Krivtsov, Vladimir;
Pluchinotta, Irene;
Pagano, Alessandro;
(2023)
Teaching Systems Thinking and System Dynamics in Engineering, Ecology and Environmental Sciences: A Concise Course Based on the Water Management and Population Dynamics Models.
International Journal of Environmental Impacts
, 6
(1)
pp. 25-36.
10.18280/ijei.060104.
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Abstract
Systems Thinking and adequate modelling skills related to System Dynamics (SD) are essential for sustainable functioning of human society. The process of learning these skills can be considerably facilitated through hands-on experience with modern interactive tools in a play-like activity. Here we present a concise hands-on course on SD Modelling and Systems Thinking, give a brief description of its teaching materials (available online for free download), and discuss its potential developments, overall relevance and further implications. The course contains a session on ‘Systems Thinking’, and two hands-on sessions aiming to provide basic and more advanced modelling skills. Central to the latter are the examples of structural modifications for the Ebbsfleet Garden City water management model. The model represents complex processes associated with a multitude of interconnected social, technical and environmental issues. This publication provides both an important update of this model incorporating a dimensional analysis and the hands-on teaching support designed to aid knowledge transfer. It is envisaged that, with modifications, this freely downloadable course could be of use for modules related to a wide range of fundamental and applied disciplines, including e.g., Ecology, Geography, Engineering, Social and Environmental Sciences. It is expected that University students and other users will not only benefit from enhancing their understanding of the complexity of the specific problems considered by the examples used, but will also gain valuable basic system modelling skills through ‘learning by doing’. The teaching materials presented here may be particularly useful for environmental projects involving participatory approaches.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Teaching Systems Thinking and System Dynamics in Engineering, Ecology and Environmental Sciences: A Concise Course Based on the Water Management and Population Dynamics Models |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.18280/ijei.060104 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.18280/ijei.060104 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | IIETA publishes its articles under the CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which requires users to give due acknowledgment to the original author, include a link to the license, and state whether any changes were made. |
| Keywords: | Active learning, blue-green cities, complex interactions, ecological patterns, emergent behaviour, industrial ecosystem, naturebased solutions, parameter space |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10173441 |
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