BR6001 - Innovation

At The Bridge you learn through a blended approach where short, focused and interactive face-to-face sessions are underpinned by guided and independent online learning. Your attendance for scheduled activities is monitored regardless of whether you are on campus or joining the session remotely. This ensures you access all of the learning opportunities which have been purposefully designed for your success.

A range of teaching and learning approaches are adopted to accelerate your learning in this module.

During the first week of this module, you will receive information about the module and Teaching & Learning Plan. The teaching and learning plan (TLP) sets out
• Learning outcomes and overall module and programme aims
• Teaching, learning and assessment strategy
• Teaching schedule
• Directed reading references (text and journals) and core texts for the module
• References to data sources and details of lab activities

You will also receive the assessment brief which sets out the formative and summative assessments throughout the module.

There are three key sources of academic support available to you during your time at the Bridge in addition to Ask4Help who are available 24/7 for general queries related to your studies.

Your Module Tutor
Your module tutor is responsible for your learning outcomes on the module. They deliver the workshops and provide guidance in relation to learning and assignments. They develop all of the key resources and make them available through the eLP (electronic learning portal module) Blackboard, which is used to provide support materials, interactive learning tasks and give you regular opportunities to test and get feedback on your learning. You will be given both written and verbal feedback and guidance on your work and progress during the semester by your module tutor.

Your Learning Mentor
On programme, you will have your in-person and online engagement activity tracked against the learning plan with key check-in points built into the academic calendar to ensure you maximise your learning potential. Engagement with formative assessments will also be used by the learning mentor to discuss any action planning required to ensure success.

Academic Skills Team
The Bridge aspires to build a range of student skillsets, including digital skills, academic writing and discourse, working alone and in teams. Your learning mentor may refer you a dedicated academic skills team which is based in the centre. Here you can attend drop-ins or schedule 1-1 sessions on issues which have been identified at the diagnostic stages of the programme however you may also have self-identified areas for your own growth and self-refer yourself for support.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
MLO1: To develop an understanding of the opportunities and challenges of approaches to innovation and engaging stakeholders in product, process, and service innovation (re)design

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
MLO2: To develop skills to analyse, map and contribute to the innovation process to enhance organisational or technical performance.
MLO3: To develop your ability to use a range of creativity tools integral to the innovation process

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
MLO4: Develop an understanding of ethical and cultural issues impacting on approaches to innovation for individuals and organisations in a diverse society

You will receive formative feedback throughout the module including at the following checkpoints:-

•Week 2: Navigating the course materials
•Week 4: Completing the in-module reflective tasks
•Week 6: Completing the in-module knowledge checks and tasks

Summatively you will be assessed by two methods; each of which give an opportunity to assess all MLOs.

Assessment One - You will take part in a series of innovation studios where you will work in groups on client briefs to learn and apply different tools to the design of a new product or process. The artefacts that you make in the studio such as photographs of your design boards will accompany a reflective journal on the design and innovation process. Although you work in groups and your artefacts may be shared, your assessment including your reflective journal will be individual. (40%)
Assessment Two - You are asked to provide a 2,500 word business report on your own innovation project in an organisation of your choosing; you will include analysis of relevant challenges and opportunities, sources of data, and role of stakeholders, concluding with a range of recommendations for implementation. You can include artefacts in this report of your own design process too. This can be based on a case study of an organisation which you have researched or on an organisation in which you are currently or have been previously employed. (60%)

NA

NA

In the current landscape being able to identify service/ organisational improvements and opportunities for innovation and growth is essential to your future career. As such, in this module you will use qualitative and quantitative data analysis to analyse and evaluate innovative practice. You will be provided with the knowledge and skills to understand the innovation processes, and opportunities to explore associated real-world practices. Specifically, you will explore theory and concepts around new product, new process, and new service development, diffusion, enablers and barriers, sources of knowledge and data, and approaches to initiating, leading and driving service improvements within organisations. You will also look at the role of varied stakeholders in the innovation process (co-creation), with a particular focus on understanding and delivering creative solutions to stakeholders’ needs (and potential/future needs). Importantly, you will explore the influence and impact of ethical and cultural issues on designing and implementing innovation processes and practices. Ultimately, this will be linked to the impact of innovation on organisation performance.