Correction: Teaching systems thinking to protect wildlife: a pilot study in West Bengal's secondary schools

Sangita Iyer^1,2*Aritra Kshettry³Liza Ireland⁴Jessica Bell Rizzolo²Shalvi Suman⁵

• ¹National Geographic Society, Washington, United States
• ²Voices for Asian Elephants Society, Palo Alto, United States
• ³Wildlife Biologist, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
• ⁴Royal Roads University, Victoria, Canada
• ⁵Independent Researcher, Siliguri, India

The correct author list reads: Sangita Iyer, Aritra Kshettry, Liza Ireland, Jessica Bell Rizzolo, Shalvi Suman The original version of this article has been updated. Affiliation Voices for Asian Elephants Society was omitted for author Jessica Bell Rizzolo. This affiliation has now been added for author Jessica Bell Rizzolo.Author Jessica Bell Rizzolo was erroneously assigned to affiliation National Geographic Society. This affiliation has now been removed for author Jessica Bell Rizzolo.Author Aritra Kshettry was erroneously assigned to affiliation National Geographic Society. This affiliation has now been removed for author Aritra Kshettry.Affiliation Voices for Asian Elephants Society was erroneously given as Voice for Asian Elephants Society. The original version of this article has been updated. Affiliation National Geographic Society, Washington, DC was erroneously given as National Geographic Society, Washington, WA. The original version of this article has been updated. There is an extra "to" (see bold) in the sentence "The research team developed a holistic, topic-based curriculum rooted in ecological principles to in response to…" A correction has been made to the section Methodology, Paragraph 1: "The research team developed a holistic, topic-based curriculum rooted in ecological principles and systems thinking in response to…" The original version of this article has been updated.Adding/removing text "Into" was spelled "int" (see bold) in the sentence: "Nature Immersion and Slow Pedagogy: Time was built int sessions for observation, journaling, and reflective conversations." A correction has been made to the section Methodology, 2.9 Pedagogical strategies and curriculum delivery, Paragraph 1: "Nature Immersion and Slow Pedagogy: Time was built into sessions for observation, journaling, and reflective conversations."The original version of this article has been updated. The participant quote: "We learned that female elephants live in close herds and protect their young ones. They must always be stressed, worrying about their calves, especially since humans have taken over their migration paths." was not italicized. A correction has been made to the section Results, 3.5 Student reflections and systems thinking, Paragraph 4:For example, one student wrote, "We learned that female elephants live in close herds and protect their young ones. They must always be stressed, worrying about their calves, especially since humans have taken over their migration paths."The original version of this article has been updated. The incorrect title of the project was listed in the sentence: "The implementation of the Protecting Wildlife by Integrating Systems Thinking Principles in West Bengal Secondary School Curricula presented a range of obstacles that highlight the systemic limitations of the current education structure in India's remote regions." A correction has been made to the section Discussion, Paragraph 10:The implementation of Teaching Systems Thinking to Protect Wildlife: A Pilot Study in West Bengal's Secondary Schools presented a range of obstacles that highlight the systemic limitations of the current education structure in India's remote regions. The original version of this article has been updated. The citation " Wilson et al., 2013" is not in the bibliography and should be removed. A correction has been made to the section Literature review, Paragraph 5: …resulting in spatial and cultural dynamics distinct from regions like Europe (Majumder, 2022). The original version of this article has been updated. There is an extraneous bullet point before the sentence "The use of multimedia…" A correction has been made to the section Results, 3.6 Impact of multimedia as a pedagogical tool, Paragraph 1: "The use of multimedia…" The original version of this article has been updated. There is a grammatical error in the sentence "Hands-on activities such as Nature Immersion, the Interdependence, and Habitat Loss games energized the classroom.." A correction has been made to the section Results, 3.8 Impact of multimedia as a pedagogical tool, Paragraph 1: "Hands-on activities such as Nature Immersion, the Interdependence game, and the Habitat Loss game energized the classroom…" The original version of this article has been updated. Wrong content There was a mistake in Table 2 The experiential activities also left a strong impression, particularly the Interdependence game. A participant reflected: "The game was so much fun, but it also made me realize how everything is connectedhumans, animals, and forests. If one part collapses, the whole system suffers."Following the Habitat Loss game, one student explained: "There are new railways and highways everywhere, trees are cut down for timber, tourists go everywhere and trashing our forests. These things destroy forests, and if the habitat keeps shrinking, elephants will have nowhere to go. But farmers like us will also lose our crops and our lives will get harder."The 15-minute nature immersion helped students pay closer attention to their surroundings. One young girl described: "When I closed my eyes, I could hear the sweet songs of the birds and even feel ants crawling in the grass. I realized how alive everything is around us."Another youth added, "Our school used to be greener when I was younger, but now many trees are gone. I miss that."In the end, many students expressed a new empathy for elephants. One summarized: "I see them differently now. Elephants are just like us-they are trying to survive and care for their families." 