IA40260 Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovation

Academic Year 2021/2022

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MODULE IS PROGRAMME BASED. THIS MODULE IS NOT OPEN TO OTHER UCD STUDENTS.

Dynamic changes in technology, demographics and the environment are creating turbulent, unpredictable marketplaces and workplaces. Coping with such complexity is increasingly challenging for individuals, commercial organisations, social enterprises, public bodies and government. Founders, managers and employees in all sectors need to think more creatively, innovatively and entrepreneurially in order to make effective decisions. They need to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

An entrepreneurial mindset is one that focuses on who you are, what you know and whom you know rather than what you need. It is an approach where action trumps everything, where the focus is on our own experience of doing rather than procrastination or studying the actions of others. It’s a culture that believes that collaboration, team working and community resilience promotes success. It’s a mindset that views the calculation of risk as fundamental rather than the taking risk per se. Entrepreneurial Thinkers see failure as a means to learn rather than a lack of success.

The aim of this module is to foster an entrepreneurial mindset amongst postgraduate and professional participants and to develop skills that will help them to identify the potential value of their ideas and convert those into sustainable economic, social, environmental and cultural activities with impact. Learning takes place in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment, which replicates the reality of new ventures. Developing ideas; from ideas to insights; from insights to strategy; from strategy to start-up.

Participants will embark on individual and team projects, which provide them with an opportunity to apply the substance of the themes of the module in practice. Each project will require pitches and presentations, creation of prototypes e.g. website, digital marketing campaign, explainer videos and a potential minimum viable product (MVP). At the end of the module, individuals or teams present the new ventures along with their further validation plans and launch strategy.

This module encompasses three core areas of skill development and learning for participants:
*Understanding Entrepreneurship - Defining entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial motivation and capabilities e.g. risk-taking, negotiation, networking, leadership, team-building, resilience and managing failure.
*Idea Recognition and Selection - Defining innovation and identifying opportunities in participants’ own area of interest, assessing the potential impact and feasibility of opportunities, presenting and promoting ideas.
*Launching New Projects and Ventures - Routes to the viable realisation of new ventures, planning, business modelling, project/venture resourcing, pitching and presentation, marketing and branding, corporate responsibility, managing success and failure.

This module is run as part of the Graduate Certificate in Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Enterprise

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

We take an action-oriented approach to learning, with a combination of individual, group and class tasks and activities, including discussions, presentations and reflection. All of our teaching is grounded in academic rigour, but our focus is on learning by doing in a real-world context.

www.innovators.ie

**Enrolment in an Innovation Academy module means a commitment to active participation and engagement, which necessitates attendance at all scheduled classes.**

Show/hide contentOpenClose All

Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion, participants should be able to:

• Appreciate entrepreneurship and an understanding of its role in the context of their career aspirations
• Recognise and generate potential opportunities for themselves and opportunities which may emerge in collaboration with others
• Develop and execute a structured plan to move ideas from the creative ideas stage through evaluation and realisation of the new venture
• Identify and analyse problems that are likely to be encountered during the development and implementation process and develop strategies to overcome them
• Clearly and confidently articulate a new venture proposal

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

8

Small Group

20

Conversation Class

6

Practical

20

Project Supervision

6

Specified Learning Activities

120

Autonomous Student Learning

120

Total

300

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
All Innovation Academy modules take a ‘learning by doing’ approach, combining individual, and group activities and tasks including presentations, discussion and reflection. Guest speakers will share their own experiences and lessons learnt. 

• Active/Task-Based Learning
• Peer And Group Work 
• Reflective Learning
• Enquiry & Problem-Based Learning
• Student Presentations
• Case Study Learning 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

IA40110


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Project Report Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20

Assignment: Reflection Report Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20

Attendance: This modules requires active participation and engagement which necessitates attendance at scheduled classes.

(80% attendance is required to pass this component)
Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

40

Presentation: Project Presentation Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be given to students upon request. This will include feedback based on their participation throughout the module and their deliverables

Name Role
Dr Eileen Diskin Lecturer / Co-Lecturer