Innovation

Innovation

Innovation encompasses experimentation, creation, imagination, risk, and entrepreneurship. It involves investigating challenges, typically searching for a method, opportunity, idea or product/service where none existed before, or using something in a way it has never been used.

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Each core competency is divided into three levels:

  • Involved students know the indicator or the criteria for demonstrating it. They can talk about it, write about it, describe it or explain it.
  • Engaged students can perform or demonstrate the indicator or criteria; that is, they can do it.
  • Leading students are innovating, extending, transforming, showing initiative, integrating, or collaborating.

Below are indicators and examples of competency at each level.

Involved-level Competency

Digital Badge for Involved-level Innovation

Competency Indicators

How might someone demonstrate this competency?

  • Recognizes forms of experimentation, innovation, and entrepreneurship 
  • Explains how to identify needs and engage new and existing markets 
  • Discusses the impact of creativity and imagination on innovation 
  • Defines sustainability and explains its relationship to innovation 
  • Recognizes the role of risk and uncertainty in entrepreneurship 

Examples

What are some specific ways this competency might be demonstrated?

  • Takes advantage of college-wide opportunities such as AgENT, Sphere, and student associations 
  • Completes needs assessment or background research for a project 
  • Discusses the impact of innovation in their field 
  • Discusses how innovation may change future industry practices 
  • Reports on both failed and successful attempts at innovation 

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Engaged-level Competency

SCC_innovation2

Competency Indicators

How might someone demonstrate this competency?

  • Conducts experiments and engages in prototyping  
  • Anticipates and accepts the risks of entrepreneurship 
  • Invents new, or modifies existing product, idea, or service 
  • Seeks collaboration and different points of view 
  • Recognizes and develops personal creative strengths  

Examples

What are some specific ways this competency might be demonstrated?

  • Designs a new procedure or device  
  • Shares results of research and experimentation
  • Modifies a device to perform a new task
  • Reaches out to an industry expert as a mentor
  • Creates and reflects on portfolio entries and projects

Leading-level Competency

SCC_innovation3

Competency Indicators

How might someone demonstrate this competency?

  • Leverages and fosters the creative strength in themselves and others 
  • Demonstrates vision and optimism 
  • Seeks feedback and adapts accordingly to implement suggested changes 
  • Analyzes obstacles and pivots to overcome them 
  • Judges merits of a proposal 

Examples

What are some specific ways this competency might be demonstrated?

  • Recruits new team members based on perceived skill gaps
  • Articulates vision clearly and engages others in projects
  • Adapts procedure or product based on expert feedback
  • Identifies barriers and changes approach to achieve goals
  • Uses a rubric to evaluate a peer