CS382:Topics Matrix
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| Week | Topic | Unit(s) | Who | Discipline(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What's a Model? | Foundations | Sam, Mikio | Generic |
| 2 | Building a Static Model | Area | Philip, Bryan | Generic |
| 3 | Using a Dynamic Model | Fire | Fitz, Vlado | Forestry |
| 4 | Visualizing Data | Mashup | Matt, Nate | TBD |
| 5-6 | Structural Modeling | Bridge | Bryan, Dylan | Bridge Building |
| 7-8 | Equation Modeling | Rocket | Vlado, Sam | Math, Physics |
| 9 | Agent Based Modeling and Computational Sociology | People | Nate, Philip | Sociology |
| 10-11 | Modeling Predator-Prey Interactions | Lynx and rabbits | Dylan, Matt | Biology |
| 12-13 | Chaotic Systems | Climate | Mikio, Fitz | Lots |
| 14 | End Notes | Wrap-up and review | TBD | Lots |
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
- Consider moving the scraped pages here from the main page for gen eds, labs, etc.
