September 1997


Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997
From: Dong-Hwan Kim <sddhkim@soback.kornet.nm.kr>
Organization: ETRI
To: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
Subject: call for speaker on island dynamics

Hello, I am Dong-Hwan Kim in South Korea.
First of all, I am very happy to inform you that
I changed my job from senior researcher of ETRI
to assistant professor of Chung-Ang University (Korea)
from September this year.

I would like to invite one or two speakers for
the "World Island Conference(WIC)" that will be held
from 27th to 29th of Nov. this year at Cheju Island in
South Korea.

The main purpose of the WIC is to provide a theoretical
and practical backround for identifying and suggesting
development strategies of island cities. WIC is hosted by
Cheju city and Cheju University. There will be
theoretical discussions among scholars from Cheju (Korea),
Hawaii (USA), Vancouver (Canada), Okinawa (Japan), Crete
(Greece), and Pengfu (Taiwan).

I took responsibility of inviting system dynamicists/system
theorists who can address a paper on island dynamics, island
informations system, and development strategies of island.
We need one or two speakers on this theme. Considering the
conference date, it is very urgent for me to determine
speakers. I believe that speakers will have good time in
the conference, because
i) Cheju is one of the most beautiful island in Korea,
ii) Organizing committee of WIC will provide airtickets (economy
class), lodging fees (the first rate Hotel).
iii) Paper presented at WIC will be published at the "Journal of
Island Studies", first volume of which will appear next year.

If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to
contact Dr. Dong-Hwan Kim (sddhkim@soback.kornet.nm.kr).

Thanks a lot.

Sincerely
Dong-Hwan Kim
Assistant Professor, Chung-Ang University.
sddhkim@soback.kornet.nm.kr


Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997
From: Les Skillings <iskillin@makani.k12.hi.us>
To: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
Subject: Systems in World History and Economics

Aloha!

I've developed a World History and Economics courses that use systems.
I'm looking for others, hopefully in Hawaii, that are interested in
sharing teaching strategies and materials.

I call my history course " A Connected View of World History." The
course uses Ponding's book "A Green History" and is topical in approach.
Each topic(Land Degradation, Deforestation, World Views etc.) area is
treated in the past, present and future. I have a sizeable materials
and video list for the course.

The Economics course uses the work of Dr. Edward Deming, Peter Senge and
Paul Hawken's "Ecology of Commerce." The course introduces the student
to systemic thought processes. Again, teaching strategies and video use
challenge students to think about a new theory of economics.

Well, this is a brief introduction of my work. Hope to hear from you.

Leslie Skillings, Jr.
Baldwin High School
Social Studies Core Resource Teacher
Total Quality Learning Facilitator


Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997
To: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
From: nprice@k12s.phast.umass.edu (Norman Price)
Subject: Middle school science

I am an 8th grade science teacher who was introduced to systems as
a subject by a text I use, Investigating Systems and Change by Kendall/Hunt
publishing. In it I attempt to introduce kids to Systems which have dynamic
balance, a characteristic like equilibrium, through the use of feedback and
restoring mechanisms. I have them build a thermostat system and a siphon
system which trys to balance water levels in a beaker, and then examine
body regulation of blood pressure and how perscription drug use as a method
of balancing body systems during an illness.
I would love to hear more about how systems concepts are used in
the "real world" since often these concepts go un-reinforced after my
students leave my class, as traditional High school couses do not often
approach concepts from this perspective. I would also love to get my hands
on Stella, or other computer programs, for me and my school so I could
have my students attempt to model simple systems on the computer.

Norman Price
Science Department
Amherst Regional Junior High
170 Chestnut Street
Amherst, MA O1002

413-549-3710


Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997
To: nprice@k12s.phast.umass.edu (Norman Price), k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
From: rstanley@together.net (Rolfe Stanley)
Subject: Re: Middle school science

