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System Dynamics Modeling:  Online Courses for Teachers

Bring more “Aha” moments to your math and science students with hands-on experience solving real-world problems using mathematical modeling.

“This is the most fascinating class I’ve ever taken.  It’s an area of study that allows me to use all my different skill sets.  It has given me new ideas about what it is possible to understand and explain.”

                                          High School Student in Year-Long System Dynamics Course 

REGISTER NOW    (Registration open)

1st Course in System Dynamics Modeling:
Basic Models

(3 Graduate CE Credits, option)

 

The first online course in the sequence of System Dynamics (SD) modeling courses is intended for any instructor who does not have experience with SD modeling.

You will learn to build the models presented using lessons you could adapt for your own students. The model-building lessons have been used in math and/or science classes, some with students as young as 15 years.  The course is asynchronous.

Prerequisites:

  1. Comfort with basic secondary school algebra concepts;
  2. Comfort with the content of the course being taught by the participant (within which model-building activities will be added);
  3. An interest in expanding the hands-on experiences of the participants’ students;
  4. An interest in learning the value that System Dynamics modeling can bring to the learning environment.

The sequence of session topics are listed below:

  • Session 1:  Digital Communication Tools
  • Session 2:  Analyzing Simple Generic Behavior Characteristics
  • Session 3:  Building Simple Models
  • Session 4:  Learning about Feedback and the Importance of Unit Consistency
  • Session 5:  Building Drug Models
  • Session 6:  Building an Epidemic Model
  • Session 7:  Building Models that Produce Oscillations
  • Session 8:  Building Rocket Models and Models for other Trajectories
  • Session 9:  Constructing Your First Model-Building Lessons
  • Session 10:  National Curriculum Standards and Creating Assessments

Each session is divided into sections that involve exploring the new concepts, practicing the new concepts, an assessment, reading and discussion questions, and numerous web resources.  (Maximum 15 participants.)

High Impact Course that won’t Overwhelm your Schedule

“I thought it was a great course.  I liked how explicit all the instructions were for the computer modeling.”

“You really are a master teacher.  It is not always you complete a class and say, “WOW, that instructor was awesome.”

“Videos were outstanding.  They were at a pace I could follow along.  They were broken into reasonable time and information chunks.”

                                                       Secondary School Teachers Commenting on Course 1

REGISTER NOW    (Registration open)

2nd Course in System Dynamics Modeling:
More Advanced Models

(4 Graduate CE Credits, option)

 

The second online course in the sequence of System Dynamics (SD) modeling courses is intended for instructors who want to go the next step, building models dealing with more advanced system dynamics concepts.

You will learn to build the models presented using lessons that you can adapt for your own students. The model-building lessons have been used in math and/or science classes, some with students as young as 15 years.  The course is asynchronous.

Prerequisites: 1st Course in System Dynamics Modeling: Basic Models. Or, participants need:

  1. experience building small System Dynamics (SD) models (especially containing exponential structure);
  2. the ability to include appropriate, consistent units in an SD model;
  3. the ability to recognize and explain reinforcing and balancing feedback loops in an SD model.

The sequence of session topics are listed below:

  • Session 1:  Review of Digital Communication Tools and Review of Course 1
  • Session 2:  Some Scenarios from the “Shape of Change” Book
  • Session 3:  Building Population Models
  • Session 4:  Introduction Dimensionless Multiplier Components
  • Session 5:  Keystone Species and More About Feedback
  • Session 6:  Euler’s Method
  • Session 7 (option a): Homeostasis in the Human Body
  • Session 7 (option b):  How Differential Equations Relate to System Dynamics Models
  • Session 8:  Three Model-Building Lesson Structures
  • Session 9:  Constructing Another (3rd) Model-Building Lesson
  • Session 10:  Creating Assessments for Model-Building Lessons, Viewing the Design of a Year-Long Modeling Course for Students; Using Story-Telling feature of Stella

Each session is divided into sections that involve exploring the new concepts, practicing the new concepts, an assessment, reading and discussion questions, and numerous web resources.  (Maximum 15 participants.)

