Systems Thinking

Објавено: October 12, 2018
  1.    Course Title Systems Thinking
  2.    Code 3ФЕИТ01З023
  3.    Study program KSIAR
  4.    Organizer of the study program (unit, institute, department) Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies
  5.    Degree (first, second, third cycle) First cycle
  6.    Academic year/semester II/3   7.    Number of ECTS credits 6.00
  8.    Lecturer Dr Vesna Ojleska Latkoska
  9.    Course Prerequisites
10.    Course Goals (acquired competencies):  Upon completion of the course, the student will acquire knowledge for presenting, modeling and analyzing the behavior of systems of a different nature, and not just technical. For this purpose, the analysis will focus on considering the system as a whole in order to obtain comprehensive (holistic) view of its behavior. The student will acquire knowledge for the behavior of the system resulting from its structure (complexity), that is, with knowledge of what is meant by the notion of the system, its behavior, and its structure.

11.    Course Syllabus: Concept of a system; Decomposition of a system to its constituents; Definition of input and output variables; The significance of the natural feedback; Simple systems whose behavior stems from their structure; Graphical representation of systems and the way they are coupled; Categories of system specific states; Block diagrams and signal flow graphs; Why systems work so well (resilience, self-organization, and hierarchy); Information, signal and control; Mathematical models and graphical representation of dynamical systems; State-space representation of a system; Equivalent models; Eigen structure of the system matrix; Undesirable behavior in systems that originate from their structure and ways to avoid them; Controllability and observability of systems; Leverage points – places to intervene in a system; Basics of Lyapunov stability.

12.    Learning methods:  Combined way of learning: lectures, supported by presentations, homework and auditory exercises, as well as practical laboratory exercises.
13.    Total number of course hours 2 + 2 + 1 + 0
14.    Distribution of course hours 180
15.    Forms of teaching 15.1. Lectures-theoretical teaching 30
15.2. Exercises (laboratory, practice classes), seminars, teamwork 45
16.    Other course activities 16.1. Projects, seminar papers 10
16.2. Individual tasks 10
16.3. Homework and self-learning 85
17.    Grading 17.1. Exams 5
17.2. Seminar work/project (presentation: written and oral) 0
17.3. Activity and participation 5
17.4. Final exam 90
18.    Grading criteria (points) up to 50 points     5 (five) (F)
from 51 to 60 points     6 (six) (E)
from 61 to 70 points     7 (seven) (D)
from 71 to 80 points     8 (eight) (C)
from 81 to 90 points     9 (nine) (B)
from 91 to 100 points   10 (ten) (A)
19.    Conditions for acquiring teacher’s signature and for taking final exam Regular attendance to the lectures and exercises, as well as successful and timely completion of all laboratory exercises.
20. Forms of assessment Two partial written exams are scheduled during the semester (at the middle and at the end of the semester, each with duration of 120 minutes), as well as tests, scheduled during the classes and a test for the laboratory exercises (scheduled after the end of the exercises).
1. Students who have passed the partial exams are considered to have passed the final written exam. A final oral exam can also be scheduled, with duration up to 60 minutes. The final grade is formed based on the points from the partial written exams, tests and the final oral exam (if scheduled).
2. In the planned exam sessions, a final written exam is taken (lasting 120 minutes). For students who have passed the final written exam, a final oral exam can also be scheduled (with duration up to 60 minutes). The final grade is formed based on the points from the final written exam, the tests and the final oral exam (if scheduled)
21.   Language Macedonian and English
22.    Method of monitoring of teaching quality Internal evaluation and surveys.
23.    Literature
23.1. Required Literature
No. Author Title Publisher Year
1 Donella H. Meadows Thinking in Systems: A Primer Chelsea Green Publishing 2008
2 Virginia Anderson, Lauren Johnson Systems Thinking Basics: From Concepts to Causal Loops Pegasus Communications 1997
3 Norman S. Nise Control Systems Engineering, 6th Edition Wiley 2010
23.2. Additional Literature
No. Author Title Publisher Year
1 Linda Booth Sweeney Ed.D., Dennis Meadows  The Systems Thinking Playbook: Exercises to Stretch and Build Learning and Systems Thinking Capabilities  Chelsea Green Publishing  2010
2  Peter M. Senge  The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization  Doubleday  2006