Toward Designing Innovation Learning Experiences: Examining Engagement and Affective Traits Based on Learner and Course Characteristics

Expanding innovation education research beyond the business domain, this study introduces learning assignments using individual and group knowledge acquisition to mimic participation in today's digital innovation platforms, examining learner affective and course characteristics as important factors for designing appropriate innovation learning experiences. Findings suggest that graduate students are more engaged and report higher perceptions of quality and quantity of social capital as well as learning from such assignments and also report higher perceptions of affective characteristics. Groups assigned by instructors (rather than self-selected) are also more engaged with higher perceptions of learning and quantity of social capital. Learners for whom the course is in their degree program are also more engaged, storing more knowledge resources individually and reporting higher perceptions of perceived learning, quantity of social capital, task value, and system satisfaction. Together, these findings have practical implications for educators seeking to engage students in meaningful innovation learning experiences.