A multidisciplinary approach to teaching invention and entrepreneuring

Abstract

This paper describes the context, format, experiences, and outcome of three multidisciplinary team project-based pilot courses focused on teaching entrepreneurial skills and invention: 1. ME 490 "Invention and Entrepreneuring," co-taught by two professors (from engineering and business) at Michigan Tech for multidisciplinary students during fall quarter 1999. 2. NI D041 "Creative Problem Solving, Innovation and Entrepreneuring," a four-week intensive multidisciplinary course in a new one-year MSc in Entrepreneurship, Science and Technology program at the University of Nottingham during October 2000. 3. MODULE 12 "Entrepreneurship," a one-week condensed course in a University of Nottingham part-time MBA program co-taught by two business professors in Singapore for managers and engineers in business and industry in November 2000. With special attention paid to teaching explicit thinking and creative problem solving skills and processes, as well as multidisciplinary and whole-brain team development, the student projects can result in viable invention - products or processes - that are patentable and can lead to the formation of a new business enterprise, as illustrated with some of the student project results. Students become excited about applying what they have learned and branch out into developing additional creative ideas and projects on their own.