Cell phones generally tend to be more disruptive to the class than they are helpful to you as an individual.  So, unless you have an impending emergency (being within handy reach of your significant other to determine where you will eat lunch is not an impending emergency), please turn off your phone. 

PLEASE BE ON TIME.  Lateness can be disruptive and disrespectful.

And though it should go without saying, I’ll say it anyway:  our classroom will be a place where everyone can feel free to share views, ideas, and questions.  Please listen courteously and respectfully to everyone, especially those whose views differ from yours.  Listening to new perspectives can teach us all a lot about life and ourselves.  It’s okay to disagree, but please do so with respect and consideration.  (Please keep in mind that The Code of Student Conduct… is very clear about expected behavior.)  Thanks.

What Happens When

Orientations (prior to departure):

#1  (immediately after selection process is completed)—

• Expectations for course
• Preparing for overseas travel (passports, insurance, money exchange, packing requirements, airport security rules, customs procedures, etc.)

#2  (March)  Living in Britain

• Cultural expectations
• Language
• How to travel on Underground, bus system, and trains
• Phoning home
• Practicing for cultural events (afternoon tea, theatre, etc.)

#3  (March)  Being a Good Traveler

• How to avoid being the “ugly American”
• What not to do  (school rules and British rules)
• Planning for the departure and arrival

#4  (April)  Safety and Security

• Buddy System requirement
• Wariness always
• Crossing the street
• Avoiding the most common security problems for tourists
• Check-in system to know who is where when
• Reviewing the rules one more time

Discussion Sessions

January—The Processes of Innovative Thought
Discussion of How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci and Discovering Your Genius
(Reader Responses due on each book)

February—Some Significant Innovations and How They Changed the World
Discussion of selections from The Creation of the Modern World
(Reader Response due)

March—How Innovation Has Changed the World
Discussion of The World is Flat
(Reader Response due)

April—Issues That Require Our Attention
Discussion of High Noon
(Reader Response due)

In England…

Week 1—Philanthropic/Social Innovation

13 May 2009 (Wednesday)—

Overnight flight; arrive London 14 May (hotel to be determined)

Thursday, 14 May—

Late morning/afternoon:  Westminster Abbey

Informal walking tour of London

Evening:  Discussion on continuing influence of the innovators we “met” at the Abbey

Friday, 15 May—

Morning Roundtable:  Discussion on the differences between discoveries and innovations—definitions, applications, and problems (Critical Question Writing #1 assigned, due 16 May)

Morning:  Alexander Fleming’s Laboratory 

Afternoon:  Meet with the Ratcliffs at the Variety Club

Evening:  Theatre?

Saturday, 16 May—

Morning:  Breakfast and tour at Jamie Oliver’s 15 Restaurant
Discussion on the concept of social entrepreneurism and potential uses

Visit to Bunhill Fields cemetery, near John Wesley’s chapel, to see grave of Quakerism founder George Fox (informal discussion on faith’s place in changing the world) and St. Dunstan’s in the East

Afternoon:
Visit British Museum for tours and research: you will work in teams to locate 5 examples of discoveries and 5 examples of innovations in the Museum and compare the effects these items have had on subsequent cultures (also included will be Parthenon Marbles—discussion of the practicality and politics of who owns world treasures and whether all cultures can flourish without infringing on other cultures and Egyptian section—the fading of dominant cultures)

Evening Roundtable:  Discuss effects of the innovations and discoveries located in the Museum; critique the applications of those items in subsequent cultures (Critical Question Writing #2 due on 17 May)

Sunday, 17 May— Environmental Innovation

Travel to Cornwall via train

Accommodation in Looe, Cornwall

Afternoon:  “Trash Walk”—observation of beach trash (and some clean-up) and discussion of how such prevalent problems can be remedied

Evening Roundtable (what to think about during the train ride):  Altruism, Humanities, and Practicality—using readings from High Noon and the previous days’ experiences, you will compare and critique these “humanistic” approaches to innovation on the bases of practicality and effectiveness (Critical Question Writing #3 due 18 May)

Monday, 18 May—

Field trip to English Heritage sites (Restormel and Tintagel Castles) to see “innovations” of tourism and effects on environment

Evening Roundtable (1 contact hour):  Debate on commerce and use of the environment—Innovation, Preservation, or Destruction?  (students will work in teams to write two-page argument with evidence from texts and observations)