2.Kanta Dighi Kumar Para High School, Jalpaiguri Students were asked to spend 15 minutes in nature, quietly observing and sensing everything around them without distraction. During this time, they appeared more relaxed and open, often smiling at one another. The boys chose to stand near a narrow road lined with tea bushes, while the girls walked along a small path between their village and a tea estate. After they returned to their class they were asked to write short essays about what their five senses revealed.One youth explained: "I focused on the sounds of the birds, the smell of elephant dung near the tea bushes, and the gurgling of a narrow stream. But then I also noticed garbage lying around and the noise of passing vehicles. Those things spoiled the moment, yet still, it felt good to be outside the school compound." Another added, "When I paid attention with all my senses, even the little things like ants in the grass or the breeze on my face made me feel more alive."On the final day, students were encouraged to ask questions and reflect on their learning: Lal Bahadur Shastri Smarak Bengali Hindi HS School, Jalpaiguri Twenty students were taken outdoors near the Kuji-diana River for the nature immersion activity that Shabbir and Gupta explained. They were excited to step out of the school and spread themselves along the riverbank. Some removed their shoes to feel the water flow between their bare feet, others sat quietly on the grass, while a few chose to wander along the riverside. Their teachers gently reminded them not to get distracted, but instead to use all four senses-touch, smell, sight, and hearing-to fully experience the natural world around them.Back in class, the students eagerly shared their reflections. One remarked: "My family often travels to expensive, overcrowded tourist places that are full of trash. But today I realized that the beauty around me is far better than those popular sites-we already have such rich surroundings in our own backyard." Another added, "I live near this river, but I had never really looked at it or felt it this way before. It was like seeing my home for the first time."Afterward, the students watched three solution-focused films, which sparked a lively Q&A session. Their questions included:• "Why do elephants throw dirt on themselves?" • "What exactly is the colour of an elephant?"•"What should we do if a bull elephant becomes aggressive?" • "Why are the ears of African elephants shaped differently from those of Asian elephants?" • "What can farmers do when elephants destroy their crops?" • "How much does an elephant eat in a day?"Teachers then encouraged the students to think about their own actions. One group reflected: "We will stop throwing food waste out of train windows-it only attracts animals to dangerous places. We also want to appreciate the natural spaces around us more, instead of ignoring them."The session ended with deeper questions from the students, showing how their thinking was expanding:• "Why do we ignore the beauty of our own surroundings, and instead spend money to visit polluted tourist spots just to feel connected with nature?" • "Can't development projects be more sensitive to wildlife so that we can prevent horrific accidents? We already know that making underpasses under busy railways and roads can save lives, so why are there so few eco-friendly developments?" 4.Birpara Shree Mahavir Hindi High School, Alipurduar Chettri encouraged the students to ask questions and share their personal experiences with elephants. One of them responded by sharing her uncle's close encounter with a bull elephant who almost killed him while he was guarding his crops. She said, "Humans fear elephants, but we are also the reason for the challenges they are facing today. We need to respect their presence."Another student seated in a back row shared, "My uncle was killed by an elephant a year ago, but I still do not resent elephants." She almost broke down and cried while narrating this story and had to be consoled by Chettri.Another student complained: "Every year elephants damage houses in my village. I want to understand why they are so aggressive." The opportunity to share their personal stories made the discussions more relatable, and easier for students to ask questions.The students were then taken out for a 15-minute nature immersion activity near the school. Since the school was situated inside a busy market, it was difficult to find a quiet place. They adapted and took the students to a temple situated beneath a revered old and tall banyan tree. After 