|
Session |
Material and exercises |
| |
|
L1 |
Viewing the world as a complex system 1 |
Students filled in questionnaire on personal epistemological
beliefs, were introduced to dynamic complexity, balancing and reinforcing
feedback in systems and causal loop diagrams. Students required to study for
class test in next lecture. |
|
L2 |
Viewing the world as a complex system 2 |
Class test on understanding causal loop diagrams and
identifying balancing and reinforcing feedback in systems. Causes of dynamic
complexity and implications explained. Exercise to develop understanding of how
simple system behaviour gives rise to complex emergent
processes. |
|
L3 |
Resilience 1: Determinants of ecological
resilience |
Explanation of resilience, stable states, adaptive systems
and ‘ball in the bowl metaphor’ and ecological determinants of
resilience. Exercise for students to build hypothetical ball-in-bowl model for
sustainable tourism. Homework set for identifying reinforcing and balancing
feedback in causal loop diagrams. |
|
Ws1 |
Building influence diagrams |
Exercise about the sustainability of grazing practices in
the Sahel used for practice in identifying variables and making causal linkages
between them. Concepts such as system boundaries and causal linkages introduced
and the use of Vensim software for building influence maps explained. Students
worked in small groups to identify component variables and started making
linkages between them. First component of assignment set. |
|
L4 |
Resilience 2: Determinants of social
resilience |
Importance of adaptive capacity through individuals,
institutions, communities and societies. Exercise for students to consider
different adaptive strategies that people use to deal with flooding of a housing
development on a floodplain. |
|
L5 |
Adaptive cycles and Panarchy |
Adaptive cycles and Panarchy explained. Students are
required to apply the theory to their case study and identify which phase their
case study might be in, what the other phases might have looked like, the scale
and the influence of other scales on their case study. Second component of
assignment set. |
|
Ws2 |
Building causal loop diagrams |
Using Sahel case study, students work collaboratively to
build causal loop diagrams of the system. Third component of assignment
set. |
|
L6 |
Leverage |
Short introduction to concept of leverage points in systems.
Account by expert on factors influencing malaria in Africa. Students then
required to build a conceptual model of the system and identify the most
appropriate points to influence the system. |
|
L7 |
Reviewing Theory |
Exercise to review 20 concepts covered in lectures (e.g.
panarchy, connectance, system, leverage etc.). Fourth component of assignment
set. |
|
Ws3 |
Application of resilience thinking |
With small groups, students were required to relate
resilience thinking to their case studies. Fifth component of assignment
set. |
|
L8 |
Ecological feedback |
Explanation of the concept of bringing ecological feedback
into sustainable development using case study from Australia. Local and
Traditional ecological knowledge discussed, and exercise used on how the
technological development influences how societies interact with their
environment. |
|
L9 |
Adaptive management |
Concept of adaptive management (active and passive
explained) using case study on mink eradication in Scotland. Students required
to relate the work to their own case studies. Sixth component of assignment
set. |
|
L10 |
Stretch goals, backcasting and scenario
planning |
Introduction of some of the tools for transforming systems
towards more sustainable trajectories. Exercise for students to apply them to
their own case studies. |
|
L11 |
Limitations to system’s and resilience thinking and
module review |
Post-test of questionnaire and review of the module, with
discussion about the advantages and limitations of resilience
thinking.
Submission of the final assignment. |