November 3rd, 2012
November 3rd, 2012
We started off the day by going into our Java Preferences and choosing not to save temporary files, as there is a bug in Java.
Dr. Panoff then started to talk to us about modeling in the real world. We worked together and defined a model as a(n):
- Simulation
- Scale
- Ideal Situation
- World View (mental model)
- Approximation
He then talked to us about the 3 steps of scientific method:
- Expectation
- Observation
- Reflection
This can be re-written as
- Preview
- View
- Review
After this we divided into groups to create a Predator-Prey model using rabbits and grass. We then put this model into VenSim and adjusted the constants to create a more realistic model. This was very informative, as I had forgotten almost all about how to use VenSim since SSP.
We ended this workshop by making a simple model of a forest fire. This was a fairly easy task, but it helped to ensure that I was confident with Vensim.