An ecological framework is often used to describe the context for learning in educational research and practice. However, there is often a focus on descriptive aspects that frame the ecosystem as a complicated set of interconnected elements—but not a true complex problem. Acknowledging connections between ecosystem elements is not enough to affect the systemic change that the wicked problem of education requires. In this paper, we argue for moving toward a more robust framework that takes seriously the notion of learning happening via relational processes between system elements, and looks more deeply at the ways in which those dynamic elements are interacting in complex, multiscalar ways. We promote drawing more heavily from ecologists’ understanding of biological systems, particularly the application of concepts drawn from adaptive management strategies used in the field of restoration ecology. We present an argument to decentre our field’s typical focus on individual youth, just as ecologists have moved biology away from an emphasis on individual organisms. We postulate that decentring youth enables new ways of thinking about learning ecosystem design and management. We then explore three specific concepts used in adaptive management in ecology: ecotones, keystone and indicator species, and disturbance and resilience.

生态框架通常用于描述教育研究和实践中学习的环境。但是，通常将重点放在描述性方面，这些描述性方面将生态系统构造为一组复杂的相互关联的元素，但并不是真正的复杂问题。认识到生态系统要素之间的联系还不足以影响邪恶的教育问题所需的系统性变化。在本文中，我们主张朝着更健壮的框架迈进，该框架认真对待通过系统元素之间的关系过程进行学习的概念，并更深入地研究那些动态元素以复杂，多标量方式进行交互的方式。我们从生态学家对生物系统的理解中大力提倡绘图，特别是从恢复生态学领域中使用的自适应管理策略得出的概念的应用。我们提出了一个论点，以将我们领域的典型重点放在个体青年身上，就像生态学家将生物学从对个体生物的重视移开了一样。我们假设，放权青年可以为学习生态系统设计和管理提供新的思维方式。然后，我们探讨了生态适应性管理中使用的三个特定概念：生态调，梯形和指示物种以及干扰和复原力。我们假设，放权青年可以为学习生态系统设计和管理提供新的思维方式。然后，我们探讨了生态适应性管理中使用的三个特定概念：生态调，梯形和指示物种以及干扰和复原力。我们假设，放权青年可以为学习生态系统设计和管理提供新的思维方式。然后，我们探讨了生态适应性管理中使用的三个特定概念：生态调，梯形和指示物种以及干扰和复原力。