Course Title: Promote innovation in a team environment

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2010

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 De-brief 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 celebrate 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 demonstrate through the group assignment combining competencies in Administer Projects, Organise Meetings and Promote innovation in a team environment that they are an effective and pro-active member of an innovating team.  The student will demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the Virtual Enterprise where the Dreamweaver project will allow for their combined creativity and innovation. 

Note that BUSM6238C Administer Projects and OFFC5201C Organise Meetings are co-delivered in the same timeslot, but scheduled in different weeks.  Promote Innovation in a Team Environment is held  during weeks 11 - 16.

Teaching Schedule

	Learning Objectives	Activities
Week 1	Are you innovative? Why should businesses innovate and change? Create opportunities to maximise innovation within the team.	Course Guide Assessments The Learning Hub Toolbox VE Class
Week 2		Administer Projects VE Class
Week 3		Administer Projects VE Class
Week 4		Administer Projects VE Class
Week 5		Administer Projects VE Class
Week 6		Administer Projects VE Class
Week 7		Administer Projects Organise Meetings VE Class
Week 8		Administer Projects Organise Meetings VE Class
	Mid semester break 30 August - 5 September
Week 9		Administer Projects Organise Meetings  VE Class
Week 10	ONLINE CLASSES	Administer Projects Organise Meetings
Week 11	Lead team to foster innovative work practices Chapter 1	Promote Innovation in a team Text Toolbox VE Class
Week 12	Carry out a skills audit Pages 63-65 Create opportunities to maximise innovation within the team Chapter 6	Promote Innovation in a team VE Class
Week 13	Organise and agree effective ways of working  Chapter 7	Promote innovation in a team VE Class
Week 14	Support and guide colleagues	Promote Innovation in a team VE Class
Week 15	Reflect on how the team is working	Promote Innovation in a team Web Launch in VE - VE Assessment due: 50% Innovation report due: 50% VE Class
Week 16	Feedback and review

The total number of scheduled hours of teaching, learning and assessment involved in this course will include all planned activities.  This may incorporate face-to-face classes, lectures, workshops and seminars; wherever possible workplace visits, online learning and other forms of structured teaching and learning.  The total scheduled hours includes the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including observation of work performance, discussions with supervisors and others providing third party evidence and one on one and group assessment sessions with students.

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Dwyer J, The Business Communication Handbook, 8th Ed, Pearson, NSW

9781442502666

References

Other Resources

http://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/toolbox/busadmin/tasks/task_02/sit07/index.htm

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

Innovation project report - Due week 15 (50%)
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 with presentation- Due Week 15 (50%)
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.   This assessment includes a 20% presentation - refer to the marking guide.

Assessment Matrix

	VE assessment with presentation 50%	Innovation project report 50%
Create opportunities to maximise innovation within the team	Y	Y
Organise and agree effective ways of working	Y	Y
Support and guide colleagues	Y	Y
Reflect on how the team is working	Y	Y

Other Information

Grading Information

HD      >=80 High distinction (competency achieved)
DI        70-79 Distinction (competency achieved)
CR      60-69 Credit (competency achieved)
PA       50-59 Pass (competency achieved)
NN      <50 Fail (not yet competent)
CA      Not applicable Competency Achieved
NYC   Not available Not yet competent

Special Consideration

Special consideration allows the University to take account of unexpected circumstances that can affect your ability to complete an assessment. Examples of unexpected or extenuating circumstances for eligibility may include:
• Serious illness with a significant impact e.g. hospital admission, concussion, serious injury, asthma attack or depression. It does not include illnesses with minor impact such as a cold, headache, period pain or stomach ache.
• Loss or bereavement e.g. death of a close family member, family/relationship breakdown.
• Hardship or trauma e.g. victim of serious crime, sudden loss of income or employment, severe unexpected disruption to domestic arrangements.

How to apply

You must apply for special consideration no later than two working days after the relevant examination or assessment deadline. You must complete the Special Consideration Application form available at rmit.edu.au/students/forms and lodge the original and one photocopy at the Hub on your campus. You can also lodge the application and supporting documentation via fax to tel. 9925 8845 or send scanned copies via email to special.consideration@rmit.edu.au.

Please note that in 2010 it is anticipated that applications for special consideration will move to an online process. More information about this new process will be available at rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration.

Your application must be supported by a medical impact statement and/or relevant supporting documentation. A medical certificate alone is not sufficient. If you cannot obtain the impact statement or supporting documents within two days, you should lodge an incomplete application form and provide the additional documents within five business day.

Late applications can only be accepted in extenuating circumstances and their submission requires the approval of the Academic Registrar.

Assessment of applications

All special consideration applications are considered by a panel of health and academic experts, convened by the Academic Registrar. All communication about your application will be through your RMIT student email account. It is your responsibility to check your RMIT student email account regularly, promptly respond to any requests for information or action and ensure your account can receive incoming emails.

Extensions of time for submission of assessment – seven days or fewer

If you are seeking an extension of seven calendar days or fewer from the original due date you must meet certain eligibility criteria (similar to special consideration) and complete an Application for Extension of Time for Submission of Assessable Work form and lodge it with the School. Forms are available at rmit.edu.au/students/forms.

Arrangements for lodging forms can vary according to individual school procedures. It is your responsibility, as the applicant, to check whether the form should be lodged with the school administrative officer, the course coordinator or program coordinator. Except in exceptional circumstances the application must be lodged no later than one working day before the official due date.

Employability skills

Employability skills are included in this course and are based on broad industry requirements.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview