Indicators of creative and entrepreneurial thinking among engineering and technology students

Abstract

The assessment of knowledge, skills, and behaviors related to innovation is a challenging task. Current assessment approaches rely on idea generation tasks, surveys, or project deliverables each of which have limitations. In this paper, we present an alternative novel approach for assessing individual understanding of innovation process that we argue should be a learning outcome of any innovation education program or curricula. Our method, called the Innovation Process Mapping Protocol provides individualized assessment of knowledge and skills and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The data collected in the form of Innovation Process Maps are evaluated in two ways: using the innovation process mapping rubric and in the form of a Markov chain. We present results from two students and discuss how this instrument can be used in research studies and discuss its' potential for use as a pre- And post-test to evaluate growth. ©American Society for Engineering education, 2013.