Engineering creativity and propensity for innovative thinking in undergraduate and graduate students

Abstract

Over the past two decades, various research studies across education and business fields have attempted to measure individuals' creativity and innovative behavior. The research on creativity has most often been accomplished in K-12 education while research in innovation has focused on workplace measurement. Business research has attempted to link metrics of innovation to entrepreneurship. Educational research has not broached this connection. Research is somewhat split as to whether creativity and innovation are domain or disciplinary characteristics or traits or whether they can be measured in general form. Such research has not been focused on engineering or the sciences. Interestingly, both engineering and scientifically focused industries are expecting both innovative and entrepreneurial skills in their degreed employees. To meet the need of measuring whether engineering programs are inspiring and cultivating creativity and innovation (a recognized precursor of entrepreneurship,) I designed an engineering creativity and innovation index. This paper reports on the development, theoretical grounding and reliability and validity testing and piloting of this new instrument. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.