This lesson plan is designed to help journalism students understand how to apply systems thinking to their news stories in order to develop more comprehensive reports.
It’s based on the article ‘Systems thinking for journalists’ which we recommend lecturers and trainers read before adapting this lesson plan.
In some aspects systems thinking is similar to some of the research methods outlined in two other articles on Media Helping Media, ‘Story development techniques’ and ‘How to develop news angles’.
Both those pieces focus on the need to think through various aspects (angles) of a news story in order to provide the most comprehensive coverage. Systems thinking goes a step further; it’s about linking those angles to try to find the root cause of the issue being covered.
Lesson Plan: Systems thinking in journalism
Lesson objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Define systems thinking and explain its relevance in journalism.
- Identify the interconnected parts of a news story and analyse how they influence each other.
- Apply systems thinking to develop more comprehensive and contextualised news reports.
- Recognise biases and limitations in traditional event-based reporting.
- Use tools and techniques to create systemic analyses of current events.
Lesson outline:
Introduction to systems thinking
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- Definition of systems thinking: A holistic approach that examines how different parts of a system influence each other rather than looking at them in isolation.
- Relevance to journalism: Traditional news reporting often focuses on isolated events without exploring the broader context and underlying factors.
- Discussion:
- What are some limitations of event-driven journalism?
- How can a systems approach improve storytelling?
- Case Study: A brief look at a news event reported in a fragmented way versus a systemic approach (e.g., climate change, economic crises, or social movements).
Mapping news stories as systems
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- Activity: Students choose a recent news story and break it down into its key elements, such as:
- Root causes
- Stakeholders (who is affected?)
- Key influences (policies, cultural factors, economic conditions)
- Short- and long-term outcomes
- Group work: Using system mapping techniques, students create visual representations of how these elements connect.
- Activity: Students choose a recent news story and break it down into its key elements, such as:
System mapping techniques:
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- Tools: In the simplest form all you need is plenty of paper and pens or a whiteboard with markers. However there are several free and premium systems thinking tools that lecturers might want to experiment with before introducing them to the students. A few examples include Insight Maker, Kumu, Miro, Loopy, and SageModeler.
- Causal loop diagrams (CLDs): Students draw arrows connecting factors to show causal relationships, identifying feedback loops that reinforce or counteract trends. This can be done on flip-charts or a white board. We suggest lectures and trainers make sure they are familiar using CLDs before adapting this lesson.
- Network analysis: Mapping relationships between different characters in the news story, for example individuals, policymakers, corporations, interest groups, to try to understand where influence and interdependence lies. A flipchart or whiteboard works fine for this purpose
- Mind mapping: A simpler approach where students brainstorm connections between ideas and categorise them hierarchically. Again, flipchart with plenty of paper and pens is ideal.
- Discussion: What are the hidden relationships and ripple effects in the story? What elements are often overlooked?
Applying systems thinking in journalism
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- Example analysis: Reviewing a well-researched investigative report that applies systems thinking, such as the reporting on the 2008 financial crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, or climate change policies.
- Writing exercise: Students rewrite a short news article by incorporating systemic elements, adding context, and highlighting connections between different factors.
- Peer review: Share and discuss how applying systems thinking changed the focus and depth of the story.
- Guidance on framing questions: Encouraging students to ask broader questions, such as:
- What are the underlying causes of this event?
- Who benefits or suffers from this issue?
- What are the possible long-term consequences?
Example of systems thinking in journalism
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- Case study: Climate change and wildfires
- Traditional approach: A news story about a wildfire focuses on the immediate damage, number of homes burned, and the firefighting response.
- Systems thinking approach: A systemic analysis would explore:
- How climate change contributes to increasing wildfire frequency.
- The role of urban expansion and deforestation in wildfire vulnerability.
- Government policies on land management and climate resilience.
- Economic and social impacts on affected communities.
- Future risks and possible preventive measures.
- Discussion: How does this approach provide a deeper understanding for the audience? How might it influence public discourse and policy decisions?
- Case study: Climate change and wildfires
Conclusion and reflection
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- Recap: Key takeaways from the lesson.
- Discussion: How does systems thinking enhance journalistic integrity and improve public understanding?
- Assignment: Choose a current news article and analyze it using a systems thinking approach. Identify connections that are missing and suggest ways to improve the reporting.
Assessment & evaluation:
- Active participation in discussions and activities.
- Quality and depth of system maps and rewritten articles.
- Reflection on how systems thinking impacts journalism.
Materials needed:
- Whiteboard or digital collaboration tool.
- Flipchart with paper and pens.
- Coloured stickers.
- Sample news articles for analysis.
- Paper, pens, or laptops for writing exercises.
- Optional online system mapping tools (see above).
Reference resource: Systems thinking for journalists
This lesson equips journalism students with the ability to see the bigger picture behind news stories, fostering deeper and more insightful reporting. By applying systems thinking, journalists can provide richer narratives that help audiences understand complex issues more comprehensively.
