Quick Summary

Here's a quick summary of my approach to an explanatory model of the education reform problem.

1. Posit that the institution of education functions as an adaptive level group as characterized by Wilson's multi-level selection theory.
2. Model the tension (boundary points / attractors) which occurs with between-group selection (group) and within-group selection (individual).  Weak between-group dominance produces the complexity and dynamics of education reform resistance
3. Interpretation of this modelling can be done within a functionalist paradigm or within a non-functionalist paradigm.
1. A functionalist interpretation investigates what drives motion to the two complexly competing attractors.  It also investigates possible attractor descriptions.  It assumes  a reductionist paradigm/philosophy.
2. A non-functionalist interpretation investigates nesting among groupings and competition between groups.  It assumes a process philosophy/paradigm.

One feature that comes out of this model is stochastic complexity characterized by cycling between the group state and the individual state.  Sigmunds (2001) Tides of Tolerance model is a good fit.  This model shows that minor individual preference for tolerance causes a slow but steady rise of tolerance in a modelled population followed by a rapid phase change to intolerance.  Behaviour is cyclical.