Overview:
In this individual assignment, you are empowered to select a
complex problem linked to course topic of contemporary Canadian families,
with a focus on applying a systemic lens to gain profound insights.
The assignment consists of several components contributing to the total
40% grade:
1. Visualizing Systems (10%): Craft a one-page visual systems map
that encapsulates the issue’s complexity.
2. Narrative Exploration (20%): Engage in a 2,500 to 3,000-word written
narrative, encompassing references and tables.
3. Presenting Progress (10%): Share your discoveries through an 8%
video presentation.
2. Diverse Research Gathering: Curate a wide array of research
sources, including academic works, media narratives, community-
generated reports, and practitioner perspectives. Organize your
research, using sticky notes to group findings for the systemic map.
3. Designing a Holistic Systems Map: Develop a one-page systems
map utilizing one of the following approaches: 1) journey map, 2)
actor/stakeholder map, 3) iceberg model, 4) timeline map, 5) The
5Rs, or 6) Impact Gap Canvas.
4. Crafting an Inclusive Narrative and Bibliography: Accompany
your visual systems map with a written summary of your research,
offering a narrative that complements the visual map. Delve into root
causes, insights, lessons, and vital details derived from your system
analysis and research on the chosen challenge. Include a
comprehensive bibliography citing a diverse range of sources,
including academic texts, articles, op-eds, and firsthand interviews.
5. Your written narrative should cover these headings: a
Understanding the complex issue b. Evaluating existing solutions c
Identifying avenues for transformative change d. Reflecting
personally on the journey
6. Empowering Verbal Expression: Each student is expected to
deliver a 10-minute verbal presentation, recorded on Zoom or
PowerPoint, and subsequently posted on UM Learn. The
presentation should contextualize the chosen challenge using a
system thinking approach. Highlight crucial aspects of your systems
analysis, showcasing your understanding of the broader system, root
causes, and transformational requirements. Emphasize a profound
grasp of the current challenge through a systemic lens, addressing
assumptions, patterns, connections, gaps, and potential change
catalysts. The presentation should be captivating.
The visual map will itself have multiple components, and, as such, can
be multiple maps. As they view the visual systems maps submitted, I will
determine whether the submission adequately reflects the necessary level of
detail in a creative and insightful way.
The term ‘map’ in Map the System is used in a very broad sense. It means a
way of symbolically depicting the relationships between elements (people,
organizations, service models, supply chains or resource flows, power
structures, etc.) within some ‘space’ (the space, in this case, being the
system).
While you obviously don’t have to be a cartographer or an information
designer to do this, having some appreciation for data visualization, the
power of graphic design, and visual storytelling is helpful. As such, consider
having someone on your team who can design and present information in a
visually readable way, or seek out a faculty member or practitioner who can
give you some advice on visual storytelling. Later in this section we talk
about visual mapping tools, but keep in mind that less can be more: it
doesn’t have to be a classic detailed Kumu-style systems map, capturing
every nuanced element in breathtaking detail. Such ambitious maps can get
quite cluttered and confusing. This is not an engineering schematic. It is
perfectly fine to have a series of simpler maps (which describe different
aspects or perspectives of your system), or your map may end up looking
more like an infographic. Look at some of the previous submissions on the
Map the System website for ideas for how you might visualize your learning.
You can think of the written summary as your research paper, but it does not
have to follow a standard essay or academic article narrative structure. The
judges will evaluate whether the report submitted provides sufficient detail to
understand the research approach and methodology of the research
undertaken, including a summary of key insights. It may be more helpful to
think of the written summary as a ‘primer’ or a ‘briefing’. How might you brief
a minister or elected official on this system? Imagine her saying, ‘tell me
what I need to know about this challenge so that I know what we’re dealing
with here… And give it to me straight – no sugar coating. Who do we need
to work with, and why don’t we seem to be making any headway on this
issue?’ Refer to the section Research Tips for more on structuring and citing
your written summary. The judges will also look at your bibliography to see if
it is thorough, diverse (in terms of disciplines and range of sources), current,
and consistent with or supportive of your overall submission. The 10-minute presentation is the part of this competition that most closely
mimics a pitch competition, but only insofar as you are telling a story.
Topic : The influence of social
media on family interactions, self-
esteem, and communication
patterns.
Example of specific problems that can be assigned: Social media’s role in
Canadian family life.
Actual Program/ Examples of specific cases to begin your map,the system assignment: “‘Screenagers” documentary and workshops on screen
Canadian family life time (Worldwide).
