Instructor Insights

Instructor Insights pages are part of the OCW Educator initiative, which seeks to enhance the value of OCW for educators.

Course Overview

This page focuses on the course 15.879 Research Seminar in System Dynamics as it was taught by Professor Hazhir Rahmandad in Spring 2014.

The course covered classic works in dynamic modeling from various disciplines and current research problems and papers.

Course Outcomes

Course Goals for Students

Students critiqued theories and models, often including replication, testing, and improvement of various models.

 

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

15.872 System Dynamics II and permission of instructor

Requirements Satisfied

  • H-Level Graduate Credit
  • This course can be repeated for credit.

Offered

Every spring semester

The Classroom

  • View of conference table and chairs toward the back of the room.

    Room 1 of 1

    Lecture

    This seminar room has a capacity of ~25-30 and includes LCD projection, laptop hookup, wireless network, and technology for distance education. (Photo courtesy of Richard Hill.)

 

Assessment

The students' grades were based on the following activities:

The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by class participation and classroom exercises. 18% Class participation and classroom exercises
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by a project. 45% Project
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by a tutorial. 17% Tutorial
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by team member assessment. 15% Team member assessment
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by tutorial and project review. 5% Tutorial and project review
 

Student Information

On average, 20 students take this course each time it is offered.

Breakdown by Year

Master's and Doctoral students

Breakdown by Major

Mainly students in the MIT Sloan School of Management and in the School of Engineering, including students in System Design & Management and the Engineering Systems Division. A few students from other fields, such as Architecture, and graduate students cross-registered in other schools or in industries also participated.

Typical Student Background

Students are required to have some background in system dynamics, and usually have specific interest in applying dynamic models and systems thinking to their own work.

 

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

In Class

3 hours per week

Met 1 time per week for 3 hours per session; mandatory attendance

 

Out of Class

9 hours per week
 

Semester Breakdown

WEEK M T W Th F
1 No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session.
2 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; assignment due date.
3 No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; assignment due date.
4 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
5 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
6 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
7 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
8 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT; assignment due date.
9 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
10 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations; assignment due date.
11 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
12 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
13 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
14 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class session; student presentations.
15 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT; assignment due date.
16 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT; assignment due date.
Displays the color and pattern used on the preceding table to indicate dates when classes are not held at MIT. No classes throughout MIT
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when class sessions are held. Class session
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when assignments are due. Assignment due date
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when no class session is scheduled. No class session scheduled
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when student presentations are given. Student presentations