ERIC Number: EJ1048035
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1476-7333
EISSN: N/A
Innovation Development--An Action Learning Programme for Medical Scientists and Engineers
Beniston, Lee; Ellwood, Paul; Gold, Jeff; Roberts, James; Thorpe, Richard
Action Learning: Research and Practice, v11 n3 p311-329 2014
There is increasing evidence that action learning is valuable in a higher education setting. This paper goes on to report a personal development programme, based on principles of critical action learning, where the aim is to equip early-career scientists and engineers working in a university setting with the knowledge, skills and confidence to approach the management of innovation. After learning about action learning and critical reflection, the participants, all postdoctorate researchers, completed innovation projects at work, meeting in action learning sets as they proceed. We explain a method of critical thinking before reporting results from an evaluation study based on interviews and focus groups. We consider examples of projects undertaken before considering challenges for students with this approach to learning. Challenges included scepticism about the usefulness of management literature, difficulties in finding "problems" within the constraints of postdoctoral work, and the discomfort and intensiveness of action learning. However, through adaptation by the tutors with students, some significant results were achieved.
Descriptors: Experiential Learning, Innovation, Science Process Skills, Critical Thinking, Interviews, Focus Groups, Student Projects, Teaching Methods, Educational Practices, Educational Strategies, Performance Factors, Barriers, Engineering, Engineering Education, Scientists, College Faculty, Capacity Building, Competency Based Education, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A