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TUESDAY, APRIL 10 SYSTEM DYNAMICS We are doing the same thing with systems as we did last Tuesday with scale--moving from an indirect approach where we keep brushing up against the concept to a direct one where the concept becomes a focus of our discussion. And of course, it will remain part of our toolbox as we proceed through the rest of the quarter. For today, we have a pile of reading. The main chunk is several chapters out of Vaclav Smil's wonderful Cycles of Life. The four chapters required for today are available here: Chapter 1, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, and Chapter 5. Be thankful he believes in charts and pictures. As you are reading it, think about it on two levels:
The first half of class will be spent in discussion, mostly on the conceptual level; you need to gain a medium-detailed idea of how the cycles work, but there isn't much to discuss there. The second half of class you will form project groups. We will begin with a brainstorming session for which you should bring to class at least two ideas for a group project. After we get a series of topics on the board, you will have the opportunity to list your 3 faves, and based of those lists we will form groups. The groups will then have a few minutes to schedule a meeting outside class at which you will have more time deciding who should do what to accomplish your project. |