At 8:03 PM 9/29/97, Norman Price wrote:
> I am an 8th grade science teacher who was introduced to systems as
>a subject by a text I use, Investigating Systems and Change by Kendall/Hunt
>publishing. In it I attempt to introduce kids to Systems which have dynamic
>balance, a characteristic like equilibrium, through the use of feedback and
>restoring mechanisms. I have them build a thermostat system and a siphon
>system which trys to balance water levels in a beaker, and then examine
>body regulation of blood pressure and how perscription drug use as a method
>of balancing body systems during an illness.
> I would love to hear more about how systems concepts are used in
>the "real world" since often these concepts go un-reinforced after my
>students leave my class, as traditional High school couses do not often
>approach concepts from this perspective. I would also love to get my hands
>on Stella, or other computer programs, for me and my school so I could
>have my students attempt to model simple systems on the computer.
>
>Norman Price
>Science Department
>Amherst Regional Junior High
>170 Chestnut Street
>Amherst, MA O1002
>
>413-549-3710
I have some extra copies intended for high schools..Stella 3.06

Rolfe Stanley
Stanley Computer Center
Fletcher Extension


Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997
To: nprice@k12s.phast.umass.edu (Norman Price)
From: jheinbokel@UCSD.Edu (John Heinbokel)
Subject: Re: Middle school science
Cc: wat-cent@charity.trinityvt.edu, k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu

> I am an 8th grade science teacher who was introduced to systems as
>a subject by a text I use, Investigating Systems and Change by Kendall/Hunt
>publishing. In it I attempt to introduce kids to Systems which have dynamic
>balance, a characteristic like equilibrium, through the use of feedback and
>restoring mechanisms. I have them build a thermostat system and a siphon
>system which trys to balance water levels in a beaker, and then examine
>body regulation of blood pressure and how perscription drug use as a method
>of balancing body systems during an illness.

===>>> Good Morning,
I'm John Heinbokel, Director of the Waters Center for System
Dynamics at Trinity College in Burlington, VT ('though this year I'm on
sabbatical in San Diego to write a text book; Jeff Potash, Assoc. Dir., and
Jeanne Zimmerman, Center Manager, are holding down the fort in Burlington).
At the Center we work extensively developing college-level (and
high-school level) interdisciplinary curricular units and in outreach in
modeling training and application to the k-12 community
(http://www.trinityvt.edu/waters)
The topics you've identified are marvelous and challenging ones,
but if you're working solo in your school on this so far, I suspect it's
been especially challenging. Some resources you should be aware of, if you
aren't already (some of which address your questions below):

--- Creative Learning Exchange: maintains a collection of educational
materials for all grade levels and all subjects. Downloadable stuff
(mostly STELLA applications) from the WEB (do a search on the name; I don't
have their URL at my fingertips)

--- Two schools outside Boston are especially active in SD. You can
use our web site to track down Harvard and Concord/Carlisle school
districts. Acton, Parker Charter School (Devons), and Chelmsford Charter
School are also quite active.

--- High Performance Systems, Inc. (Hanover, NH, 800/332-1202;
http://www.hps-inc.com) make STELLA. They offer educational discounts,
downloadable demos, and downloadable Run-Time versions, the latter two with
various limitations. Most of the educational applications available today
are written in STELLA.

--- VENSIM: Ventana (Corp?) produces another modeling software package
that's not as transparent or as widely used as STELLA, BUT a fully
functional version is available free for downloading off their web site.

> I would love to hear more about how systems concepts are used in
>the "real world" since often these concepts go un-reinforced after my
>students leave my class, as traditional High school couses do not often
>approach concepts from this perspective.

===>>> You seem to be equating "real world" with "high school," an
interesting concept. Still, four high schools are especially active and
successful with this stuff. At least the first two can be tracked from our
web site:
-- Catalina Foothills HS (Tucson, AZ)
-- Portland Public Schools (several sites in Portland, OR; they are NSF
funded under the acronym (CC-STADUS) that will identify their web site
-- Maryland Virtual High School -- again with a web presence, but you'll
have to search for it
-- Champlain Valley Union High School (Hinesburg, VT, just south of
Burlington). We have worked with them (and now are beginning to work with
teachers from their sending middle schools). All of their 9th grade teams
have some SD training and curricular applications to use and their gifted
physics/environmental science teacher, Will Costello, is working 50% time
at the Waters Center this year to develop additional materials and to
mentor the new modelers in the system.

