Abstract for: System Dynamics for a mathematical modeling approach in Software Engineering and Information Systems

Supporting material to this paper comes from a research project in the use of System Dynamics (SD) modeling as mathematics for engineering education; but the author’s interest is not only on mathematics for engineering education itself, but about what else to do with SD in a problematic context: first, traditional SD with simulation purposes no longer arouses the same interest as before in computing undergraduate programs in Colombia; second, those computing undergraduate programs have decreased in number of applicants, probably because of a socially constructed idea about this kind of professional are not really engineers nor really deal with major problems. Results of this projects are auspicious: students significantly improved their SD modeling competencies, and some evidence was collected showing they become interested about a possibility of using SD as the basis for the design of software and information systems, whereby such computing projects can become implementations of SD models different from assessment or consultancy, oriented to help policy makers, but also to reinforce policies with tools people can use to be aware, learn and participate, and also to get software engineering students more aware about how they can contribute in solving social problems, especially those related with sustainability.