Final Report
Provost’s Learning Innovations Grant for Faculty
Course Development Proposals
2009-2010.
Development of a Pilot Honors Course to Address Issues of
Local and Global Interest with Agent-Based Modeling
Michael E. Long, Jonathon Schull and Ian Gatley
July 2010
The objective of the course developed under this Provost’s Learning Innovations Grant
were to develop a course that exposed students to multi-disciplinary collaboration and
research. Research topics would be of local and global interest chosen from those topics
presented by RIT guest speakers. Often these types of problems do not have a complete
resolution or solution but a host of possible outcomes that one hopes will minimize their
complexity and offer a minimally satisfactory solution to all parties involved. For this
reason, these types of problems are often labeled “Wicked Problems”.
The course outline describing the collaborative student teams, suggested general topics,
some example models, suggested initial reading assignments, suggested deliverables with
a schedule, and a grading matrix, is attached. NetLogo was chosen as the modeling
software because its existing infrastructure is designed for agent-based modeling, it is
well documented, opened-source, and has a number of existing well-documented models
that can be used as examples.
The course was developed based on the current 10-week RIT quarter system. However,
after discussion with the Honors Program Director and because of the impending
implementation of the 15-week semester system, it was decided to delay piloting this
course until after that implementation.
Modeling of Wicked Problems
Class Plans
Week
Day
1
1
Potential
Discussion Leader
Objectives/Activities
Introductions
TBD
Honors Program
DSmith
Innovation & Collaborative
Research
CSI Director
Course & Modeling
MLong
 Get acquainted (exercise – later?)
 Students understand course,
expectations, & assessment criteria
 Collaborative research & writing
proposals
 Introduction to ABM
 Introduction to SD Modeling
 Readings in research
 Reading in ABM
Assignments
2
Assignments
Possible Topic
Agent-Based Modeling
 Due Wk 1 Day 2
 Due Wk 1 Day 2
MLong
 Reading in ABM
 Pair up, choose one of suggested NetLogo models
to present (Tutorials, Flocking)
 Clarify/crystallize research interests
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 Continued intro to ABM & others
 NetLogo activities - tutorials
 Due Wk 2 Day 1
 Due Wk 2 Day 1
 Due Wk 2 Day 1
2
1
Assignments
MLong
 Continued work with NetLogo
 Team assignments & organization
 Research interests of Team
TBD
2
Health Issues – Campus Epidemic




Assignments
3
Agent-Based Modeling, &
NetLogo
1
TBD
Reading in focus topic
Examination of NetLogo Model (TBD)
Team Research Proposal on focus topic
First draft of Team Research Proposal
Review of Team Research
Projects




Due Wk 3 Day 1
Due Wk 3 Day 1
Due Wk 3 Day 1
Due Wk 3 Day 1
MLong
Discussion of Models for Wk 2
focus topic
Assignments
2
Assignments
 Revise Team Research Project per review
 Due Wk 4 Day 1
Environmental Issues

TBD
 Reading on focused topic
 Examination of NetLogo Model (Climate Change,
Erosion, Fire)
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 Due Wk 4 Day 1
 Due Wk 4 Day 1
4
1
Discussion of Models for Wk 3
focus topic
MLong
Work on Team Project

Assignments
2
TBD
 Reading on focused topic
 Research proposal on focused topic
 Examination of NetLogo Model (Ethnocentrism,
Segregation, Urban Suite)
Assignments
5
Urbanization
 Due Wk X Day X
1
Discussion of Models for Wk 4
focus topic

 Due Wk 5 Day 1
MLong
Work on Team Project

Assignments
2
Assignments
Energy & Environmental Policy
 Due Wk X Day X
TBD
 Reading on focused topic
 Research proposal on focused topic
 Examination of NetLogo Model (Traffic, El Farol,
Divide Cake)
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
 Due Wk 6 Day 1
6
1
Discussion of Models for Wk 5
focus topic
MLong
Work on Team Project

Assignments
2
DSmith
 Reading on focused topic
 Research proposal on focused topic
 Examination of NetLogo Model (Language
Change, others TBD)
Assignments
7
Migration Issues/Rebuilding an
Infrastructure
 Due Wk X Day X
1
Discussion of Models for Wk 6
focus topic

 Due Wk 7 Day 1
MLong
Work on Team Project

Assignments
2
Assignments
Economics & Game Theory
 Due Wk X Day X
TBD
 Reading on focused topic
 Research proposal on focused topic
 Examination of NetLogo Model (Prisoner’s
Dilemma, Cooperation, Bank Reserves, Wealth
Distribution)
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
 Due Wk 8 Day 1
8
1
Discussion of Models for Wk 7
focus topic
MLong
Work on Team Project

Assignments
2
Crime
 Due Wk X Day X
Criminal Justice
Dept.
 Reading on focused topic
 Research proposal on focused topic
 Examination of NetLogo Model (TBD)
Assignments
Discussion of Models for Wk 8
focus topic
9

 Due Wk 9 Day 1
MLong
Work on Team Project

Assignments
2
Assignments
Topic TBD
 Due Wk X Day X
TBD
 Reading on focused topic
 Research proposal on focused topic
 Examination of NetLogo Model (TBD)
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
 Due Wk 10 Day 1
10
1
Discussion of Models for Wk 9
focus topic
MLong
Final work on Team Project
 Prepare fro Team Reports
Assignments
2
MLong
 Prepare for Team Reports
Assignments
11
Team Research Model Reports
 Due Wk X Day X
1

 Due Wk X Day X
Team Research Model Reports
Proposed Assessment Matrix
% of Class Grade Item
20%
Research Briefs from Focused Speakers
20%
Team Review of Selected Papers
30%
Team Reports of Modeling Project
15%
Intra-Team Evaluations
15%
Instructor Evaluation of Individuals
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