinking and practice, for example, in information technology, within organisations, in organisational learning, and in supporting effective learning styles for students. Their diversity was particularly beneficial in stimulating expansion - a discussion of a wide range of relevant ideas, and made contraction very difficult - selecting and focusing on just a few key issues.

This paper will chart the history and development of the group and set out the main influences that it considered in focussing on its gender issues in systems thinking. It will then explore some of the ideas and strands of research that are emerging from the current work, such as 'people sensitive systems teaching', locating them in contexts in which they might impact more generally on teaching and research in systems.