Course Syllabus
Syllabus for ESHIP 101-Spring 2026 .pdf
Course Syllabus
ESHIP 101
INNOVATION
Santa Rosa Junior College Spring/2026
Class day/time: Mondays: 6:00 – 8:00PM Instructor: Michele Chaboudy, MBA,MLS
E-mail/phone: mchaboudy@santarosa.edu (mailto:mchaboudy@santarosa.edu)
415 694 2410
Biography: linkedin.com/in/michelechaboudy (http://linkedin.com/in/michelechaboudy)
consulting practice: https://macabbey.com/about-us
Classroom: Maggini Hall 2801
Office Hours: Wednesdays on Zoom from 6 to 7 PM and by appointment (phone or zoom)
Student Learning Outcomes
- Survey and examine the various forms and types of creativity and innovations -- ideas, ventures, organizations, social and cultural movements.
- Describe the roots, keys, and sources of creative and innovative business concepts.
- Identify the drivers behind successful entrepreneurs and start-ups
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate how to apply creativity and design thinking in developing innovations both as an individual and as part of a team.
2. Understand and experience how innovation is essentially a creative problem solving capability that is applied to a wide variety of opportunities and challenges.
3. Understand why innovation is based on doing, not thinking about doing.
4. Understand the fundamental elements of a business model canvas and its role in the innovation process.
5. Learn how to use story telling and alternatie sceanerios as communications vehicles.
Topics and Scope
1. Defining Innovation
A. Philosophy/Types
B. Historic perspective
C. Role of technology
2. Creativity and the Innovation Process
A. The innovation engine
B. Fostering creativity/creative cultures
C. Identification of drivers
3. Lean start-up model
A. Origin, Methodology
B. Assessing and testing along the way
4. Design Thinking
A. Customer-centered design
B. Determining design constraints and requirements
5. Market Validation
A. Creating customer profiles
B. Business Model Canvas, Value Proposition Canvas
C. Story telling and alternative scenarios
6. Community building/team building
A. How to share
B. Learn by doing
C. Manage expectations
Suggested reading list
Value Proposition Design by Osterwalder and Pigneur
The Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun
Dance of the Possible by Scott Berkun
InGenius by Tina Seelig, PhD
The Little Black Book of Innovation by Scott D. Anthony
Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good by Ann Mei Chang
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
How To Communicate
Please check your Canvas profile regularly as all class material, announcements, changes of schedule and important information will be announced in class and sent through Canvas.
Class Requirements
Arrive on time. Arriving late is disrespectful to your fellow classmates as well as to your instructor. Your presence in class is required and important for learning the class material and supporting your team project. If you need to miss a class, please email me at mchaboudy@santarosa.edu or call me at 415 694 2410. It is critical to be present in class to support your team members as your presentation points are awarded to your team as a whole, rather than invidually to each member. Please turn off cell phones. Limit use of laptop and tablets during class.
All assignments must be turned in through Canvas on a word document by 6 PM on class due date. Assignments turned in after deadline will receive zero points unless personally given a later time by the instructor, due to health or family emergency reasons.
Please review class assignments and plan accordingly.
Academic Integrity
Santa Rosa Junior College holds that its primary function is the development of intellectual curiosity, integrity, and accomplishment in an atmosphere that upholds the principles of academic freedom. All members of the academic community - student, faculty, staff, and administrator - must assume responsibility for providing an environment of the highest standards, characterized by a spirit of academic honesty and mutual respect. Because personal accountability is inherent in an academic community of integrity, this institution will not tolerate or ignore any form of academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty is regarded as any act of deception, benign or malicious in nature, in the completion of any academic exercise. Examples of academic dishonesty include cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, misrepresentation of idea or fact for the purpose of defrauding, use of unauthorized aids or devices, falsifying attendance records, violation of testing protocol, inappropriate course assignment, collaboration, and any other acts that are prohibited by the instructor of record.
Standards of Conduct
Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.
Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of F for that test or assignment and possible expulsion. Students are encouraged to share information and ideas, but never share their work.
