Collaborative Innovation Program
2008-2009 THEME:
Multi-disciplinary Collaboration in the
Student Innovation Center (SIC)
Take a look at the program's Town Hall Schedule.
RATIONALE
The challenges of the twenty-first century require new ways of working. Many universities and funding agencies are looking to multi-disciplinary collaboration as a method for finding innovative solutions to complex problems. As any of us who have done multi-disciplinary work have seen, new ways of working bring new challenges. In this program, we propose a collaborative, project-centered approach to creating methods, furnishings, and technologies that inspire and support multi-disciplinary collaboration.
This program has two goals:
- Process-oriented goal. To teach students to be active participants in, and facilitators of creative, multi-disciplinary, innovation.
- Product-oriented goal. A set of well defined yet flexible methods, furnishings, and technologies for RIT's new Student Innovation Center.
Student-designed methods, furnishings, and technologies for multi-disciplinary collaboration in the Student Innovation Center (SIC)
FALL | research
Goal: Understanding the need for, but also the challenges that come with, multi-disciplinary collaboration
1055-359-01 and 0509-325-01 Design research: collaborative environments (4 credits)
instructors: Evan Selinger, Philosophy CLA and Xanthe Matychak, Design COS
Students will research the strengths and weaknesses of collaborative environments at RIT, at other colleges and institutions, as well as at non-institutional collaborative environments toward the end of identifying features, and combinations of features, that support collaboration.
4002-555-01 Innovation and Invention (4 credits)
instructors: Jon Schull, Information Technology GCCIS and Xanthe Matychak, Design COS
Students in this class are guided through a series of collaborative experiences inventing, designing, implementing, and studying emerging technologies and their educational and artistic potential.
1055-359-02 Social network visualization (4 credits)
instructors: Xanthe Matychak, Design COS and Jon Schull, Information Technology GCCIS
Students in this class will analyze, design, and implement a social network tool that supports multi-disciplinary collaboration. This tool will be used by all of these courses throughout the year and also in the SIC.
0507-325-02 History of Innovation: Inventing Rochester's Past and Future (4 credits)
* Cancelled for Fall 2008, may run in the spring *
instructors: Rich Newman, History CLA
Students will study the history of innovation both in Rochester and America, and work on web projects that highlight innovation at RIT. In addition to reading documents and essays, we will examine web sites, create oral histories, and think about innovating the presentation of history in the 21st century.
WINTER | design
Goal: Designing and practicing methods for collaborative brainstorming and problem solving
course 1. Innovating the Story (4 credits)
instructors: Mitch Rosen, Imaging Science COS and Jeremiah Parry-Hill, Online Learning
Students in this class will actively examine the function of narrative in new forms of media. A final outcome of the course will be an interactive living document about the project.
course 2. Tools for creative practice (4 credits)
instructors: Mike Axelrod, Information Technology GCCIS and Xanthe Matychak, Design COS
In this course we use pattern languages, direct observation, experimentation and critique, to understand creative communities, and to envision and design tools that will fit them. And we develop the tools.
course 3. Designing environments for collaboration (4 credits)
instructors: David Morgan, Industrial Design CIAS and Xanthe Matychak, Design COS
Students in this class will design furnishings and environments that will support multi-disciplinary collaboration in the SIC.
course 4. Tiger design method (16 credits)
instructors: Carl Lundgren, Mechanical Engineering CAST and Jon Schull, Information Technology GCCIS
Students in this four-course learning experience will produce a product concept developed through prototype, a business plan, appropriate intellectual property protection, a presentation to potential investors/purchasers.
SPRING | delivery
Goal: Working collaboratively to build and evaluate tools for multi-disciplinary innovation
course 1. Student Innovation (4 credits)
instructors: Xanthe Matychak, Design COS and Jeremiah Parry-Hill, Online Learning
Students in this class will write lesson plans, course outlines, and project proposals for potential activities in the Student Innovation Center.
course 2. Innovation and Invention (4 credits)
instructors: Jon Schull, Information Technology GCCIS and Xanthe Matychak, Design COS
Students in this class are guided through a series of collaborative experiences inventing, designing, implementing, and studying emerging technologies and their educational and artistic potential.
course 3. Fabrication and implementation of SIC interior (4 credits)
instructors: David Morgan, Industrial Design CIAS
Students in this class will mass produce and implement student-designed tools and furniture in the SIC.