Practical Applications of Systems Thinking and STELLA in the High School Setting

Presented by:

Jeremy Merritt, Mark Clemente VSTE 2009

What is a system?

A system is an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something
Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems: A Primer (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2008) 11

Examples of Systems

Digestive

Forest

Community

Slinky

Bathtubs

25 20 15 Water in Bathtub 10 5 0 9AM

A bathtub is a simple system

Bathtub System

1: Bathtub 1: 30

1 1: 15

1 1: 0 0.00 7.50 15.00 Minutes Water in bathtub 22.50 30.00 11:46 AM Fri, Feb 20, 2009

Draining

Understanding Behavior Over Time

1: Bathtub 1: 26

1:

25

1:

24 0.00 7.50 15.00 Minutes Water in bathtub 22.50 30.00 11:34 AM Fri, Feb 20, 2009

Dynamic Equilibrium

Stocks & Flows

Bathtub

The bathtub is a stock

Stocks & Flows

Bathtub

addi ng water

draining water

The faucet and the drain are flows

Modeling Systems with STELLA

Other Stocks & Flows

Bank Account

C02 In Atmospher e
maki ng deposi ts

addi ng c02

Self Esteem

bui lding

Same thing, different units

Feedback Loops
A feedback loop occurs when a stock affects its flows

Bank account ear ning inter est

R
inter est rate

Feedback Loops
Reinforcing Loops
Population
Bank account earning interest

births

R
interest rate

birth rate

adding snow

Size of Snow ball

R
speed

Behavior vs. Data

Its important to focus on behavior when youre thinking about systems

Bank account ear ning inter est

1

R
inter est rate
1 1

Feedback Loops

adding heat f rom furnace Room Temp thermostat setting

dif f erence betw een desired and actual temp

Balancing Loop

Balancing Loops

1: Population 1: 450 1 1

r epr oduci ng

Population dyi ng
1: 250 1

bir th r ate death rate

1 1: 50 0.00 15.00 30.00 Time 45.00 60.00

Applying Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Non-software-based
Use Systems Thinking Concepts

Software-based
Use Model-based Materials

Stock & flow Mapping

Earth Systems Science & STELLA

An example: GLOBE Carbon Cycle Program
Bringing cutting edge research & techniques into the classroom STELLA models that use input data collected by students and researchers Focus on using technology & modeling to give students an understanding of local and global carbon cycles

Lessons in Mathematics
Lessons in Mathematics: A Dynamic Approach by Diana Fisher provides a set of materials that can be used to supplement current curriculum for Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus and Calculus classes.

Mark Clemente!
MODSIM Initiative

Our Company Mission

isee systems is in business to improve the way the world works, by creating Systems Thinking-based products that enable people to increase their capacity to think, learn, communicate, and act more systemically. Barry Richmond

Contact Us!
isee systems
www.iseesystems.com blog.iseesystems.com

Jeremy Merritt
jmerritt@iseesystems.com Twitter @jeremyx

Mark Clemente
mark.clemente@nianet.org