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Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems theory provides a framework for understanding individuals within their social contexts and exploring how their development is influenced by these contexts. Bronfenbrenner conceptualized the individual as being nested at the center of a system of concentric circles which represent the various systems wrapping around and influencing the individual, along with the interactions between these systems.
When we view our students in the context of their environments and the systems that affect them, it provides context and allows us to consider the child holistically. This theory also brings out attention to the role of the school environment and how the education system fits into and interacts with the other systems influencing the child.
Nested at the very center of this system is the individual child. Some aspects that lay within the individual might include temperament, sex, race, ability/disability, health, and so on. While these components are individual qualities, other systems influence how these aspects affect an individual. For example, societal expectations regarding gender roles or inclusive/exclusive policies in schools.
Immediately surrounding the individual is the microsystem, which includes the immediate settings the individual belongs to, such as the home, the classroom, or the workplace. The environments within the microsystem which have day-to-day impact on a child may include schools, daycare, clubs/teams, family/home, and in some cases, other community-based environments (e.g. community housing). Relationships have great impact within this level - family, friends, teachers, peers, and others.
The mesosystem forms the next layer around the individual and consists of the interactions between the settings within the microsystem. The connections and interactions between the microsystems can have impact, such as a positive relationship between home and school for an individual student. Negative interactions within the mesosystem can also have impacts on the individual child.
The exosystem wraps around the individual to form a third layer, which includes the indirect environments which influence the child. A relevant example of the exosystem within a family context is the role of the parental workplace and its influence upon the child. Bronfenbrenner suggest that, “whether parents can perform effectively in their child-rearing roles within the family depends on role demands, stresses, and supports emanating from other settings” (Bronfenbrenner, 1979, p. 7).
The macrosystem is made of the cultural beliefs, norms, practices, and policies of the society within which the individual exists. Political and economical forces also fit within the macrosystem. School district policies, teachers’ implicit biases and beliefs, and educational funding are all school-based examples of the macrosystem that may have influence on an individual child.
Bronfenbrenner added this system to his theory later on. The chronosystem refers to changes that take place over time and how the impacts of milestones/life events may affect individuals differently depending on the stage of life they are experiencing. For example, the death of a parent is a life experience that most people endure. However, this experience will impact a 10-year-old and a 50-year-old differently.
This resource from CYC-NET provides an overview of Bronfenbrenner's theory:
https://www.cyc-net.org/profession/readarounds/ra-fenske.html
"Teacher–Student Relationships and Personalized Learning: Implications of Person and Contextual Variables" by Ronald D. Taylor and Azeb Gebre - a bit of a lengthy read but very interesting and relevant!
http://www.centeril.org/2016Handbook/resources/Taylor_Gebre_chapter_web.pdf
Basic information about Ecological Systems Theory from Psychology Notes HQ:
https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/bronfenbrenner-ecological-theory/
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development. Cambridge, Mass:
Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.viu.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie&db=nlebk&AN=282631&site=ehost-live