Tuesday, 19 May—

Lecture by Mark Paterson, head of education, regarding agricultural/environmental innovations at Eden

Evening Roundtable (1 contact hour):  Based on readings from High Noon Part 2 and Mark’s lecture, discussion on the effectiveness and practicality of current environmental innovations and requirements for new sustainability projects (Critical Question Writing #4 due 20 May)

Week 2

Wednesday, 20 May—

Depart for Harlaxton College, near Grantham, via train; tour of facility led by docent (informal discussion on innovative use of old buildings)

Thursday, 21 May— Technological Innovation

Morning Roundtable:  Revisiting the environment/technology debate:  Can technology save the world? (Critical Question Writing #5 due 22 May)

Friday, 22 May—

Morning Roundtable:  Discussion of how technological innovations of the Enlightenment resonate today (based on readings from The Creation of the Modern World and The World is Flat)

Field trip to Woolsthorpe Manor, birthplace of Isaac Newton (informal discussion on how scientific advancements can be nurtured by need rather than profit)

Evening Roundtable:  Discussion of how technological innovations of each era have affected changes in societal class (based on The Creation of the Modern World and The World is Flat) (Critical Question Writing #6 due)

Saturday, 23 May—

Morning:  Grantham Market

Research time

Evening:  Project discussion and brainstorming

Sunday, 24 May—

Morning:  Field trip to Lincoln  (choice of church service, castle visit, etc.)

Research time

Monday, 25 May—(Bank Holiday)

Field trip by private coach to Oxford and Bodleian Library for tours; visit The Eagle and Child for late lunch

Afternoon at Blenheim Palace

Informal discussion on return trip:  What is the role of writers/educators/scholars in innovation?  (Critical Question #7 due 26 May)

Tuesday, 26 May—

Morning Roundtable:  How would Churchill use technology?  How will you?

Project development day, Harlaxton  (Project Proposal due 27 May)

Week 3

Wednesday, 27 May—

Morning Roundtable:  More on technology and innovation:  How can technology be used to preserve history and culture?

Research time

Evening Roundtable:  Debate on the “best” approach to innovative social change:  through interpersonal altruism or long-distance technology?  (students work in teams to create 2-page argument using all texts and observations as evidence)

Thursday, 28 May—

Field trip to London Science Museum (free admission!)  You will locate three innovative new technologies and collect information for alternative uses of each

Afternoon activity—Tower of London, Globe Theatre, afternoon tea?

Friday, 29 May—

Project development day

Saturday, 30 May—

Morning Roundtable:  Discussion on best alternative use of technology located in the museum (students will make presentations and arguments for fabulous prizes)

Project development day, Harlaxton

Evening activity

Sunday, 31 May—

Depart Harlaxton for London (hotel to be determined)

Afternoon group activity:  National Gallery, boat ride to Hampton Court, other?

Evening Roundtable:  Evening Roundtable:  Discussion on what the ethical code for technological innovations should be, based on reading from The World is Flat (Critical Question Writing #8 due 1 June)

Monday, 1 June—

Meet with venture capital expert?

Afternoon activity:  Thames Barrier, afternoon tea?

Evening Roundtable:  Discussion on criteria to determine an innovation’s worth, how an innovation should be analyzed, and which innovation students have seen that qualifies as “the best” (Critical Question Writing #9 due 2 June)

Tuesday, 2 June—

Morning Roundtable:  Project updates (revised proposal due 3 June)

Evening:  Celebratory dinner at Sally Clarke’s 

(Critical Question #10 due 3 June)

Wednesday, 3 June—

Depart for airport EARLY (7:30 AM)

Arrive Indy 7:00 PM

Back in America…

 Weeks 4 and 5

Students will meet for class discussions and progress reports once each week, two hours each session (days and times to be determined).  Students will analyze each proposal and assess feasibility.  Students will meet individually with instructor as needed. 

Group Critique of proposals will occur during Week 4.

FINAL PROJECT PAPER and MULTIMEDIA DUE Wednesday, 11 June.

Week 6

Student Presentations on campus—day and time to be determined—presentations to be attended by all students and open to any others who are interested

Final Examination

Assignments

Due prior to departure (dates to be determined)

Reader Responses—15 points each, 75 points possible

For each of the following readings, please respond to the questions and defend your answer with specific examples from the reading.  (I expect a minimum of two typed, double-spaced pages for each response.)

