Interdisciplinary Systems Thinking

  • Academic year 2024-2025
  • DP00AX01
The course shows how the different disciplines converge towards similar generic system models called archetypes, although the terminology is often different. The course breaks barriers between the disciplines and improves our creativity in our daily work so that we can collaborate in an interdisciplinary team to solve the most complex problems of our time.

Education information

Implementation date

05.02.2025 - 25.03.2025

Enrollment period

-

Education type

Field-specific studies

Alternativity of education

Optional

Location

Linnanmaa

Enrollment and further information

Registration to the course in Peppi with course code DP00AX01

Prof. Aarne Mämmelä (aarne.mammela(at)vtt.fi)

Coordinator Mirjami Jutila (mirjami.jutila(at)oulu.fi)

Education description

Course information in the Study Guide of the University of Oulu

Study Guide of the University of Oulu: https://opas.peppi.oulu.fi/en/
Course code: DP00AX01

Extent: 5 ECTS

Enrollment to the course through Peppi!

Learning outcomes:

The course shows how the different disciplines converge towards similar generic system models called archetypes, although the terminology is often different. The course breaks barriers between the disciplines and improves our creativity in our daily work so that we can collaborate in an interdisciplinary team to solve the most complex problems of our time.

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

  • appreciate the importance of systems thinking
  • know the history of systems thinking
  • understand system theories and generic system models called system archetypes
  • understand the finiteness of human knowledge
Study Methods
  • 13 sessions of face-to-face lectures (each 3 hours)
  • 2 learning diaries
More detailed instructions for completing the course and instructions for operating in the Moodle course
  • Lectures (39 hours)
  • 1. learning diary on the textbook including chapters Wiener, Ashby, von Bertalanffy, Boulding, Forrester, Prigogine and Lewin by 28.2.2025. The diary includes a brief introduction, an about half a page summary of each chapter and a brief summary of what was learned, altogether 5-6 pages. In addition, there is a title page containing course and student information and table of contents. Paraphrasing of the text must be used, copying of other students' learning diaries and the use of AI are not allowed. Textbook: M. Ramage and H. Shipp, Systems Thinkers | SpringerLink 2nd ed. London: Springer, 2020​ (open access with oulu.fi address)
  • 2. learning diary on the lectures by 15.4.2025 including 9-13 sessions. The diary includes a brief introduction, an about half a page summary of each session and a brief summary of what was learned, altogether 6-7 pages. In addition, there is a title page containing course and student information and table of contents. Paraphrasing of the text must be used, copying of other students' learning diaries and the use of AI are not allowed. Orienting questions for the learning diary are possible in each lecture session.

The course is communicated through the Moodle course space and email.

Schedule

The course lectures completion period is 5.2.-25.3.2025

1. learning diary must delivered by 28.2.2025 and the 2. learning diary by 15.4.2025, both through Moodle.

Assessment scale

Pass / Fail

Assessment criteria

Face-to-face lectures with attendance of 9/13 to lectures to gain credits

Approved 1. and 2. learning diaries

Course feedback

We collect feedback with Peppi's Course Feedback tool and in Moodle.

Please give feedback on the course. Feedback can be used to develop this course.

You can give continuous feedback throughout the course. You will find a link to continuous feedback immediately at the beginning of the course in the section called "Feedback".

Last updated: 21.1.2025