Course Title: Promote innovation in a team environment

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2009

Course Code: EMPL5624C

Course Title: Promote innovation in a team environment

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4223 - Certificate IV in Business Administration

Course Contact : Hazel Sims

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 1315

Course Contact Email:hazel.sims@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 40

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None.

Course Description

This course describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required by an individual to be an effective and pro active member of an innovative team.  The individual learner will play a pro active role in demonstrating, encouraging or supporting innovation in a team environment.  The individual may be a team participant or a team leader. The key focus of the course is on what makes for an innovative team, what keeps it working well, how the stucture of work can make a difference and what skills and knowledge are needed to maximise opportunities for innovation. 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBINN301A Promote innovation in a team environment

Element:

Create opportunities to maximise innovation within the team

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Evaluate and reflect on what the team needs and wants to achieve.

1.2 Check out information about current or potential team members' work in the context of developing a more innovative team.

1.3 Bring people into the team or make suggestions for team members based on what needs to be achieved and the potential for cross-fertilising ideas.

1.4 Acknowledge, respect and discuss the different ways that different people may contribute to building or enhancing the team.

Element:

Organise and agree effective ways of working

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Jointly establish ground rules for how the team will operate.

2.2 Agree and communicate responsibilities in ways that encourage and reinforce team-based innovation.

2.3 Agree and share tasks and activities to ensure the best use of skills and abilities within the team.

2.4 Plan and schedule activities to allow time for thinking, challenging and collaboration.

2.5 Establish personal reward and stimulation as an integral part of the team’s way of working.

Element:

Reflect on how the team is working

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Debrief and reflect on activities and on opportunities for improvement and innovation.

4.2 Gather and use feedback from within and outside the team to generate discussion and debate.

4.3 Discuss the challenges of being innovative in a constructive and open way.

4.4 Take ideas for improvement, build them into future activities and communicate key issues to relevant colleagues.

4.5 Identify, promote and clelebrate successes and examples of successful innovation.

Element:

Support and guide colleagues

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Model behaviour that supports innovation.

3.2 Seek external stimuli and ideas to feed into team activities.

3.3 Pro-actively share information, knowledge and experiences with other team members.

3.4 Challenge and test ideas within the team in a positive and collaborative way.

3.5 Pro-actively discuss and explore ideas with other team members on an ongoing basis.


Learning Outcomes


Specifically, the student will create opportunities to maximise innovation within the team, organise and agree effective ways of working, support and guide colleagues and reflect on how the team is working.  This course aims to provide the student with administrative skills and a broad knowledge base in a wide variety of administrative roles. The student will be able to apply solutions to a defined range of unpredictable problems, and analyse and evaluate information from a variety of sources and may provide leadership and guidance to others with some limited responsibility.


Details of Learning Activities

Students will be provided with theory classes in a classroom/lab and also in the Virtual Enterprise, a simulated learning environment.  Learning activities are problem-based and text book sourced.  The VE project places the learner in a team and this integrated assessment will use Dreamweaver and Microsoft Software.  The classroom/lab is a series of theory based topics involving the Internet, Learning Hub, Learning Lab, Discussion Boards and face-to-face discussions. 


Teaching Schedule

FULL TIME

 

 Week 1
 Introduction
Virtual enterprise (VE)
What do we know about  innovation when working in a team?
Assessments
Textbook
Dreamweaver multimedia project - (VE)
 Week 2
 

In class theory 

VE

 Week 3
 

In class theory

VE

 Week 4
 

In class theory

 VE

 Week 5
 

In class theory

VE

 Week 6
 

In class theory

VE

 Week 7
 

In class theory

VE

 Week 8
 

In class theory

VE

mid semester break
   
 Week 9
 

In class theory

VE

 Week 10
 

In class theory

VE

 Week 11
Create opportunities to maximise innovation within the team

 VE
In class theory: The Innovation Audit

Chapter 1

 Week 12
 Organise and agree effective ways of working
 VE
In class theory: Chapter 2 
Portfolio Research Assignment  p. 34 due 10%
 Week 13
 Organise and agree effective ways of working
 VE
In class theory: Chapter 6
Portfolio Research Assignment p. 76 due 10%
 Week 14
 Support and guide colleagues
 VE
In class theory: Chapter 7
Portfolio Research Assignment p. 228 due 10%
 Week 15
 Reflect on how the team is working

VE Assessment due 30%

 

Week 16   Reflect on how the team is working
Innovation report due (40%)
 Week 17
   Feedback and review
 Week 18
   Feedback and review


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

The Business Communication Handbook, 8th Ed. Judith Dwyer, Pearson Education, NSW.

