1999-2000 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

1999-2000 Guided Study Program in System Dynamics

Post by "Jay W. Forrester" »

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)
- Sample solutions (general solutions to assignment 7)


---------------------------------------------------------
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
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