Understanding climate change through simulations and systems thinking

该项目正在开发，改进和评估一套模拟和系统思维练习，使学生能够研究地球的气候和人类能源系统及其对强迫因素变化的复杂反应。科学合理和易于使用的软件模型提供快速反馈，因为学生随着时间的推移与各种输入假设的系统响应搏斗。学生承担多个利益相关者的角色，并快速探索“如果”情景的能力，因为气候敏感性和强迫因素是不同的，促进了对基本系统概念的理解。该项目的智力价值在于其良好的基础计划，让学生积极参与，让他们面对复杂系统的常见误解，并促进对系统动力学的更强大的理解。更广泛的影响包括软件和方法的现成可用性，以供其他地方采用，以及该方法在一系列学科中的广泛适用性。

This project is developing, refining and evaluating a suite of simulations and systems-thinking exercises which enable students to investigate earth's climate and human-energy systems and their complex responses to changes in forcing factors. Scientifically sound and easy-to-use software models provide rapid feedback as students grapple with system responses over time to a variety of input assumptions. The ability of students to assume the roles of multiple stakeholders and quickly explore 'what if' scenarios as climate sensitivity and forcing factors are varied promotes understanding of underlying systems concepts. The intellectual merit of this project lies in its well-grounded plans for active engagement of students which confronts them with common misconceptions of complex systems and promotes more-robust understanding of system dynamics. The broader impacts include ready availability of the software and approaches for adoption elsewhere and wide applicability of the approach across a range of disciplines.