9781442502666


References


Other Resources


Teacher handouts.


Overview of Assessment

Students must demonstrate all elements of competency through a variety of assessment methods showing their understanding of elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent.  Students will be active in their own participation in a team where the team takes a pro active and considered approach to innovation and innovative practice.  Assessment will ensure the demonstration of skills as part of a team across a range of assessment methods including: the Virtual Enterprise holistic, problem-based learning experience, direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence, direct observation of team interactions, evaluation of reports by the candidate or the team (could be oral or written), discussing the ideas, challenges and opportunities associated with teams, and how they can be more innovative.  The evaluation of feedback from other people in the team about the candidate’s communication approaches and abilities, oral or written questining to assess knowledge of the characteristics of innovative teams, innovation concepts and more broadly and the ways in which innovation can be encouraged.  The review of jointly established "ground rules" for how the team will operate will also be considered.

In addition to the assessments, formative and timely feedback is provided to the students throughout the duration of the course.


Assessment Tasks

Portfolio - (30%)

The student will submit three in-class activities with a 10% weighting each in weeks 12, 13 and 14.  Refer to the marking criteria guide found on the Hub for this course.

Innovation project report - Due week 16 (40%)

The student will submit an individual report based on the learning outcomes of the Dreamweaver innovation team project for the Virtual Enterprise.  Refer to the marking criteria guide found on the Hub for this course.

Virtual Enterprise Assessment - Due Week 15 (30%)

Your department will create webpages in Dreamweaver as a group project and launch the website in Week 15 to your theory class for this course.  You will play a team role in the dreamweaver project and participate during the semester’s creative process to produce website content.


Assessment Matrix



  VE Dreamweaver project and presentation *includes employability skills*
30%

Portfolio
30%


Individual Report 40% 

*includes employability skills*

Create opportunities to maximise innovation within the team Y Y
Organise and agree effective ways of working

Support and guide colleagues
Y Y
Reflect on how the team is working Y Y

Other Information

Grading

A pass in an assessment piece will result in a grade for the student.  Where a pass is achieved competency for that assessment is given.  Where a pass is not achieved in any assessment piece a NYC (Not Yet Competent) grade will be given.  Competency MUST be achieved for each element of competency within a competency standard for a pass grade (or higher grade) to be given.  Where competency for all elements of competency is not achieved, an overall NN grade will result.

Submission of written work/assessment

All of your written work must confirm with RMIT’s guidelines "Written Reports and Essays: Guidelines for Referencing and Presentation in RMIT Business" which can be found on the RMIT website.

All of your written work must be lodged by the due date in the format specified for the particular assessment task.  Written assessment must have a footer containing: student number, student name, course code, title of assessment and teacher’s name.

Staple your assignment.  Do NOT use plastic binders or plastic pockets.

Attach a signed Assignment Cover Sheet to each submission of written work or assessment.  Cover sheets are available near the lifts on Level 13.

You must keep a copy of your assignment/written work, which can be produced if the original is lost or damaged.

Late Submission of Work or Assessment

Only in cases of exceptional and genuine hardship (not including inconvenience or poor study planning), will limited extensions be considered.  Students must lodge a completed Application of Extension Form before the official submission date for the work or assessment.  Completed applications are to be addressed to the Course Coordinator and submitted via Reception on level 13, Building 108.  Documentary evidence should be provided.  Note: Extensions are not automatically granted.

All of your written work must conform with RMIT’s guidelines "Written Reports and Essays: Guidelines for Referencing and Presentation in RMIt BUsiness" which can be found on the RMIT website.  Students are advised to refer to the RMIT Writing Style guide, version 7 found at www.rmit.edu.au/help/publishing-standards/style guide.

Employability Skills

This course/competency includes the employability skills listed below which are assessable under the Business Services Training Package: http://employabilityskills.training.com.au

In order to be able to effectively demonstrate the required employability skills during the course, students should participate and aim to attend punctually.  Students are required to contribute to 80% plus of the required classes.  Please note that employability skills are assessed across the entire program.

Employability skills are a core component of the competency and if a student is unable to effectively demonstrate these skills, a mark of NYC (Not Yet Competent) will be given for the course.

Employability skills identified for this course are:

Communication, teamwork, planning and organising, initiative and enterprise, problem-solving, self-management, technology, learning.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview