RE: [Swarm-Modelling] Looking to get in touch with Roger Burkhartregarding Models as Textbooks

[Burkhart Roger M]

In reply to Gary's message:

From: address@hidden [mailto:address@hidden On Behalf Of address@hidden
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2007 11:18 PM
To: address@hidden
Subject: [Swarm-Modelling] Looking to get in touch with Roger Burkhartregarding Models as Textbooks

Sorry to use the list for this, but I'm hoping Roger is lurking out there because I am interested in finding out more about the talk he gave at Swarmfest regarding this idea of dynamic knowledge representation/modeling as an adjunct/replacement for traditional textbooks. I seem to recall that the orginal Swarm project had a little of this in it as well; I'm looking for comments and/or references regarding the use of ABM in this pedagogical sense (I know Netlogo is very involved in this as well).  Feel free to reply to me off-list to maintain anonymity :)

Thanks,
Gary An

Yes, I'm on this list, but as this message indicates it can be a while before I see something.  Feel free also to email me directly.

 

NetLogo has done a great job of making many kinds of standard models available for people to see and interact with.  Having at least some example libraries of such models was an original Swarm goal, but its focus was even more on replicating each other's models used for scientific research.  Others can respond better than me on use of ABM in particular in a pedagogical sense.

 

These days I'm working mainly on hybrid modeling for engineering design, which might have ABM at an upper level but are typically built on very specific models of an engineered system, such as a dynamic simulation of a physical system (differential equation models) or models of electronics and control systems.  Here also, however, I hope that much of the standard engineering knowledge you might find in a textbook might be available in the form of actual working models under standardized software frameworks.  Eventually, the working models might end up being the principal way you first understand, apply, and test much of your knowledge including the mathematics.

 

--Roger