Abstract for: Using LLMs to Support Teachers Infusing System Dynamics Concepts in High School Curricula

Three tasks core to teaching with System Dynamics can be enhanced by using LLMs: planning active student-centered lessons, helping teachers/students develop SD models from text, and providing more detailed feedback to students about their responses explaining why SD model behavior occurs. Examples shown: 1. Provide two levels (high school/middle school) of lesson progression for teaching students about epidemics, including questions to ask students at each stage; 2. Give text descriptions for some small systems and explain how to get an LLM to produce the code to open as SD model; 3. Describe two different types of LLMs that generate 2 types of feedback for student responses to SD model behavior questions. These categories of LLM use have not been tried with students at this point in time but there is a plan to test these strategies with students in the coming academic year. Still, the three categories of application of LLMs to supporting infusing of SD analysis are very relevant to precollege instruction. The three categories of LLM use described in this paper are applied to three areas (lesson planning, original creation of SD models, and targeted feedback for student responses) that have been difficult for precollege teachers new to infusing SD in their curriculum. LLMs can provide much needed support. All LLM examples were produced using free versions of the LLMs described. LLMs must be used to show responses for examples in this paper.