CS382:Topics Matrix

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When it's ready to be reviewed update the Status to be "Ready". This is the only signal that the reviewers will look for. When it's being reviewed the status will be "In Review" and then "Done".

Topic Matrix
Week Topic Unit(s) Who Discipline(s) Skill(s) Tool(s) Notes Status
1 What's a Model? Foundations Sam, Mikio Generic TBD TBD Yes
2 Building a Static Model Area Philip, Bryan Generic Accuracy, precision, estimation Mashup Software and physical Lab ready for review, other is not.
3 Using a Dynamic Model Fire Fitz, Vlado Forestry Critical parameter, parameter sweep Cellular Automata, NetLogo Lab and other ready review, lab is ready to do.
4 Visualizing Data Mashup Matt, Nate TBD TBD Mashup Tufte based approach? Lab ready for review, other is not.
5-6 Structural Modeling Bridge Bryan, Dylan Bridge Building Physics Simulation Computational and physical models Lab ready for review, other is not.
7-8 Equation Modeling Rocket Vlado, Sam Math, Physics Math, estimation skills and physics Simulators provided, rocketry craftsmanship outside Software and physical Ready
9 Agent Based Modeling and Computational Sociology People Nate, Philip Sociology TBD Agent modeling, NetLogo Consider Josh McCoy's message Lab is ready for review, other is not.
10-11 Modeling Predator-Prey Interactions Lynx and rabbits Dylan, Matt Biology TBD Systems dynamics modeling, NetLogo, and Agent-based Lab is ready for review, other is not.
12-13 Chaotic Systems Climate Mikio, Fitz Lots TBD TBD Lab is ready for review, other is not.
14 End Notes Wrap-up and review TBD Lots TBD TBD

Concepts, Techniques and Tools

There are a number of recurring themes, standard scientific techniques, and tools for doing science both in the real world and with a computing system contained in this course. Many of them are seen at more than one point.

The plan is to introduce all of them at the start of the course, call them out whenever we encounter them during the course, and then review all of them as a group at the end of the course.

Concepts

  • Using models, modifying models, developing models
  • Data -> information -> knowledge
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • Computational thinking
  • Abstraction
  • Accuracy vs precision

Techniques

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

Tools

  • Spreadsheet; {Open, Neo} Office
  • Plotting; Sigma plot, gnuplot (?!), PlotDrop. Why not just use the spreadsheet's tool?
  • Equation-based modeling; spreadsheet?
  • Agent-based modeling; NetLogo or AgentSheets
  • Systems-based modeling; Vensim
  • Visualization/visual modeling
  • Mashups and Google Earth

Potentially:

  • SecondLife or OpenSim

Overall Context

  • Pedagogical
    • Inquiry based learning
    • Scaffolded
    • Open-ended to a degree
    • Using science to illustrate the diversity and complexity of the world around us
  • Structural
    • Metric system
    • OSX, Windows, Linux whenever possible (lab sizes and locations)
    • Classroom response system - questions for each unit, participation/attendance measured by response rate?

Items to be sorted

  • Quantitative reasoning
  • Using tools, broadly defined

Mechanical and structural stuff:

  • Scales well, say 20-80 students
    • Automated assessment tools
    • Effective use of TAs
  • 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

Total Gen Ed Coverage

Total Geneds