PLAN 468 - Introduction to Agent-Based Modelling

This course will focus on agent-based simulation models used to investigate research questions about complex social and ecological systems. Students will learn to identify a research question related to a real-world system and describe the system actors, their environment, and feedbacks between them. Students will also learn to design, build, and analyze simple simulation models of their systems as exploratory "tools to think with", conduct modelling experiments, and communicate the limits of knowledge gained through modelling. Students will develop/enhance their ability to understand and represent a real-world case study as a system, program, and design and interpret experiments.