Guided Study Program in System Dynamics

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"Jay W. Forrester"
Senior Member
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

Guided Study Program in System Dynamics

Post by "Jay W. Forrester" »

GUIDED STUDY PROGRAM IN SYSTEM DYNAMICS

In the "system-dynamics" e-mail discussion group, there have been recent
requests for assistance in studying system dynamics and the "Road Maps"
self study guide. The MIT System Dynamics in Education Project (SDEP) under
the direction of Prof. Jay W. Forrester is proposing a Guided Study Program
in System Dynamics.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Guided Study Program will be conducted by correspondence, using e-mail
and sometimes land-mail. The focus will be on understanding the key
principles of system dynamics and using them in computer simulations.

The Program will be organized as a guided study of the Road Maps series and
some of the "classics" in system dynamics literature. Required readings and
modeling assignments will be suggested weekly. Participants will submit
weekly reports of their accomplishments and the problems or confusions that
they encountered.

The progress of the participants will be monitored by a team composed of
MIT undergraduates with experience working for the System Dynamics in
Education Project. The members of the team are authors of many of the
papers included in Road Maps. Each week the team will report back to the
SDEP group meeting with Prof. Forrester to relate the progress of the
participants and discuss the questions that arise.

Participants should expect to devote twelve to fifteen hours per week to
the Program. Responses from the SDEP students will be suspended during MIT
examination and vacation periods; for example, there will be little
activity in the month of December. We expect the Program to begin sometime
in September of 1997 and continue for nine to twelve months.

COST:

To cover the costs, each participant will be expected to pay $5,000 in
advance. Because this first offering of the Program is experimental,
participants should expect some rough spots while we all learn how to be
effective. We plan to offer the Program to several participants. If the
number who want to take part is not large enough to cover expenses, the
Program will not be given. If too many apply, applications will be taken in
the order of submission, excepting our right to decide that the Program may
not be appropriate for some applicants. If the Program is given, we will
probably admit a few active K-12 teachers and school administrators for a
fee that is much smaller than the above figure.

TO APPLY:

Anyone who is interested in participating in the System Dynamics in
Education Project Guided Study Program should contact Ms. Nan Lux at
<
nlux@mit.edu> before August 15th with a copy of your email to Jay
Forrester at <jforestr@mit.edu>. Please include some personal background
and describe your present work (about one page). After we see the response
to this proposal, we will decide on the next step.

Jay W. Forrester
Professor of Management, Emeritus
and Senior Lecturer, Sloan School
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room E60-389
Cambridge, MA 02139
tel: 617-253-1571
fax: 617-252-1998

email: jforestr@mit.edu
"Jay W. Forrester"
Senior Member
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

Guided Study Program in System Dynamics

Post by "Jay W. Forrester" »

Last call for the Guided Study in System Dynamics for 1998-1999. Anyone in
your organization who is interested should communicate with us by August 1
at:

gsp-info@sysdyn.mit.edu

The MIT Guided Study Program in System Dynamics is receiving applications
from participants for its second year. The Program will begin in early
September 1998 and run until June 1999. Participants must possess a
computer and have access to the Internet, and be willing to devote at least
fifteen hours per week to the Program. To cover the costs, each participant
will be expected to pay US$5,000 in advance. Applications will be taken in
the order of submission, excepting our right to decide that the Program may
not be appropriate for some applicants. The Program will also admit a few
full-time K-12 teachers and school administrators for a much smaller fee of
$500.

The Guided Study Program, GSP, is a distance learning program conducted by
e-mail for people without a basic training in the fundamentals of system
dynamics. The focus is on understanding the key principles of system
dynamics and using them in computer simulations.

