CS382:Topics Matrix

From Earlham CS Department
Revision as of 08:16, 11 February 2009 by Charliep (talk | contribs) (Thoughts)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

This is meant to be a rough draft of an idea Charlie and I talked about: that we should have a n-by-n matrix of different ideas that we want to make sure we hit. Since an n-by-n matrix is hard to display (especially on a wiki!) it turned into a list instead. Once this is finished, we should make sure that at least one unit addresses each one of these topics.

Initial "dimensions" of the matrix:

Scientific Disciplines

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Geology (earthquakes)
  • Environmental science
  • One of the social sciences

Potentially:

  • Astronomy

Scientific Tools

  • Equation-based modeling
  • Agent-based modeling: Netlogo or AgentSheets
  • Systems-based modeling: Vensim
  • Visualization/visual modeling
  • Mashups and Google Earth

Potentially

  • SecondLife or OpenSim

Foundation Skills

  • Creating a graph
  • Interpreting a graph
  • Basic statistics
  • Estimation
  • Parameter sweep
  • Data collection

Potentially

  • Building a physical model

Thoughts

Some of these should go somewhere, and some of these should be in every unit.

  • What data do I need to collect, how do I collect it accurately, and then how do I build it
    • Perhaps one unit where they have to go out and collect data to see how hard it really is, how about modeling campus (rectangle and heart)
  • Data collection: sensor nets, lasers

Course Structure

Course Structure - D R A F T
Topic Unit(s) Discipline(s) Skill(s) Tool(s) Notes
What's a Model? Foundations Generic TBD TBD
Using a Dynamic Model Fire Forestry Critical parameter, parameter sweep Agent modeling, NetLogo
Building a Static Model Area Generic Accuracy, precision, estimation Mashup
Visualizing Data Mashup TBD TBD Mashup
Structural Modeling Bridge Physics TBD TBD Software and physical?
Equation Modeling Rocket Math, Physics TBD TBD Software and physical?
Modeling Society People Sociology TBD Agent modeling, NetLogo
Systems Dynamics Models Systems Dynamics Placeholder Sociology TBD TBD
Chaotic Systems Climate Lots TBD TBD

Some would be one week long, some two weeks. Make these into links to the units when they are in "First Draft" form.