The Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation (STACI) Project is a multi-year research effort intended to examine the cognitive demands and consequences of learning from a systems thinking approach to instruction and from using simulation-modeling software. The purpose of the study is to test the potentials and effects of integrating the systems approach into science and history courses to teach content knowledge as well as general problem solving skills. The project also examines the effectiveness of using STELLA, a simulation-modeling software program, as a tool by which to examine scientific and historical phenomena. The research focuses on learning outcomes and cognitive processing, particularly self-regulation, that are activated in an instructional environment that requires students to use high-order cognitive skills in the examination of dynamic phenomena. A total of 31 chemistry and 22 physics high school students were selected by criteria (course taking, ability, and gender), interviewed individually, and tape recorded. Appendices include: (1) "Self-Regulation Questionnaire"; (2) "Physics Problem"; and (3) "Chemistry Problem." (YP)