The Program is organized as a guided study of the "Road Maps" series and
some of the "classics" in system dynamics literature. Weekly (and
occasionally biweekly) assignments include readings from papers in Road
Maps, exercises based on those papers, additional questions on the topics
of study, readings from the classic system dynamics literature, and
modeling exercises. (Road Maps is a series of chapters on system dynamics
and can be found on the web server at sysdyn.mit.edu)

Progress of participants is monitored by a team composed of MIT
undergraduates with experience working for the System Dynamics in Education
Project. Members of the team, the GSP tutors, are authors of many of the
papers included in Road Maps. Each week the team reports back to the System
Dynamics in Education Project group meeting with Prof. Forrester to relate
progress of participants and discuss questions that arise.

The Program is customized to interests and aptitudes of participants.
Length and difficulty of assignments varies depending on performance of
participants on previous assignments. Participants can reach tutors
individually through e-mail and get feedback on questions and concerns.

The first year of the Guided Study Program ends in July 1998. Tutors and
participants all found the Program to be a rewarding and educational
experience. The System Dynamics in Education Project will be holding a
similar Guided Study Program for the 1998-1999 school year. Material
covered will be similar to the first year, but experience gained this past
year will serve to improve next years Program.

Anyone who is interested in participating in the 1998-1999 System Dynamics
in Education Project Guided Study Program should contact us before August
1st. Please include some personal background and describe your present work
(about one page).


For additional information about the Guided Study Program, please contact us at
<gsp-info@sysdyn.mit.edu>
or refer to our home page
http://sysdyn.mit.edu/DistanceLearning/ .

The home page features:

o A paper about the GSP for the System Dynamics Society Quebec City
Conference in July 1998
o Quotes from past participants in the GSP
o A sample assignment
o A sample solution


---------------------------------------------------------
Jay W. Forrester
Professor of Management, Emeritus
and Senior Lecturer, Sloan School
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room E60-389
Cambridge, MA 02139
tel: 617-253-1571
fax: 617-258-9405
Home office:
tel: 978-369-9372
fax: 978-369-9077
"Jay W. Forrester"
Senior Member
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

Guided Study Program in System Dynamics

Post by "Jay W. Forrester" »

The MIT Guided Study Program in System Dynamics is receiving applications
from participants for its second year. The Program will begin in early
September 1998 and run until June 1999. Participants must possess a
computer and have access to the Internet, and be willing to devote at least
fifteen hours per week to the Program. To cover the costs, each participant
will be expected to pay US$5,000 in advance. Applications will be taken in
the order of submission, excepting our right to decide that the Program may
not be appropriate for some applicants. The Program will also admit a few
full-time K-12 teachers and school administrators for a much smaller fee of
$500.

The Guided Study Program, GSP, is a distance learning program conducted by
e-mail for people without a basic training in the fundamentals of system
dynamics. The focus is on understanding the key principles of system
dynamics and using them in computer simulations.

The Program is organized as a guided study of the "Road Maps" series and
some of the "classics" in system dynamics literature. Weekly (and
occasionally biweekly) assignments include readings from papers in Road
Maps, exercises based on those papers, additional questions on the topics
of study, readings from the classic system dynamics literature, and
modeling exercises. (Road Maps is a series of chapters on system dynamics
and can be found on the web server at sysdyn.mit.edu)

Progress of participants is monitored by a team composed of MIT
undergraduates with experience working for the System Dynamics in Education
Project. Members of the team, the GSP tutors, are authors of many of the
papers included in Road Maps. Each week the team reports back to the System
Dynamics in Education Project group meeting with Prof. Forrester to relate
progress of participants and discuss questions that arise.

The Program is customized to interests and aptitudes of participants.
Length and difficulty of assignments varies depending on performance of
participants on previous assignments. Participants can reach tutors
individually through e-mail and get feedback on questions and concerns.

The first year of the Guided Study Program ends in July 1998. Tutors and
participants all found the Program to be a rewarding and educational
experience. The System Dynamics in Education Project will be holding a
similar Guided Study Program for the 1998-1999 school year. Material
covered will be similar to the first year, but experience gained this past
year will serve to improve next years Program.

