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Finally, the Resources (2) element plays an important role Recognizing the diferent technical and educational aspects
in connecting the two paradigms and their respective needed to solve the challenge, a dream team formed with
elements. In relationship to the challenge, resources may members from Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering,
include subject experts, learning facilitators, or staff and Computer Sciences, Business, and the TTU Institute of
faculty personnel. Consultation with them could identify Technology. By applying the Knowledge Acquisition paradigm
useful information needed to resolve a challenge that might (A, Figure 1) this dream team was able to learn about important
otherwise be overlooked. aspects of the challenge. Resources at this point included
Te synergetic dynamic between the elements which are fueled consultations with Apple, Lenovo, and Microsof professionals.
by these paradigms is a key innovative aspect introduced by Ten the team moved to the Knowledge Transfer paradigm (B,
the Renaissance Foundry. Paraphrasing Steve Jobs, the idea of Figure 1) and by applying LES determined quickly that mobile
the Knowledge Acquisition paradigm (A) can be related to the devices that students used every day could be an important
identifcation of the “dots” of the challenge while the Knowledge factor in solving the challenge. Terefore, wireless internet access
Transfer paradigm (B) is directly relevant to “connecting dots” and connections were also important aspects to consider.
to produce an innovation (Jobs, 2005). While many academic Since most engineering applications demand far more
organizations just use traditional committees to generate computational power than a smart phone or a tablet may have,
suggestions and solutions, Jobs indicated that an innovation “back-end” clusters of computers with remote connectivity
is rarely produced by a group of people mandated with a task became an additional factor to include. Te last piece needed to
(Jobs, 1998). Tis task requires, instead, a protocol guided solve the challenge was the efective use of the space and, afer
by a principle (i.e., the vision) and an efective strategy (i.e., learning about the options available (Resources (2), Figure 1),
leadership) to achieve it. As Jobs famously explained even before meeting-style classrooms were determined the most suitable
introducing the iPhone, “Many people do not know what they arrangement to implement the innovation (Scoot-Weber,
want until they are shown” (Jobs, 1998). Strickland, & Kapitula, 2013). Conceptually, the challenge was
Based on Jobs’ principle of innovation, it is clear that in order addressed and the MoLE-SI prototype identifed. At this point,
to fnd a suitable innovation for a challenge, the team members what was lef to implement was the computer sofware to readily
involved will need a commanding knowledge of the vision connect the elements of the prototype (the mobile devices with
coupled with the proper leadership. Tese people do not work back-end clusters of co mputers), as well as the building of
alone, either; they form an efective collaboration to work in a MoLE-SI-style classrooms.
“Group-Genius” mode to maximize creativity (Sawyer, 2008). Te MoLE-SI dream team was quite surprised that,
Tese wonderful groups of colleagues, that may be called “dream commercially, there was no sofware or platform that could
teams,” display a high level of synergy in working efectively accomplish the connection mentioned above. Terefore, the idea
toward identifying the prototype of innovative technology. If a of pilots was brought to the table. Te team’s suggestion was
leader of an academic unit is interested in promoting innovation, to start with a single course to test a few possible connecting
she or he must develop a proper dream team and not just select platforms and also allow for the testing of wireless connectivity
people to form a committee for the task. within the department classrooms. If the pilot was successful,
Applications of the Foundry Example: MoLE-SI then a few additional courses would be added and if these
were also successful, then an up-scaling to other TTU College
One useful example of an application of the Renaissance of Engineering courses would follow. Moreover, based on the
Foundry is the case of the Mobile Learning Environment success of these incremental eforts, scaling up to the entire
System Infrastructure (MoLE-SI) that is now very successful university was an anticipated possibility (Sutton & Rao, 2014).
within the TTU Department of Chemical Engineering (Arce & The application of the Renaissance Foundry was instrumental
Pazos-Revilla, 2009). MoLE-SI was the Prototype of Innovative in resolving the initial Organizational Challenge for
Technology identifed to replace the old and anti-pedagogical Innovation in the TTU Department of Chemical Engineering
fxed computer laboratories. and led to the identification of MoLE-SI as the Prototype
In 2009, the faculty and staf of the TTU Department of of Innovative Technology. In fact, MoLE-SI has become
Chemical Engineering identifed a challenge regarding the the leading candidate for adoption as the mobility learning
modernization of the fxed computer laboratories used to deliver platform of choice within TTU.
computational instruction to students in the department. Tis
challenge was the result of aging computers, the desire of the Concluding Remarks
faculty to use more collaborative approaches to learn sofware Te Renaissance Foundry provides efective protocols and strategies
applications, and the lack of space in classrooms. Tis was a to drive innovation in any academic organization to ofer better
great challenge for the Chemical Engineering Department since opportunities for their students’ success. By synergistically utilizing
never before in the curriculum was there anything related to the fve key elements of the Renaissance Foundry through the
using a computational mobile platform. As anticipated by Jobs’ Knowledge Acquisition and Knowledge Transfer paradigms, an
innovative principle, the challenge was identifed afer a college- efective Prototype of Innovative Technology can be successfully
wide engineering committee determined that there was no need identifed to address an Organizational Challenge for Innovation.
to change anything. A traditional committee therefore failed to Furthermore, this protocol clearly connects the three crucial
produce a very necessary innovation that would directly impact concepts, innovation, leadership, and vision, that are essential to
student success. move initiatives forward.

18 LEADERSHIP Vol. 20.2 Fall 2014

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