ACIT4200 Interdisciplinary Innovation and Complex Problems Course description

This course is run in collaboration with Louisiana Technology University. During the 2024-2025 academic year, the course will be offered online (digitally). The majority of the instruction will take place asynchronously (in Canvas), with periodic 1-hour long synchronous meetings, in Zoom or Teams. 

In line with best teaching practices from the field of professional communication, the following teaching methods will be used (listed here in order of priority and frequency of use): 

• Active learning and flipped classroom methods 
• Peer review and peer-learning 
• Short lectures and presentations by instructor(s), followed by discussions and informal assessments 

The role of the teacher is to be a facilitator and an expert-coordinator of course work, who guides the students through the content of the course 

No formal requirements over and above the admission requirements.

A student who has completed this course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

Upon successful completion of the course, the candidate has: 

• an in-depth understanding of innovation processes
• an advanced understanding of relevant social challenges as articulated by the United Nations, European Union, and national governments including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Skills

Upon successful completion of the course, the candidate can:

• critically reflect on the role of personal experience, implicit bias, disciplinary traditions, professional background, gender, culture, and other social identities and characteristics in innovation
• participate in innovation processes and critically identify and analyze social, organizational  or technical problems
• use creative processes to suggest innovative solutions to complex challenges.
• identify and put into practice mechanisms for ensuring ethical, professional conduct, and diversity in teams.

General competence

Upon successful completion of the course, the candidate: 

• has an advanced understanding of how innovation and design frameworks and processes can be implemented in interdisciplinary teams
• can critically explain and debate creative processes. 

The exam will be a ‘capstone’ written report in groups (max 5 students), between 5000 and 6000 words. 

Students will be provided with a detailed description of the task. Both the quality of the final text and each student's contribution to the group effort will be assessed.  

The exam can be appealed. 

New/postponed exam: In case of failed exam or legal absence, the student may apply for a new or postponed exam. New or postponed exams are offered within a reasonable time span following the regular exam. The student is responsible for applying for a new/postponed exam within the time limits set by OsloMet. The Regulations for new or postponed examinations are available in Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet. 

All members of the group receive the same final grade. Under exceptional circumstances, individual grades can be assigned at the discretion of the Course Coordinator  and Head of Studies.  

The following coursework must be approved before the student can hand in the exam: 

1. Participation a minimum of 2 out of 3 workshops
2. A deliverable from each workshop attended (minimum 2 out of 3)

For the final assessment a grading scale from A to E is used, where A denotes the highest and E the lowest pass grade, and F denotes a fail. 

Pavel Zemliensky 

• Current theories, frameworks, and methods of planning, carrying out, and assessing global engineering communication projects. 
• Current theories, frameworks, and issues in intercultural communication which may impact the effectiveness of global engineering communication 
• Main views, trends, and arguments on the topic as evidenced in research literature in engineering communication 
• Critical analysis and use of communication technologies for global engineering projects, including issues of access, usability, and user experience. 

Two internal examiners. External examiner is used periodically.

Assistant Professor Ellen Sethov