Scribd
Upload
29 views5 pages

ENCS 692X Syllabus

ENCS 692X is a one-credit online course focused on critical and creative thinking, covering topics such as innovation types, the S-curve model, idea generation, and market strategies. Students will engage in various instructional methods and be evaluated through class exercises and a final exam. The course emphasizes the importance of understanding the social and environmental impacts of innovations while fostering a culture of creativity and critical thinking.

Uploaded by

shinning.delighted.days
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
29 views5 pages

ENCS 692X Syllabus

ENCS 692X is a one-credit online course focused on critical and creative thinking, covering topics such as innovation types, the S-curve model, idea generation, and market strategies. Students will engage in various instructional methods and be evaluated through class exercises and a final exam. The course emphasizes the importance of understanding the social and environmental impacts of innovations while fostering a culture of creativity and critical thinking.

Uploaded by

shinning.delighted.days
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

ENCS 692X Critical and Creative Thinking

Fall 2024

Course Information

Instructor Name: Dr. Lucy (Yuxi) Zhao

Email: [email protected] (Please use email rather than the message system in Moodle)

Office Hours: By appointment

Course Description

This course explores the theory and practical strategies for promoting creativity, innovation, and
critical thinking. The topics include types of innovation, the S-shaped diffusion curve, generating
new ideas, recognizing opportunities, moving innovations to the market, creativity and creative
groups, and enhancing critical thinking. This course is designed to help students understand why
some creative ideas fail and others succeed in the market, along with their complex social and
environmental impacts in the society.

Prerequisites: None

Course Credit Exclusions


ENCS 6041/483
This course is not open to students who have completed or who are currently taking ENCS
6041/483. Students can not receive credit for both ENCS 6041/483 and this course.
Educational Objectives

Upon completing this course, students will be able to do the following:


1. Discuss various types of innovative processes.
2. Describe the strengths and weakness of the S-curve model of innovation.
3. Apply the key planning elements of idea generation.
4. Demonstrate the process of opportunity recognition.
5. Identify the key steps in moving innovations to the market.
6. Explain the components of individual and group creativity.
7. Illustrate a command of the issues found with creating a culture of innovation.
8. Use critical thinking skills to analyze the complex impacts that innovations have on the
environment and society.

Instruction Methods

This course is taught using a variety of instructional approaches, including lectures, readings,
class exercises, and case analyses.

Texts/Materials

Course Materials (download from Moodle): PowerPoint slides and other documents

Reference Book (not necessary to purchase): Harvard Business Essentials: Managing Creativity and
Innovation, Harvard Business Press
https://www.vitalsource.com/en-ca/products/managing-creativity-and-innovation-harvard-business-review-v9781422131763

Teaching Platform - Moodle

The teaching materials are posted on Moodle. Please read the Moodle materials to keep yourself
informed.

Student Evaluation

The total points (100 points) will be composed of the following:

• Class Exercises: 50 points


• Final Exam: 50 points

The final grade will be curved, which means your final grade depends on how well the class does
overall (not just your own points) – see Moodle for the details.
Course Topics

1. Types of Innovation
• Incremental and radical innovation
• Factors that favor incremental innovation
• Innovations in processes
• Service innovations

2. The S-Curve
• The S-curve model of innovations
• Limits to the S-curve model

3. Generating Ideas
• New knowledge
• Empathic designs
• Invention factories and skunkworks
• Mental preparation

4. Recognizing Opportunities
• Tools for recognizing opportunities
• Business evaluation

5. Moving Innovations to the Market


• Idea funnel
• Stage-Gate systems
• Financial issues in process

6. Creativity and Creative Groups


• Components of individual creativity
• Characteristics of creative groups
• Time pressure and creativity

7. Enhancing Creativity
• Organizational enrichment
• Workplace culture for creativity

8. Leading Creativity
• Developing a creative culture
• Creativity and strategy
• Facilitating the creative workforce
Course Schedule

Week Lecture Day Topics


Unit
Week 1 Unit 1 September 3 –September 8 What Is Entrepreneurship
Week 2 Unit 2 September 9–September 15 Why Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking?
Week 3 Unit 3 September 16– September 22 The Relationships Among Creativity, Innovation,
and Critical Thinking
Week 4 Unit 4 September 23– September 29 Creativity 1
Week 5 Unit 5 September 30–October 6 Creativity 2
Week 6 Unit 6 October 7–October 13 Innovation 1
Week 7 N/A October 14–October 20 NO CLASS – Thanks Giving and Reading Week
Week 8 Unit 7 October 21–October 27 Innovation 2
Week 9 Unit 8 October 28–November 3 Critical Thinking 1
Week 10 Unit 9 November 4–November 10 Critical Thinking 2
Week 11 Unit 10 November 11–November 17 Market and Society
Week 12 Unit 11 November 18–November 24 Extent of Creativity, Innovation, and Critical
Thinking: Market Structure 1
Week 13 Unit 12 November 25–December 2 Extent of Creativity, Innovation, and Critical
Thinking: Market Structure 2

(Note: This schedule is subject to change.)

Teaching Materials

Content belonging to instructors shared in courses, including, but not limited to, lectures, course
notes, and PowerPoint slides remain the intellectual property of the faculty member. It cannot be
distributed, published, or broadcast, in whole or in part, without the express permission of the
faculty member. Students are also forbidden to use their own means of recording any elements of
an online class or lecture (including using translation software to record class for translation
purposes) without express permission of the instructor. Any unauthorized sharing of course
content may constitute a breach of the Academic Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Rights and
Responsibilities.

Attendance Requirements

Per Concordia University policy


Class Exercises Late Policy/Extensions

No late class exercise will be accepted. Extensions may be granted for rare and special
circumstances (e.g., medical reasons) on a case-by-case basis. To ask for an extension, please fill
in the extension request form on Moodle at least 24 hours before the exercise deadline. In case
of an emergency (within 24 hours or after), an explanation document of why the application for
an extension before the deadline is not possible is required. You need to fill out this form
separately for each unit’s exercise(s). No class exercise extension can be given after the last day
of class which is December 2, 2024.

Final Exam

The final exam will be conducted online via COLE. It is your responsibility to make sure your
technology works during the final exam. Please be aware:
• According to COLE, the final exam can not be conducted in some countries including but
not limited to Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and China. If you plan to take the final exam
outside of Canada, it is your responsibility to check with COLE to ensure the technology
works.
• The final exam date/time is assigned by the university which can be any date/time within
the final exam period which lasts from December 4 to December 18. Please make your
holiday travel plan (e.g., purchase airplane tickets) after you know your exam date/time
to avoid a time conflict.

Collaboration and Academic Integrity

Forming study groups to understand the course material is encouraged as long as you stay on the
conceptual level and are not collaborating on the graded questions directly. Please be aware that
the following activities constitute cheating:
- directly collaborating on the solutions of graded questions
- sharing graded questions/solutions online or with any other person/institution
- searching for graded questions/solutions online even if you are not the one who posted
the graded questions/solutions
This applies even after you have completed the course. If you have questions, always ask the
instructor first to avoid any activities that can lead to academic dishonesty.

[Attention] ENCS 692X is a one-credit online course with business theories but without a real-
life project and without an interactive live lecture. If you would like to have a real-life project
with individualized feedback or interactive live lecture, please drop this course but select ENCS
6041 (which is a full version of this course) or District 3 instead --- Students can not receive
credit for both ENCS 6041/483 and this course.

You might also like