I would also love to get my hands
>on Stella, or other computer programs, for me and my school so I could
>have my students attempt to model simple systems on the computer.

===>>> See above. Note also on our web site that we offer various training
options and products. You might find some useful help from your 'local'
resources in the Boston suburbs (see above); and CC-STADUS offers annual
three week training programs each summer in Portland (see their web site).
Good luck. I'll cc this to the Waters Center, so they'll be aware of you
should you choose to contact them for more information.

john
---------------------------------------------
>Norman Price
>Science Department
>Amherst Regional Junior High
>170 Chestnut Street
>Amherst, MA O1002
>
>413-549-3710

-----------------------------------
john heinbokel
visiting scholar
scripps institution of oceanography
la jolla, ca 92093-0227
jheinbokel@ucsd.edu


Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997
From: Les Skillings <lskillin@makani.k12.hi.us>
To: Les Skillings <lskillin@makani.k12.hi.us>
Cc: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Systems in World History and Economics

Systems Group:

I e-mailed something to the group on two courses I have developed but
there was a mistake in my return address. I'm very sorry for this and I
have corrected the error.

The original letter is below.

les


Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997
From: George Richardson <gr383@cnsvax.albany.edu>
Subject: Re: Middle school science
To: k-12 listserve <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>

Schools looking for system dynamics software should probably take a look
at the new version of Vensim PLE, available to educators and their
students for free. One can down load it from
http://news.std.com/vensim/VENPLE.HTM

...GPR

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
George P. Richardson G.P.Richardson@Albany.edu
Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy Phone: 518-442-3859
University at Albany - SUNY, Albany, NY 12222 Fax: 518-442-3398
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


From: Bill Harris <billh@lsid.hp.com>
Subject: Re: Middle school science
To: jheinbokel@ucsd.edu (John Heinbokel)
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997
Cc: nprice@k12s.phast.umass.edu, wat-cent@charity.trinityvt.edu,
k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu

Norman Price wrote:

> I would also love to get my hands
> >on Stella, or other computer programs, for me and my school so I could
> >have my students attempt to model simple systems on the computer.

There's also a shareware tool called Dynasys which appears to be like early
iThink/Stella. It has school licenses available for just under the price
of 3 individual licenses; the school license is about $85. See
http://members.aol.com/whupfeld/dynasys.htm if your German is good;
otherwise see http://members.aol.com/whupfeld/index_en.htm.

Bill
--
Bill Harris Hewlett-Packard Co.
R&D Engineering Processes Lake Stevens Division
domain: billh@lsid.hp.com M/S 330
phone: (425) 335-2200 8600 Soper Hill Road
fax: (425) 335-2828 Everett, WA 98205-1298


Date: Tue, 30 Sep 97
To: Bill Harris <billh@lsid.hp.com>, jheinbokel@ucsd.edu (John Heinbokel)
From: "Jay W. Forrester" <jforestr@MIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Middle school science
Cc: nprice@k12s.phast.umass.edu, wat-cent@charity.trinityvt.edu,
k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu

As you survey the software scene, include the free downloadable Vensim PLE,
which is being used for the system dynamics courses at MIT.

A "Personal Learning Edition" of Vensim can be downloaded from:
http://news.std.com/vensim/
the manual is at:
FTP://www.std.com/Newbury/vensim/download/venple.pdf

At 1:45 PM -0800 9/30/97, Bill Harris wrote:
>Norman Price wrote:
>
>> I would also love to get my hands
>> >on Stella, or other computer programs, for me and my school so I could
>> >have my students attempt to model simple systems on the computer.
>
>There's also a shareware tool called Dynasys which appears to be like early
>iThink/Stella. It has school licenses available for just under the price
>of 3 individual licenses; the school license is about $85. See
>http://members.aol.com/whupfeld/dynasys.htm if your German is good;
>otherwise see http://members.aol.com/whupfeld/index_en.htm.
>
>Bill
>--
>Bill Harris Hewlett-Packard Co.
>R&D Engineering Processes Lake Stevens Division
>domain: billh@lsid.hp.com M/S 330
>phone: (425) 335-2200 8600 Soper Hill Road
>fax: (425) 335-2828 Everett, WA 98205-1298
>
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