Information Skills

Nowadays pretty much everyone knows how to use Google, most people only uses the basic searching options. This changed for me after attending this course and following this lecture. There are more advanced ways to search, and there are other ways of searching for information. However, finding information is usually not the major problem, one of the most biggest problem is information processing(choosing information). For example if you are looking for a definition of innovation and you do a search on Google you will literally get thousands of hits ranging from dictionaries, blogs, Wikipedia, academic publications, consultancy corporate websites and much more. This class teaches you how to pick what is right. This class also helps you come up with smart ways of structuring and keeping a hold of that information. How you are going to keep track and where you found the information?

What innovation means to me is reframing challenges as opportunities. Within class projects, I am drawn to those moments when a team collectively ‘sighs,’ because the number of apparent roadblocks has increased to a point of frustration. It’s easy for teams to stop trying in these moments, and change focus by moving to another problem with an easier solution. But really, this is the worst time to stop trying, because you have done all the work that prepares you for an innovative move.

I used various Meta skills throughout this term. Learning about and actually studying this course has opened a whole new window for me as a student to use my skills to their full potential. To define is to explain the nature of basic qualities. During the first term studying this course I used the skill define to express myself in a professional way. I used this skill to define various business model canvases, different English exercises in class and all the other subjects we had in term one. I used design constantly to complete group work and even homework. Design can also be used later on in a creative work environment. We will need design in the future because this course teaches us how to be innovative in your business environment. Another Meta skill is to execute, this means taking everything I learned so far and produce it according to a plan or design. I had to execute several assignments for the course in term one such as a blog, business model canvas, poster, portfolio and a website. I have learned a great deal in this first term. Every class I experienced this term and everything I learned was quite new. I had never heard of a Business Model Canvas until this course, I have never blogged before and I like learning new things as well as gaining new knowlegde about things. Leading is the last Meta skill there is and I find it an important skill to have. By leading you show your team the right way and make them realize certain goals you have set as a team leader and motivate and help them to help you all to achieve it. I used this Meta skill at the kick-off week we did a poster about “saying no to racism” and I took the lead by starting a mind map and coming up with a way for us to present our topic.