Small bugs, big ideas: Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects

Yu Guo; Uri Wilensky

Small bugs, big ideas: Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects

Yu Guo^*, Uri Wilensky

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Education and Social Policy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Complex systems are challenging for students, especially younger students, to learn. In this paper, we argue that agent-based models (ABMs) of social insects provide an engaging and effective space for students to learn powerful ideas about complex systems. We designed a curricular unit called BeeSmart centering on ABMs of honeybees’ collective behavior. Preliminary results from an implementation at a high school showed that ABMs of social insects could be a promising approach to introduce complex systems to a younger audience.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016
Editors	Carlos Gershenson, Tom Froese, Jesus M. Siqueiros, Wendy Aguilar, Eduardo J. Izquierdo, Sayama Hiroki
Publisher	MIT Press Journals
ISBN (Electronic)	9780262339360
State	Published - 2016
Event	15th International Conference on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living Systems, ALIFE 2016 - Cancun, Mexico Duration: Jul 4 2016 → Jul 8 2016

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016

Conference

Conference	15th International Conference on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living Systems, ALIFE 2016
Country/Territory	Mexico
City	Cancun
Period	7/4/16 → 7/8/16

Funding

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #DRL-1020101 and #DRL-1109834.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Artificial Intelligence
Modeling and Simulation

Cite this

Guo, Y., & Wilensky, U. (2016). Small bugs, big ideas: Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects. In C. Gershenson, T. Froese, J. M. Siqueiros, W. Aguilar, E. J. Izquierdo, & S. Hiroki (Eds.), Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016 (Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016). MIT Press Journals.

Guo, Yu ; Wilensky, Uri. / Small bugs, big ideas : Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects. Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016. editor / Carlos Gershenson ; Tom Froese ; Jesus M. Siqueiros ; Wendy Aguilar ; Eduardo J. Izquierdo ; Sayama Hiroki. MIT Press Journals, 2016. (Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016).

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title = "Small bugs, big ideas: Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects",

abstract = "Complex systems are challenging for students, especially younger students, to learn. In this paper, we argue that agent-based models (ABMs) of social insects provide an engaging and effective space for students to learn powerful ideas about complex systems. We designed a curricular unit called BeeSmart centering on ABMs of honeybees{\textquoteright} collective behavior. Preliminary results from an implementation at a high school showed that ABMs of social insects could be a promising approach to introduce complex systems to a younger audience.",

author = "Yu Guo and Uri Wilensky",

note = "Funding Information: This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #DRL-1020101 and #DRL-1109834. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 MIT Press. All rights reserved.; 15th International Conference on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living Systems, ALIFE 2016 ; Conference date: 04-07-2016 Through 08-07-2016",

year = "2016",

language = "English (US)",

series = "Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016",

publisher = "MIT Press Journals",

editor = "Carlos Gershenson and Tom Froese and Siqueiros, {Jesus M.} and Wendy Aguilar and Izquierdo, {Eduardo J.} and Sayama Hiroki",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016",

address = "United States",

}

Guo, Y & Wilensky, U 2016, Small bugs, big ideas: Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects. in C Gershenson, T Froese, JM Siqueiros, W Aguilar, EJ Izquierdo & S Hiroki (eds), Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016. Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016, MIT Press Journals, 15th International Conference on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living Systems, ALIFE 2016, Cancun, Mexico, 7/4/16.

Small bugs, big ideas: Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects. / Guo, Yu; Wilensky, Uri.
Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016. ed. / Carlos Gershenson; Tom Froese; Jesus M. Siqueiros; Wendy Aguilar; Eduardo J. Izquierdo; Sayama Hiroki. MIT Press Journals, 2016. (Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2016, ALIFE 2016).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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Small bugs, big ideas: Teaching complex systems principles through agent-based models of social insects

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Funding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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