Anyone who is interested in participating in the 1998-1999 System Dynamics
in Education Project Guided Study Program should contact us at
<
gsp-info@sysdyn.mit.edu> before August 1st. Please include some personal
background and describe your present work (about one page).


For additional information about the Guided Study Program, please contact
us at <gsp-info@sysdyn.mit.edu> or refer to our home page
http://sysdyn.mit.edu/DistanceLearning/ .

The home page features:

o A paper about the GSP for the System Dynamics Society Quebec City
Conference in July 1998
o Quotes from past participants in the GSP
o A sample assignment
o A sample solution


---------------------------------------------------------
Jay W. Forrester
From: "Jay W. Forrester" <jforestr@MIT.EDU>
Professor of Management, Emeritus
and Senior Lecturer, Sloan School
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room E60-389
Cambridge, MA 02139
tel: 617-253-1571
fax: 617-258-9405
"Jay W. Forrester"
Senior Member
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

Guided Study Program in System Dynamics

Post by "Jay W. Forrester" »

This is the second (and last) announcement of the 1999-2000 Program.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The System Dynamics in Education Project at MIT is now accepting
applications for the 1999-2000 Guided Study Program in System Dynamics.

The Guided Study Program (GSP) is conducted by the System Dynamics in
Education Project (SDEP) in the System Dynamics Group of the Sloan School
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Program is suitable for
any person who wants to acquire a strong foundation in the theory of system
dynamics as well as model building skills. The GSP will begin its third
year in September 1999. Fourteen people enrolled in the first 1997-98
session, and thirty in the 1998-99 session.

The Guided Study Program is organized around the "Road Maps" series (a
series of chapters on system dynamics which can be found online at
<
http://sysdyn.mit.edu>) and some of the "classics" in system dynamics
literature. Weekly (and occasionally biweekly) assignments include readings
from papers in Road Maps, exercises based on those papers, additional
questions on the topics of study, readings from the classic system dynamics
literature, and modeling exercises. Participants will receive comprehensive
general solutions to the assignments as well as detailed feedback,
corrections and suggestions on their individual answers.

Progress of participants is monitored by a team composed of MIT
undergraduates with experience working for the System Dynamics in Education
Project. Members of the team, the GSP tutors, are authors of many of the
papers in Road Maps. Professor Forrester, as the head of the program
overlooks the work of the tutors. Each week the team reports back to the
System Dynamics in Education Project group meeting with Professor Forrester
to relate progress of participants and discuss questions that arise.

Material covered will be similar to the past years, but experience gained
in prior years will serve to improve this years Program. Participants can
reach tutors individually through e-mail and get feedback on questions and
concerns.

The next Guided Study Program in System Dynamics will begin in early
September 1999 and run through May 2000. Participants must possess a
computer and have access to the Internet, and be willing to devote at least
fifteen hours per week to the Program. To cover the costs, each participant
will be expected to pay US$5,000. in advance. Applications will be taken in
the order of submission, excepting our right to decide that the Program may
not be appropriate for some applicants. The Program will also admit a few
full-time K-12 teachers and school administrators for a much smaller fee of
US$500. The participants must also purchase books totaling about $350.

Past GSP participants have found the Program to be a rewarding and
educational experience. Anyone who is interested in participating in the
1999 Guided Study Program in System Dynamics should contact us before
August 1st at:
gsp-info@sysdyn.mit.edu.
Please include some personal background, describe your present work and why
you are interested in this program (about one page).

Additional information can also be found at
<http://sysdyn.mit.edu/DistanceLearning>. This web page contains:
- The paper about the GSP presented at the International System Dynamics
Society Conference in Quebec City, July 1998
- Quotes from participants about the GSP
- Sample assignment (assignment 7 of 30)

---------------------------------------------------------
Jay W. Forrester
Professor of Management, Emeritus
and Senior Lecturer, Sloan School
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room E60-389
Cambridge, MA 02139
tel: 617-253-1571
fax: 617-258-9405
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