ABSTRACT
From an educational standpoint, identifying the discernment of complexity as an outcome of slow looking is useful in a couple of different ways. One is that it can serve as a compass for designing educational experiences that encourage slow looking. Some kinds of complexity are not easily recognized through observation, such as the narrative complexity of stories or the conceptual complexity of big ideas like justice or freedom. There are three types of complexity that often make themselves known through slow looking: complexity of parts and interactions, complexity of perspective, and complexity of engagement. Observing the complexity of parts and interactions takes time, and an observation strategy that is well-matched to the challenge is inventorying. The complexity of engagement is often discerned through slow looking relates directly to this last point, about students' self-awareness as observers.