The World is Flat—How do you see the world changing in the next decade?  What will be the most significant change?  Why?  How will it affect you?

How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci—What are the characteristics of an innovative thinker?  Can innovative thinking be taught?  In what ways could innovative thinking be a negative trait?

Discovering Your Genius—What new thoughts has this reading inspired in you?  How specifically will you apply that new thinking?

The Creation of the Modern World—Which innovator’s ideas did you find most enlightening?  Most surprising?  Which innovations have had the most significant impact?  Why?

High Noon—Which issue you do consider to be the most critical?  What are some of the potential difficulties you see in creating innovations to address that issue?  Why?

Due in England

Critical Question Writing—10 points each, 100 points possible

Based on the assigned readings and topic for the day, you will develop a “critical question” that could be used as the basis for group discussion.  You will also answer that question using examples from the reading and from our field experiences.  Each critical question/response will be due PRIOR to the day’s roundtable discussion.  (I expect a minimum of one NEATLY handwritten page.)

Group Debates—2 @ 25 points each

As part of a small group, you will develop an argument paper and present it on the day’s topic.  You will also provide rebuttal to the other groups’ arguments.

Discussion Leading—10 points

You will be responsible for leading one of the discussions in England.
Preliminary Project Proposal—25 points

Please complete this form.  Be concise but specific.

Specific issue to be addressed:
Extent of the need (why this issue should be addressed):
Innovation to address this issue (including implementation):
Population(s) directly affected:
Rationale for addressing this issue in this manner:
Prospective audiences to whom you might present this and actions you want 
    them to take:
Timetable for implementation:
Expected outcomes:
How outcomes will be measured:
Resources required:
Potential difficulties/challenges and how they will be addressed:
Sources consulted:
Additional information required:

Feasibility Study—15 points

Please complete this form.  Be concise but specific.

What aspects of your project will be most problematic?
What are potential difficulties that might arise because of

• the population your innovation could help
• the target audiences to whom you might present
• the timetable
• funding
• implementation procedures
• the scope (too large/too small)
• politics ?

If you were part of the target organization, why would you refuse to assist in
     funding or implementing this project?
Is it feasible that this project as you envision it can be implemented within two
     years?  Why/why not?
What about this issue and the need for this project will change within the next
     decade?
Will you alter the project or continue with it as you originally intended?

Due in Kokomo

Final Project Paper—100 points

You will write a 10-15 page paper analyzing your innovation and defending it as the best approach for the issue you have chosen.  It should be a formal paper, documented in an appropriate format and created with great attention to professional appearance, clarity, and detail.  This project will be graded on the strength of the content (attention to detail, strength of arguments, use of specific and accurate information, organization, clarity, and overall quality of writing), thoroughness, and professional appearance.

Topics that should be included are:

Specific issue to be addressed
Extent of the need (why this issue should be addressed)
What others have done in this area (review of literature)
Innovation to address it (including implementation)
Population(s) directly affected
Rationale for addressing this issue in this manner (including how this innovation is different than similar projects)—why this is a good idea
How this innovation fits the criteria of other significant innovations
How this innovation is a new way of addressing the issue
Timetable for implementation
Who will be involved in the implementation and how
Expected outcomes
How outcomes will be measured
Resources required
How the project will be funded (complete budget)
Potential difficulties/challenges and how they will be addressed
Sources consulted

Multimedia Supplement to Final Paper—25 points

Please create a graphics presentation to supplement your final paper.  You may use any combination of multimedia (PowerPoint, video, etc.).  Please keep your audience in mind as you develop this part of the project:  an MTV-esque video might wow an audience of your peers, but it might alienate the board of a local grants commission.  Think about the response you want to achieve and what your multimedia program should include to achieve that response.  This part of the project should SUPPLEMENT the proposal, not substitute for it.  It should also be clear and specific enough to stand on its own .

Reflective Writing—15 points

This informal paper of 2-3 pages (typed and double-spaced) should discuss the most significant insight this course has provided.  Please discuss in specific terms what led to that insight and what you plan to do with the information.

Final Examination—50 points

This examination will include essay discussion of the theories of/criteria for innovation and comparison of historical innovation with contemporary approaches based on the readings and on the observations in England.

No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.                                                                                                                                          Voltaire