Innovation

Key Details

Students will learn how to approach and solve complex problems, understand and apply strategies that influence behaviour and support the adoption of innovation, and analyse the role of leadership in driving change. The course also explores the connection between creativity and innovation, helping students develop a critical understanding of the creative process and its key stages. In addition, students will evaluate innovation strategies across different contexts, analyse approaches in a range of real-world scenarios, and learn through case studies, practical examples, and established best practices.

Time commitment

• Classroom and demonstrations: 18 hours
• Other hours (practical work / tutorial): 12 hours
• Independent learning: 95 hours
• Total: 125 hours

Credit points

5 ECTS

Subjects covered

Innovation is a 5 ECTS module delivered over 1.5 hours per week for 12 weeks. An indicative schedule of topics to be addressed each week is outlined below:

1. Innovation fundamentals
   • Creativity and Innovation
   • Technology and Human Creativity
   • Human AI Co-Creation
2. Behavioral nudge and creative skills
   • Strategies to changing behaviour and promote the adoption of innovations
   • Strategies to facilitate lateral thinking and creative skills in organizations
3. Theoretical approaches to problem solving
   • Problem Solving as a skill
   • Problem Solving Mode
4. Communication strategy
   • Understanding Communication Strategy
   • Communication for Innovation and Change
5. Entrepreneurial leadership
   • Leadership style
   • Leadership as organizational process
   • Engaging leadership

Learning objectives

The learning objectives of this module aim to develop students’ ability to apply lateral and critical thinking to address complex problems and to produce creative outputs relevant to different professional contexts. These skills will be developed through a combination of theoretical and methodological tools provided during the course, alongside the analysis of students’ own professional profiles and work environments. The module encourages a guided and critical reflection on experience, supporting students in connecting theoretical concepts with practical application. By the completion of the module, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate a critical awareness of the creative development process and the application of creative and innovative strategies in a variety of contexts.
• Discern, critique, and apply the various techniques to foster creative talent environments at an individual, team, and organisational level.
• Create and explore strategies to deliver the results of creative work in business.

Module leader

Anita Macauda, University of Bologna

Anita Macauda is a senior assistant professor in the Department of Education Studies at the University of Bologna specialising in General Teaching and Educational Technologies. She is also an executive member of the “AI and Education”, scientific unit of the Alma Mater Research Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence (ALMA HUMAN AI). Courses she teaches include Digital Environments, Museums and Heritage Education Iconography and Iconology, and Teaching Methods: Introduction to Didactic Mediation Models for Secondary Schools.

Anita has played a key role in projects such as Promote Education, Participation and Projects for Youth (PEPPY) and INTERSTICE, a pan-European project promoting encounters between teachers, artists and children to improve learning processes and develop a pedagogy of co-creation

Module tutor

Paola Rigoni, University of Bologna

Paola Rigoni holds a PhD in Education and Training Sciences at University of Padua. Now collaborates with the University of Bologna as a research fellow. Her current project focuses on designing blended learning solutions to foster educational innovation in the age of artificial intelligence. Her research interests particularly concern the implementation of adaptive learning supported by AI.