IA20200

OVERVIEW

The aim of this module is to enable students to plan and reflect upon their learning, career and life goals using a Design Thinking approach.

Design Thinking is a human-centric creative problem-solving process. It offers a proven methodology and repeatable approach that can be used to identify new opportunities, solve problems, and develop innovative solutions. While it has usually been applied to the development of products and services, in this module, participants will apply the approach to design their own career and life goals.

Over the course of the module, participants will reflect on their life so far, their values and their sense of purpose. Using a combination of creative and analytical tools they will work to develop insights into themselves and to map out their way ahead, acquiring a toolkit that can be used at any point in life to identify, evaluate and make informed career and life choices. Along with this, participants will be introduced to a wide range of stories and testimonies that can inspire their own life-shaping choices. Participants will also develop a community of peers in which to share ideas and hear how others are thinking about their own life and career questions.

The module will introduce the participants to the processes and tools that will enable them to make creative and informed life and career choices for themselves.

Please note that assessment for this module largely takes place during class time - with the exception of a small amount of pre-work, and the individual reflective report which is typically due within two weeks of the module finishing.

UCD INNOVATION ACADEMY

** Enrolment in an Innovation Academy module means a commitment to active participation and engagement in all class activities. **

At the UCD Innovation Academy, we are Educator Practitioners with extensive real-world experience as academics, business and social entrepreneurs, tech thinkers, creative professionals and design thinking practitioners.

Our teaching is grounded in academic rigour. Our focus is on ‘learning by doing’ in a real-world context. Classes include a combination of individual and team tasks and activities, along with discussions, presentations and reflection.


Note on class size: To ensure a quality experience for all, we limit our class size to 36 students or less. We require a minimum of 16 participants to ensure enough people for teamwork and a dynamic classroom environment. On very rare occasions, if fewer than 16 registered students register, we will offer students the opportunity to join another class.

www.innovationacademy.ie