15 minutes of contemplation, the students shared their observations.One student said: "The Ficus religiosa tree adds natural value to the concrete jungle. It provides shade from the scorching sun, offering a soothing experience. People also worship the tree by tying red strings around it and lighting incense sticks, which adds cultural significance."Another observed: "It wasn't until recently that our school became surrounded by so many buildings-a noisy market, shops, hawkers, and houses. It causes disturbance all the time and makes it hard to focus in school."One of the new attendees said: "Elephants are very protective of their family members and generally avoid risking the safety of their young ones."Some of the students shared their experience of the nature immersion activity by reading out their essays. One of them said: "The Ficus religiosa tree is surrounded by concrete buildings on all sides. We should respect and conserve trees, and avoid any kind of construction around them."Another student shared a hand-drawn map, explaining: "This shows the tree with our school at the centre and the market nearby. It's a way to show how congested our school area has become."Four conflict-related films evoked traumatic expressions of shock and distress after witnessing scenes of injured and dead elephants. Some of the questions that emerged in the discussion included:a. "If the sensing ability of elephants is so high, why can't they sense an approaching train and get out of the way?"b. "Are elephants also killed for their skin?" c. "Are elephants good swimmers?"One of the students shared a powerful reflection on social media and elephant bullying. He said: "Young men love to brag on social media and the addiction can be dangerous. I've seen young people trying to take selfies with elephants and harass them. Wild animals should not be treated as entertainment."His words received a big round of applause from his peers, who strongly agreed with his opinion. St. Maria Gorethi Girl's High School, Alipurduar After students were shown three conflict-related films, Devi encouraged them to ask questions.Some of the questions the students raised included: a. "How fast can an elephant run when he's angry?" b. "Do elephants get drunk when they consume 'Handia' or rice beer?" c. "If people pretend to be dead, will the elephant attack?"The remaining ecological principles-Cycling, Feedback, Adaptation, and Emergencewere explored after a nature immersion activity during a trip to a nearby plantation. The students were asked to use their senses to feel the natural world, carrying notebooks to jot down their observations. After returning to class, many shared their reflections.One student said: "It was a nice escape into open space, away from the congested classroom."Another student added: "Even though it was hot, stepping into the shade of tall trees felt refreshing."One of the girls who chose to sit next to the small stream observed: "We saw small fishes swimming back and forth, and the big banyan tree created a small ecosystem, perfect for little beings like ants, algae, and insects."Another young girl shared a particularly insightful observation about ants: "I saw an army of ants moving right next to me on the ground. Out of curiosity, I placed a small twig in their path. To my amazement, some ants teamed up and took a detour, while the others followed. I wish I could be that quick in decision-making and look at the bright side of situations when there are setbacks in my life." 6.Lataguri Boy's High School Four conflict-related films, including one on human-elephant negative interactions, were shown to the students. They were less interested in the theoretical part and eager to watch the films, leading to multiple screenings on Day-1. Das began the session by asking the students to recap their learnings.One student spoke thoughtfully: "Elephants are social animals with unique relationships. Females live in close-knit herds, taking care of calves, while bulls live alone after their teenage years. But their traditional movement routes are threatened by unplanned development-railways, roads, miningand habitat degradation is pushing elephants into farmland, causing huge economic losses for local communities."After the recap, the students asked insightful questions, such as: a. "Why does the government allow mining in these landscapes?" b. "Why punish local loggers and not big industrialists who cause more damage?"They then watched two additional films on bullying and human-leopard interactions before going to the periphery of Gorumara National Park for a 15-minute nature immersion activity. On returning to class, students shared reflections.One said: "The railway lines cutting through the National Park are causing many elephant deaths." Another noted, "The small stream of water is filled with garbage, harming the ecosystem."Students also questioned insensitive development projects, like the railway track and overbridge in Lataguri, which disrupt elephant movements.Although students were inattentive at the start and the school administration did not provide additional support, many later shared profound reflections. The original version of this article has been updated. for a reason not seen here, please contact the journal's editorial office.