Module 7

Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship

Mason is a university dedicated to innovation. We make the news regularly for our research efforts benefitting the community, including students making face shields for frontline healthcare workers and faculty contributing to COVID-19 investigation. The spirit carries over with our famous food delivery robots from a third-party vendor.

Several campus workspaces collaborate with students, faculty, and the community for active learning opportunities.  Mason added The Laboratory for IT Entrepreneurship in 2013, The Innovation Lab in 2014, and The Mason Innovation Exchange in 2015.  The Enterprise Center assists in developing entrepreneur efforts. Each of these workspaces have staff willing to collaborate with design thinking projects! 

The Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning offers more opportunities to collaborate and apply design thinking.  Faculty can develop active learning and student engagement skills through online resources, workshops, and individual consultation.  In addition, the Stearns Center offers a yearly conference showcasing exemplary work of Mason faculty called Innovations in Teaching & Learning (ITL).  Collaborate with the Stearns Center for implementing design thinking into your lessons and submit a proposal to present at the conference!

Design thinking minor

At George Mason University, design thinking is the first interdisciplinary minor with two tracks and is in its second year.  Faculty representatives from all six colleges serve on the committee. Undergraduate students from any major may declare the minor. 

The Design Thinking Minor is an 18 credit minor with three required interdisciplinary courses: DSGN 101, DSGN 102, and DSGN 401 (capstone course), and two tracks: (1) Design in the Built Environment and (2) User Experience Design (UXD). Students select one track and take nine credits of coursework within the chosen track.

The Design Thinking Minor had activities planned but canceled due to COVID-19.  Check the website for the future faculty development workshop and “student Designathon.”

Design thinking aligns with the new strategic plan.

Impress your boss

STRATEGIC GOAL #1: INNOVATIVE LEARNING Deliver a transformative Mason Learning Experience that is experiential, global, and technology rich.

Metric #1: 100% of Mason undergraduate students will graduate with transformative Mason Impact experiences, incorporating at least one of the following: undergraduate research or creative project, civic engagement project, entrepreneurial experience, global education experience, clinical experience, student teaching, internship, and/or capstone course.

Metric #2: 90% of graduating seniors will meet or exceed benchmarks on learning outcomes in critical thinking, problemsolving, and communication.

Metric #3: 30% of all classrooms will be Active Learning Classrooms, and every undergraduate student (excluding fully online students) will take at least one course taught in an Active Learning Classroom.

STRATEGIC GOAL #9: SUPPORT TEACHING AND FACULTY EXCELLENCE Mason will provide an environment and resources to support faculty and encourage academic innovation and excellence.

Metric #3: 100% of all faculty members will participate in at least one professional development activity annually that supports their teaching and learning, research and scholarship, writing, mentoring, or other career-related goals.

STRATEGIC GOAL #11: RESEARCH OF CONSEQUENCE Enhance Mason research in domains of great academic, societal, and economic consequence.

Metric #4: Identify 10-year horizon, multidisciplinary teams to enhance Mason’s competitive advantage in research, scholarship, and creative activities in the 2024-34 period and establish at least five related transdisciplinary centers.

Metric #7: Double the number of faculty members who are engaged in collaborative community-based research, or clinical or professional training programs that have economic or social impact on community partners (George Mason University, 2020d).

Explore the campus workspaces described in this module.  How can they assist you in implementing design thinking specifically? Write your reply below.

George Mason University. (2020d). Strategic Plan Update Final Version July 26, 2019. Strategic_Plan_Update_July-26-2019-Final-Version.pdf