Artificial Intelligence generators (ChatGPT, Bing, etc.) are typically not acceptable in an academic setting. The college environment is an excellent training ground for developing your own original thoughts, content generation, and critical thinking. While we will cover how entrepreneurs integrate AI in the workplace, using AI to complete your class assignments is not acceptable. At this point, using AI and submitting AI-generated content as your own work is considered plagiarism and will result in an F.
Special Needs
Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Course Assignments
- Four Individual Writing Assignments
- Two Progress Team Presentations
- One Final Team Presentation
- Class Participation
Assignment Grading Points
4 WRITING ASSIGNMENTS 40 (10 points each)
2 PROGRESS TEAM PRESENTATIONS 20 (10 points each)
1 FINAL TEAM PRESENTATION 30
CLASS PARTICIPATION 10
Grades
Letter grades are assigned as followed, based on the points earned from the assignments. If you have any questions regarding scoring, please bring it up to me within a week of receipt.
90 - 100 Points A
80- 89 Points B
70 - 79 Points C
60 - 69 Points D
59 points or below F
|
Unit |
Date |
Topic |
Assignments Due |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1/12/2026
no class on 1/19/2026 |
Course Introduction/get to know everyone What is innovation/ entrepreneurship? Brainstorming exercise/ideas to solve a problem Gratitude/idea journaling |
Review Canvas instruction for students. Review the Course Syllabus
You will be on a team project which takes a serious commitment for the entire course. Be ready to share an idea for your team project— something you are working on now or you’ve been wanting to develop. |
|
2 |
1/26/2026 |
Getting to know everyone
Innovation Engine: Tina Seelig |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos |
|
|
|
Innovation Part 1: Discovering Opportunities
|
Written assignment #1: Where Are You?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
2/02/2026 |
Innovation Part 2: Blueprinting ideas |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos |
|
|
Scott Berkun: Myths of Innovation |
|
|
|
|
An awareness exercise/getting to know team members Select project teams |
|
|
|
4 |
2/09/2026
(no class Feb. 16) |
Innovation Part 3: Assess/test ideas |
Write in gratitude journal
Written Assignment #2: Awareness |
|
|
|
Interviewing skills |
Assigned blogs, articles, videos Read pdf: Developing New Products and Services/chapter 6. |
|
|
|
Let’s talk about Why: Simon Sinek Time project time |
Prepare for first team progress presentation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
2/23/2026
|
Ideation session Team project time |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos Prepare for first team progress presentation
|
|
6
|
3/02/2026 |
Story-telling basics
How to interview prospects Team Progress Presentation #1 |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs,articles,videos Team progress presentation #1 |
|
7 |
3/09/2026
(no class 3/16/2026) |
Market validation Business Model Canvas review team project time |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos Conduct team project interviews/start story development |
|
8 |
3/23/2026
|
A look at Blue Ocean strategy Written Assignment #3 discussion How to jump start ideas Team project time |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs,articles,videos Conduct team project interviews |
|
9 |
3/30/2026
|
Review Innovation concepts/innovation engine
Team Project time
|
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos conduct project team interviews Written Assignment #3 |
|
10 |
4/06/2026 |
Innovations with social impact Alternative scenarios for seeing ahead Design Thinking Excercise Team project time |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos Work on team project presentations |
|
11 |
4/13/2026 |
Team Project Presentations #2 SWOT excercise Ready, Aim Fire: Rob Adams |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos Team Project Presentation #2 |
|
12 |
4/20/2026 |
Improv for entrepreneurs Business ModelCanvas WrittenAssignment #4 case analysis Team project time |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos Team project interviews Written Assignment #4 |
|
13 |
04/27/2026 |
What ismarket validation: Rob Adams
Improv theater Team Project time
|
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assignedblogs,articles,videos team project interviews |
|
14
|
05/04/2026 |
Alternative scenarios Fund raising Final Team Presentations |
Write in gratitude/idea journal Assigned blogs, articles, videos Team project interviews Final team presentations |
|
15 |
5/11/2026 |
Story telling review Final Team presentations
|
Write in gratitude/idea journal
|