I searched for years to find any available training on STELLA before I discovered the systems dynamics courses that Dr. Fisher offers.  I took Course 1 in 2015 and Course 2 in 2017.  I thoroughly enjoyed both courses.  Each proved to be challenging, fun, and beneficial to me.  Course 1 was a great introduction to systems dynamic and Course 2 provided even greater insights, resources and approached  into using systems dynamic and STELLA to teach.  I highly recommend the courses for any mathematics or science instructor who wants a valuable insight and approach to teaching and learning.

Community College Mathematics Instructor

“Your detailed feedback was priceless.”

Secondary School Science TOSA (Teacher Leader on Special Assignment)

“The entire learning process of homeostasis, and applying that to the Stella models was so rewarding and interesting.  Not only did I learn new things, my understanding of concepts reviewed in class deepened and expanded.”

High School Student After 8 Class Period (one period per month) Modeling Sessions

I’ll be with you Throughout the Course – Something Former Teachers Appreciated

REGISTER NOW    (Registration open)

3rd Course in System Dynamics Modeling:
Building Models From the News

(5 Graduate CE Credits, option)

 

The third online course in the sequence of System Dynamics (SD) modeling courses is intended for instructors who want to learn to build original models whose inspiration arises from news articles or from course content for which there are currently no available SD models.

You will learn even more advanced SD techniques and practice building some pre-designed models as well as original models. There is a modeling project required for this course that will take you through the entire SD modeling method. The model-building lessons have been used in math, science, social science, and/or economics classes, some with students as young as 15 years of age.  Most of the course is asynchronous.  There are parts of two lessons for which a time will be synchronized for group model building.

Prerequisites: 2nd Course in System Dynamics Modeling: More Advanced Models. Or, participants need:

  1. experience building System Dynamics (SD) models containing at least 2 – 3 stocks;
  2. the ability to design and apply a dimensionless multiplier in an SD model;
  3. the ability to define consistent units and identify and explain feedback in an SD model;
  4. to understand the meaning of transfer of loop dominance.

The sequence of session topics are listed below:

  • Session 1:  Review of Digital Communication Tools and Review of Course 1 and Course 2 Concepts
  • Session 2:  Information and Material Delays; Supply and Demand Model
  • Session 3:  Verification and Validation; Pollution Model
  • Session 4:  Building a Stock/Flow Diagram From a News Article
  • Session 5:  Starting the Research for Your Team Project; Policy Testing; Urban Growth Model
  • Session 6:  Building the Model for Your Team Project; Start Fishbanks Activity
  • Session 7:  Draft of Project Model Due; Finish Fishbanks Activity
  • Session 8:  Correct Project Model; Complete Model testing; Build Fishbanks Model
  • Session 9:  Determine Potential Successful Policies for Project Model; Policy Testing with Fishbanks; Video Presentation Specified
  • Session 10: Video Presentation Due; Demonstration of C-Roads Climate Change Simulation

Each session is divided into sections that involve exploring the new concepts, practicing the new concepts, an assessment, reading and discussion questions, and numerous web resources.  (Maximum 15 participants.)

“Truly outstanding.”

Comment from a physician and a professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine 

“The two news article assignments helped me sooo much.  I don’t think I truly believed I could use STELLA by myself until then.  The model and paper were fun and extremely enlightening.  It’s the first course I’ve encountered that actually challenged me.”

“I really enjoyed this class and thought everything was really important.  This class was not what I expected, it was much better.  I was really challenged by the material.  I enjoyed this class a lot.”

Comments from two Secondary School Students after Year-Long SD Modeling Course

Instructors for Course 1:

Anne LaVigne: In collaboration with the Creative Learning Exchange, create materials and experiences that engage people in basic modeling concepts and connect educators to real-world curricular systems being studied in pre-college education.

Diana Fisher: Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award (2011 – System Dynamics Society); Presidential Award (1995); Intel Innovation in Teaching Award (1996). Teacher of system dynamics modeling at the pre-college and university level for over 20 years.  You can learn more about Diana Fisher at this link. (D. Fisher)

Instructor for Course 2 and Course 3:

Diana Fisher