The world of technology enhanced learning is forever moving, and at an astonishing rate, so being able to innovate efficiently and effectively is vital. In order to keep up with radical changes, I was nominated by the team to attend a innovations workshop, delivered by Dr. Elizabeth Armstrong, to see what information we could pick up which could then be used to enhance our approach to innovation as a team and my personal thinking around facilitating innovation to enable effective delivery of our TEL strategy.

The pre reading (Harvard business review) gave a clear break down of a design thinkers profile as having attributes including, empathy; looking at things from other peoples points of view, integrative thinking: looking at all aspects of the problem but face it with optimism, Experimentalism: asking question and exploring collaborations working alongside other disciplines and different roles.

They talk of a design project passing into three spaces all of which I can see within our normal working lives, however this is not necessarily formalised. The report explores Inspiration, Ideation, Implementation.

• Inspiration: search for ideas, what opportunities are there, what has changed, what might change, what do people want, what are the constraints (business/time/market). Discuss these areas by telling stories, sharing ideas and capturing the info

• Ideation: generate, develop and test ideas: brainstorm, sketch capture ideas, put customers in the middle of the everything, what’s their journey, prototype and test over and over, tell stories, communicate internally, don’t work in the dark

• Implementation: execute the vision, create a communication strategy, share your project…start the next project

Take a human centred approach, don’t allow the technology to drive the outcome, find out what customers WANT, have a deep understanding of your consumers lives using the principles of design to innovate and build value, Test early and often and Seek outside help from other faculty’s/disciplines/companies, don’t get caught up in budget cycles(easier said than done)

Innovation = Feasibility + viability + desirability

More specifically when building a curriculum or learning resources it’s important to be promoting and building skills for others to innovate by:

• Encourage associating
• Encourage Questioning
• Encourage Observing
• Encourage Experimenting
• Encourage Networking
• Encourage Challenging status quo
• Encourage Risk taking

From my experience it was easy to think of way to innovate on a broader scale however as we discussed further about the small detail and reality of these issues that when we can cross barriers such as budgets, logistics, time, resources, adversity to change  etc.

However I believe with more innovations on smaller levels within our own teams and encouraging and smoothing the process innovation from the students, and encouraging staff too question, observe, network, challenge status quo etc. By using some of the methods above to draw out that innovation, by focusing on what our consumers actually want, using multi-disciplinary teams to pull together expertise.

CUSTOMERS – don’t just inovate for it’s own sake – seek to understand what their needs are

In conjunction with a top down approach with management recognising innovation is within every staff member/student/team and allowing for easier access to budgets, to make small changes. In turn I believe the innovation will become easier and accessible to all, giving the students a richer innovative teaching and learning experience at PUPSMD

FOSTER IT – create a culture where everyone is looking to improve and challenge for better ways to do things