Technology policy and innovation research
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| 4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| Examination | No residential school |
Register for the course
| Start | End | Fee | Register |
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No current presentation - see Future availability |
| This course is expected to run until November 2009. | |||
Summary
This course aims to develop a critical and evaluative understanding of research on the social implications and shaping of technology and innovation. It explores environmental policy and management, technology policy, and the management of design and innovation – looking at issues from different development contexts (North/South), comparing different data sources and research designs, and contrasting methodologies and techniques. You will examine interdisciplinary research approaches to the study of policy and innovation, embracing economic, sociological and managerial perspectives. By the end of the course, you will understand the limitations of individual disciplines in relation to research questions, and the main epistemological issues in researching complex socio-technical processes.
Course content
This course is based on evaluative, critical comparison of journal articles, with the aim of developing your understanding of approaches to research into the social implications and shaping of technology and innovation. This is achieved by comparing different data sources and research designs; contrasting methods and techniques in recent research approaches in policy analysis; innovation studies, especially new knowledge management; and systems, especially with regard to learning.
By the end of the course you will:
- Be aware of the limitations of individual disciplines relevant to a research question in the interdisciplinary field of technology policy and innovation studies.
- Understand how interdisciplinary issues might be approached in the areas of innovation, design, environmental management, technology policy, and institutional context.
- Understand the main epistemological issues in researching complex socio-technical processes.
- Be in a position to compare and contrast research techniques, specifying their advantages and disadvantages in relation to a given research question.
- Be able to make a critical analysis of theories, concepts and methods in the technology policy and innovation studies field, in order to develop appropriate research designs for a given research question.
Entry
You must hold an honours degree, or the equivalent. If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
If you would like some background to the course, you could visit a library that holds academic publications and read some journal articles in the technology policy and innovation studies area. Take particular note of the methods and data used, and consider how the authors address the research questions posed.
If you are newly returned to study, you might find it helpful to read:
A. Northedge, J. Thomas, A. Lane and A. Peasgood (1997) The Sciences Good Study Guide, The Open University.
Qualifications
T890 is a compulsory course in our
T890 is an optional course in our
- Postgraduate Certificate in Systems Thinking in Practice (C72)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Management (C49)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Development Management (D37)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Information Systems (E10)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Systems Thinking in Practice (E28)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Technology Management (E08)
- MSc in Development Management (F11)
- MSc in Information Systems (F37)
- MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice (F47)
- MSc in Technology Management (F36)
Some postgraduate qualifications allow study to be chosen from other subject areas. These qualifications allow most postgraduate courses to count towards them. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
You will need to spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer and the internet.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, audio CDs and video cassettes, and email. Course books include:
A. Thomas, J. Chataway, M. Wuyts (eds.) Finding out Fast, Sage
You will need
Video cassette player.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will be responsible for monitoring your progress on the course, marking and commenting on your written work and whom you can contact for advice and guidance. Your tutor will maintain pro-active contact with you throughout the course. There is also an often lively online forum for all students on the course which one of the course tutors moderates.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
Assessment is an essential part of the teaching, so you are expected to complete it all. But if you unavoidably miss or do badly in an assignment some courses allow you a ‘substitution score’, calculated as a weighted average of all your scores for the course. In T890 this rule can apply to one assignment. You will be given more detailed information when you begin the course.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in November 2009 when it will be available for the last time. It will not be replaced.
How to register
We regret that we are currently unable to accept registrations for this course. Where the course is to be presented again in the future, relevant registration information will be displayed on this page as soon as it becomes available.
About this page
A postgraduate course.
Study explained
- Course
- - a module of study that can count towards a qualification.
- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
Student Reviews
This module starts by providing a solid foundation in technology and innovation. We are first introduced to the main models ...
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