Anahita Baregheh, Thomas Carey and Victoria Abboud
In one of our previous WINCan projects, a collaboration between workplace and academic partners to share and adapt learning resources on Workplace Innovation, we developed a case-based instructional design model intended to foster resource sharing and adaptability. In a new project launching this week, we’ll be testing those ideas, by creating new online learning resources to incorporate Workplace Innovation concepts and activities into a course at an Ontario higher education institution…while in parallel working an Ontario workplace partner on pilot studies to assess how those resources could be adapted for their workplace clients.
Incorporating Workplace Innovation at Nipissing University’s School of Business
ADMN 3791 – Creativity and Innovation is an elective course for 3rd year Business students. Anahita is updating the course content and learning activities to better reflect what we have been learning about Employee-Led Workplace Innovation, including the insights from European research as shared with us by our much-appreciated colleagues in Workplace Innovation Europe. Another source of inspiration is the highly-rated course unit on Understanding Workplace Innovation from our Melbourne project with the Faculty of Arts at Monash University.
Two modules will be developed for “short-term learning opportunities” as part of Ontario’s Virtual Learning Strategy and with the support of eCampus Ontario:
Module 1: Workplace Innovation as a Social Process
Module 2: Organizational Capability for Workplace Innovation
The Learning Outcomes for Innovation Capability will include example Skills, Knowledge, Mindsets and Experiences, drawing on our past WINCan work with proof-of-concept and prototype learning activities.
The instructional design of each module has three components:
An online introduction to concepts and cases on the module topics, including Illustrative Cases from at least two workplace contexts (including, where possible, video interviews with participants)
An online Practice case presented as an interactive walkthrough, where learners make decisions about key issues and next steps and receive feedback on their choices.
A real-world Project case for learners to work through off-line at their own pace – both individually and in teams, for which they can receive coaching and assessment (formative and summative). The modules will be designed for flexibility around Project format, e.g., to be completed as part of the module or to be proposed in the module and completed later as part of an optional follow-on micro-credential.
Nipissing students will be involved in the design and development of the modules, in roles as research assistant and prototype tester. A first offering of the updated ADMN 3791 is scheduled for January 2022.
Adapting the Modules for Workplace Contexts
Our focus on these two topic areas for the online learning modules was determined in part by our discussions with WEtech Alliance, the Ontario Regional Innovation Centre for Windsor-Essex. WEtech’s Innovation Catalyst (IC) program was adapted from other proven models by Adam Frye, Director of Business Innovation, to meet the needs of local workplaces in developing more innovation capability in their workforce. The program has been very successful in building capability for employee-led workplace innovation.
With Adam’s support and encouragement, our WINCan team has been identifying ways we could add value to the programs like Innovation Catalyst by mobilizing research evidence and exemplary practices in employee-led workplace innovation based on the IC example (and in developing workforce capability for innovation at both individual, team and organizational levels).
At this time, we are exploring how we might create online modules for use by SMEs and other workplace partners, and the two module topics listed above were common areas of interest in both the WEtech and Nipissing School of Business contexts. We will collaborate to curate Illustration and Practice cases to a specific workplace context; e.g., Advanced Manufacturing or the Energy and Utilities sectors. Victoria will be the lead contact point for engaging workplace partners in evaluating how effective these cases will be for developing workplace innovation capability in their contexts.
Anahita Baregheh is an Associate Professor at Nipissing University’s School of Business and Research Director for the Workplace Innovation Network for Canada.
Tom Carey is co-Principal Catalyst for the Workplace Innovation Network for Canada and Executive-in-Residence in the Monash University Faculty of Arts (Melbourne ) .
Victoria Abboud is Tech Talent Strategist for WEtech Alliance, the Ontario Regional Innovation Centre for Windsor-Essex, and a Lecturer/Researcher at the University of Windsor. She recently joined WINCan ‘s research team.