MSEL-535: Leading for Creativity and Innovation

Instructor Name and Communication Options

Instructor Name:  Kylie King, Ph.D.

Preferred Email Method: Canvas Inbox

Secondary Email Method: kking@champlain.edu

Phone(s): 518-572-5954 (call or text)

Course Description and Prerequisites

Explore how to uncover creative insights and innovative solutions for today's organizational challenges. Learn about the systematic process of design thinking from a human-centered approach, including how to cultivate creativity in others and create a culture of innovation.

Student-Centered Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be able to: 

• Articulate the importance of and process for identifying and designing a process of Innovation
• Demonstrate the use of Design Thinking for multiple products or services
• Describe the cultural elements that support sustained innovation and change in an organization
• Conduct an organizational innovation assessment

Textbook(s) and Technology Requirements

Required Texts

The textbooks for this course are as follows. They can be purchased from the Champlain College bookstore. 

The Art of Noticing Walker, R. Publisher: Knopf; Illustrated edition (May 7, 2019) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages

eBooks

2) Innovate the Pixar Way, Capodogli & Jackson;

3) Summary of Eric Ries's The Startup Way, IRB Media

Required Resource:

Gallup’s CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment will be an online assessment that has a fee associated with it. Students are responsible for payment of the assessment fee which is around $50. The assessment will be used in Module 7.  If you have already taken the assessment in a prior class, you can use the results you already have.  If you have not yet taken it, do save your report as you will use it in other classes.

Technology Requirements

Please review the Technology Requirements for Champlain College Online. 

Topic Outline

• Week 1: Drivers of Creativity and Innovation (Artificial Intelligence, New Business Models, Crowdsourcing, Exponential Organizations, Technology Convergence, Digital Transformation, Industry 4.0)
• Week 2:  Four Components of Systemic Innovation (Leadership & Organization, Processes & Tools, Culture & Values, People & Skills)
• Week 3:  Built for Creativity – The Pixar Story (Pixar Movie, Ed Catmull, Pixar Case Study & Organizational Assessment)
• Week 4: Developing Creative People Who Innovate (Facilitation, Creative Confidence, Persuasion)
• Week 5:  Creating Processes and Tools for Innovation (Design Thinking, Action Learning, Rapid prototyping, Appreciative Inquiry, Innovation Roadblocks and Hurdles)
• Week 6:  Building Leadership and Organizational Capability in Innovation (Open Innovation, Networked Organizations, (Collective/Distributed Leadership, Self-Management)
• Week 7:  Supporting a Culture of Innovation (Empathy, Risk taking, failing forward, vulnerability, strengths perspective)
• Week 8:  Project Integration and Reflection

Methods of Assessment

Your final grade will be determined based on:

Discussions

Weekly discussions are an integral part of learning at Champlain College and represent a significant portion of a student's overall grade. In order to be successful, students should:

1. Post a thorough, well-crafted initial response that fully addresses and develops all aspects of the prompt by the due date.
2. Engage substantively throughout the discussion period by responding to others with questions or comments that demonstrate interest, build upon the ideas of others, and encourage elaboration.
3. Apply and integrate concepts from this course as well as from quality resources including journals, websites, readings from another class, relevant work or life experience, etc.
4. Demonstrate attention to style, structure, grammar, etiquette, and proper citation of references to maintain academic integrity.

Discussion grades are determined using the rubric below. The descriptions show what exemplary work looks like for each aspect of an overall discussion.

Assignments

Each week there will be a reflective memo.  The following rubric will be used:

• All written assignments are due no later than 11:59 pm (your time zone) on the stated due date. If you find you need to turn in your work late, communicate ahead of time with the instructor.
• Given time zone differences, all submissions deadlines are for your time zone.
• Extenuating circumstances: Sometimes significant life events happen (i.e., serious illness, family death, etc.) that interfere with our best efforts to meet expectations. If this is the case, you must communicate with your instructor for clarification on the way late submissions can be handled and how any late submissions may affect your assessment. If you know of an issue ahead of time, it is important to communicate with the instructor prior to the situation.

Students often have questions regarding the length of assignments and papers. The assignment and paper lengths are noted in each module.

Student Resources & Policies

Academic Honesty Policy

Champlain College students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the College’s policy for Academic Honesty. Academic honesty entails creating original assignments, using your own words, and when using the words and ideas of others, documenting those sources using the method specified in this course. Our courses use plagiarism detection software. Please consult with your instructor if you are in doubt. Violations of the policy could result in a grade of F on the assignment or in the course as well as dismissal from the College.

Grading Policies

CCO Grading Policy

Grading Scale