“Impact! Exploring Innovation Across Disciplines” - Engaging the University Innovation Ecosystem Through a University-Wide Course

• Published in: Association for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers p. 23.1404.1
• Main Authors: Shooter, Steven B, Orsborn, Seth
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE 23.06.2013
• Subjects: Art history; Bankruptcy; Biomedical engineering; Colleges & universities; Dance; Developing countries; Education; Humanities; Innovations; Interdisciplinary aspects; LDCs; Literature reviews; Museums; Playgrounds; Psychology; Students

Innovation can be simply described as the realization of ideas to add value. The goal of innovation is POSITIVE CHANGE, to make someone or something better. Innovation involves a change in the thought process for DOING SOMETHING or new stuff that is made useful. It can often involve incremental or radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes or organizations. While there are many similarities and interesting differences among the approach to innovation in various fields, there is always one common element: The strong drive to make an IMPACT. This course examines innovation from an interdisciplinary and integrative perspective. We explore both what makes something innovative and how innovation happens; whether the innovation is a breakthrough product like the iPod; a new water system for developing countries; an engaging piece of music or inspiring work of art; an emotional theatrical event; or a revolutionary film. The course is cross-listed with a UNIV designation to engage students from diverse backgrounds. Participants have come from engineering as well as art and art history, comparative humanities, communication, economics, education, English, history, management, music and psychology.The course is organized into three modules around innovation: define, recognize and demonstrate. All exercises required students to work in interdisciplinary teams to review the latest literature on innovation and prepare case studies. We also had many guest lectures from faculty around campus on targeted topics of innovation. For example, a Professor of Comparative Humanities, explained that innovation was viewed as subversive throughout much of history and cited negative connotations in works by Shakespeare. Faculty in theatre and dance explained and demonstrated hierarchical collaboration in theatrical productions and gave an outstanding demonstration of the use of modeling in set design and entertainment technology. A professor in psychology gave a tour of his childhood studies laboratory and emphasized the importance and techniques of observation to understand needs of customers and users.The president of the University talked about creativity in teaching, scholarship and administration. Other guest lectures came from art, art history, biomedical engineering, music, and education.After learning techniques for successfully realizing innovation, students work in interdisciplinary teams to develop an innovation with the broad theme of “children at play” (no other direction given). In support of this theme we have brought in Ian Proud from Playworld Systems to describe their world-leading approach to playground equipment; Peter Vigeant from ESI Designs to explain his approach to experiential designs and the creation of interactive children museums; and Dave Robertson from Wharton School of Management to talk about how innovation at Lego turned around the company from the brink of bankruptcy. The students’ innovation projects were displayed in an exposition open to the entire campus community.The course has now been taught for two years. Student reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. But perhaps the more meaningful outcome has come from the course acting as a catalyst for engaging the broader university ecosystem in a conversation about our common interest: making an Impact. This paper will describe the course organization and content. It will also examine the broader impact on the university innovation ecosystem through the engagement of faculty and students from multiple disciplines.