University College Dublin

The Professional Certificate course has two 5 ECTS modules.

Throughout the course participants will engage in a hands-on, action learning environment with an emphasis on group work and project based learning.

Participants are required to apply the learning to a action project and present this at the end of the course along with a personal learning reflection.

Creative Thinking and Innovation for Entrepreneurial Educators (IA 40320)

This module aims to introduce participants to the mindsets and skills necessary to inspire creative thinking and innovation at the personal level and amongst student cohorts. Throughout the module, participants will be introduced to the core techniques and tools of creative thinking, problem solving and team-based innovation and they will be encouraged to reflect on how these can be applied in the educational context. Central to the module is an introduction to the Stanford d.school method of design thinking. The module also explores ways of triggering creative thinking within an educational institution. Generic foundations of teaching and learning, including motivation, evaluation and review will be explored. A strong emphasis is maintained on the verbal communication of creative and innovative ideas.

Upon completion of this module participants should:
Understand the relevance and importance of creative thinking and how it can be applied in a variety of disciplines to generate solutions.
Be able to use problem solving tools and techniques and understand the process for initiating and using creative techniques within project structures.
Have an understanding of general pedagogical principles within the context of creative thinking and innovation.
Have a knowledge of established methods and techniques for triggering creative thinking.
Have the ability to design and deliver their own style of educational experience for generating creative thinking in a multidisciplinary environment.
Participants will also have further developed their engagement with creative and innovative processes from an alternative angle, whilst constantly developing their networks and building on their interpersonal and presentation skills.

Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovation for Entrepreneurial Educators (IA 40330)

This module aims to introduce participants to the mindsets and skills necessary to inspire entrepreneurial thought and action at the personal level and amongst student cohorts. The module introduces core concepts central to the development of entrepreneurial ideas from initial idea to launch such as opportunity generation and development, iteration and prototyping and idea validation. We draw particularly on the Osterwalder Business Model Canvas to work through the commercial development of ideas. Participants will be expected to develop projects through the canvas, working in teams to test ideas and prototype solutions. The module also considers ways of triggering entrepreneurial thinking within an educational institution. Generic foundations of teaching and learning, including motivation, evaluation and review will be explored.

Indicative Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this module participants should:
Have a broad interpretation of entrepreneurial activity and an understanding of its role in the context of their teaching and student learning.
An understanding of general pedagogical principles as they relate to entrepreneurial activity.
A knowledge of established methods and techniques for triggering entrepreneurial thinking.
Experience of group dynamics and motivation.
The ability to design and deliver their own style of educational experience for generating entrepreneurial thinking in a multidisciplinary environment.
Participants will also have further developed their engagement with entrepreneurial processes from an alternative angle, whilst constantly developing their networks and building on their interpersonal and presentation skills.