IA50004 Creative Thinking & Innovation

Academic Year 2023/2024

The aim of this module is to help participants to access their innate ability for creative thinking and innovation in its broadest sense, and to consider how to develop an opportunistic mindset in exploring ideas in a multidisciplinary team environment. This module is delivered through activity-based exercises and interactive challenges at both individual and group level. The module encompasses three primary areas of skill development and learning, as follows:

• Developing confidence in creative thinking. The objective is to introduce students to the inherent risk of failure in creative thinking and how to learn through prototyping and iteration. Participants are encouraged to use various sources of inspiration in recognizing opportunities and considering where ideas come from
• Evolution of innovative ideas in multidisciplinary teams introduces team working in a creative context. Here, openness to new ideas and passion for ideas presented come into creative conflict. Several approaches to teamwork are introduced and explored to give participants an understanding of their own skills in relation to teamwork
• How to translate ideas into value. We draw upon the Design Thinking framework in learning how to work through a process of understanding your user/customer, generating ideas, prototyping, and testing. Consideration is also given to the importance of being able to clearly define value and pitch an idea.

Students must pass each individual assessable component individually in order to be able to pass the module as a whole.

UCD Innovation Academy

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

At the UCD Innovation Academy, we are a group of Educator Practitioners with extensive real-world experience as academics, 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. 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: Due to the interactive nature of our programmes - we aim for a class size of no more than 36 students to ensure a quality experience for all. We also require a minimum of 16 participants to ensure enough people for teamwork and a dynamic classroom environment. On very rare occasions, if we have less than 16 registered students we will aim to offer students the opportunity to join another class.

Note on COVID-19: All our courses will be run in accordance with good practice, University and Government guidelines around COVID-19. This module is intended to be taught in-person but we may switch to an online format in light of updated guidelines or circumstances, in which case we will update registered students as early as possible. If this should happen, please don't be concerned - our online experiences are equally engaging.

www.innovationacademy.ie

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion, participants should be able to:

• Generate innovative ideas and know the methods on how to approach their subsequent selection for further development
• Have the knowledge and understanding of structures and theoretical tools that enable efficient team work, in order to convert ideas into value
• Recognise, cultivate and apply creative and entrepreneurial thinking in their own discipline and appreciate its value in other arena
• Demonstrate understanding of fundamentals of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Indicative Module Content:

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12

Small Group

20

Practical

8

Specified Learning Activities

20

Autonomous Student Learning

40

Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

All Innovation Academy modules take a learning by doing approach, combining, individual, group and team activities, tasks and projects including presentations, discussion and reflection:

• Active/task-based learning
• Peer and Group work
• Reflective Learning
• Enquiry & Problem-based learning
• Student Presentations
• Case Study Learning
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
IA20010 - Creativity & Innovation, IA40110 - Creativity & Innovation, IA40430 - Creativity & Innovation


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Participation including but not limited to: in-class presentations, online assignments, autonomous Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

30

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

30

Attendance: This module requires active participation and engagement, which necessitates attendance at ALL scheduled classes (80% attendance is required to pass this component).
Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

40


Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
Repeat Within Two Trimesters
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 during the module and their deliverables.

Name Role
Dr Eileen Diskin Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Maurice Knightly Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Rosie Leonard-Kane Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Jacinta Owens Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dorcas Réamonn Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Anh Nguyen Quoc Tutor
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Autumn
     
Workshop Offering 1 Week(s) - 13 Fri 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 1 Week(s) - 13 Mon 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 1 Week(s) - 13 Thurs 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 1 Week(s) - 13 Tues 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 1 Week(s) - 13 Wed 10:00 - 16:50
Autumn
     
Spring
     
Workshop Offering 1 Week(s) - 13 Mon 10:00 - 16:50
Spring
     
Summer
     
Workshop Offering 51 Week(s) - 38 Fri 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 51 Week(s) - 38 Mon 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 51 Week(s) - 38 Thurs 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 51 Week(s) - 38 Tues 10:00 - 16:50
Workshop Offering 51 Week(s) - 38 Wed 10:00 - 16:50
Summer