I have been reading a number of articles about MOOC’s, and looking at Coursera, and some of the other sites offering classes. While many of the courses, aren’t things I feel I need to study, I was intrigued at this Coursera offering on the subject of Creativity and Innovation, since it seems to parallel so many of the ideas I have been using in my Visual Thinking classes. It is an interesting contrast, since I developed my ideas based on experiences in contemporary art and psychology, and this course is taught by three professors of (Environmental, Chemical, and Mechanical) Engineering.

Creativity, Innovation & Change – Penn State University,  Jack V. Matson, Darrell Velegol and Kathryn W. Jablokow

Optional Portals:

• Creative Diversity: How we each manage ideas and change differently through Opportunity, Motive, Level, and Style
• Lean Learning. Metrics for reaching your creative potential
• Implementing innovation in the marketplace of ideas
• Maximizing Collisions of Ideas with Opportunities – The Art of Innovation: Remixing, Mashups, etc.
• Creative Group Dynamics: Leveraging creativity from everyone in the organization
• Intelligent Fast Failure as a prototyping tool
• Breakthroughs through creative destruction
• Paradox of Structure: How every structure enables and limits us at the same time
• Brain Training: Techniques for generating and selecting ideas
• Innovating by exploiting serendipity and surprise
• Catalyzing Change: How to drive the Spiral of Change
• Character, Excellence, owNership, Tenacity, Entrepreneurship, and Relationship: 6 key practices of success, with skills and metrics.
• Cognitive Gaps: How to manage creative diversity within a team or organization
• CLICK Synthesis: Creating Leadership through Ideas resulting in Change and Knowledge