| Unit name | Social Innovation in Practice |
|---|---|
| Unit code | INOVM0022 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Ms. Angsten Clark |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
NA |
| School/department | Centre for Innovation |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
The ambition to innovate and succeeding in doing so in terms of social change are quite different things. Many individuals and organisations struggle to make social change happen, to create social value, or to do so efficiently and sustainably. This unit provides a contextual understanding of how social innovation has happened, is happening, and how it may happen in the future.
Using relevant academic theory, professional case studies, and examples of practice the unit explores the factors that both accelerate and hinder the process of innovation and change management in the context of social change. The unit will also consider the impact of historic and future trends impacting the social enterprise sector and driving organisational behaviour.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
In this unit you’ll gain the critical contextual understanding to innovate in the context of social purpose organisations. It provides your distinctive ‘pathway’ thread for your Masters programme, in this case specialising in social purpose contexts by drawing from a diverse set of innovation case studies from a range of disciplines and domains. This should provide both inspiration and understanding vital to your future academic and professional projects. The unit will also develop presentation skills, teamwork, and critical analysis and writing skills useful to your academic projects and professional career.
An overview of content
This unit uses a series of diverse but illustrative case studies of social innovation in practice to develop your understanding of how problems are solved and opportunities realised in professional practice. By showcasing how social innovators, entrepreneurs and researchers are enabling innovation in different industries and contexts you’ll see how your emerging design and venture-creation skills can be levered for effect. You will also develop a deeper understanding of relevant academic work that seeks to understand and codify these processes of innovation into repeatable patterns for effecting change.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will have gained an understanding of the specific contexts in which you might work in the future to create impact and change. This will enhance both your competence and confidence in the process of innovation and an understanding of when, where, how, and with who different processes might be best used. You will be able to articulate the value of really understanding the context in which you are innovating before developing solutions. You will be able to critically discuss how innovation takes place.
Learning Outcomes
By the completion of this unit students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key theoretical and professional lenses to understanding social innovation and change management in practice.
2. Apply, analyse, and critically evaluate the practice of innovation using domain-relevant tools and approaches.
3. Reflect critically on the organisational and contextual issues that impact socially innovative value creation and make recommendations as to how these might be mitigated or optimised.
4. Present analysis and recommendations on the practice of innovation in a persuasive and professional manner.
Teaching will be focused on interactive studio-style workshop sessions based on a series of case studies and small-group project work supported by in-person and online lectures. This simulates the group-based professional context of design practice and allows for the kind of discussion, debate, and diversity of perspective that really stimulates transformative creative learning.
Teaching and assessment are focused on real-world case studies to add to the authenticity of what is being learnt and why.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Teaching on the unit is highly interactive and weekly discussions and project work conducted with both peers and academic staff will help you develop your understanding, analysis, and ideas, and hone your professional use of the tools and methods taught. Students will be asked to show and tell their peers and staff about their ongoing case study work, receiving feedback and constructive critique on both the content and on their presentation skills. There will be opportunities to submit early versions of both group and individual work for staff feedback.
Case Study Presentation (group assessment)
20 minute presentation (equivalent to 2000 words)
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay (individual assessment) 100%
3000 words
When an assessment does not go to plan
In the case of the individual essay a student who was not able to take or pass the assessment at the first attempt would get a fresh attempt to pass the same assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. INOVM0022).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
