Creativity and innovation in undergraduate education: an innovation study

2018-12-11This study examined the viability of developing an undergraduate program in creativity and innovation at a liberal arts university in the Midwestern United States. The methodological framework used was a qualitative analysis in which data were collected through survey and interviews of eight faculty members at the university. These faculty members met specific criteria that indicated the possibility of their eventual involvement in the formation of such a curriculum. Using Clark and Estes’ gap analysis framework as a model to examine the knowledge, motivation, and organizational gaps to develop a model for improvement, findings indicated that the faculty members interviewed and surveyed possessed the knowledge and motivational resources to develop a curriculum for undergraduates in creativity and innovation. However, they may be hindered by various organizational constraints. Solutions based on the data collected and analyzed seek to bridge gaps between current practices at the university and what may be required to create and implement a creativity and innovation curriculum. The study also offers insights which may be transferable to other universities