Hacking for Good: How Hackathon Events Catalyze Innovation and Social Change by Creating Collaborative, Diverse Communities

Innovation in community engagement practices requires a collaborative approach among diverse disciplines and fields of study. Innovate Extension hackathon events have brought outreach professionals, community partners, and land-grant university students together to develop creative solutions to challenges and opportunities in communities across the country. Developed at OSU Extension and also hosted in North Dakota, Utah, Oregon and Delaware, Innovate Extension events have catalyzed ways of thinking and working differently to address our communities' most pressing current and future needs. These hackathon events marry creative problem-solving, design thinking, and community engagement practices to inspire participants to venture outside of their typical partnerships and collaborate with new individuals and organizations to gain insight and varying perspectives. This is essential to innovation and impactful change.

Description

Outreach faculty and professionals are being challenged to innovate their work, yet their day-to-day responsibilities do not always allow time or opportunities for creativity and innovation. In 2016, the OSU Extension educational technology unit, led by Jamie Seger and Danae Wolfe, held the inaugural Innovate Extension event, a hackathon-styled gathering of creative collaboration, during which teams competed for grant funds by developing an idea, plan, and pitch over the course of one day. Due to the event's success, additional Innovate Extension events have been hosted at North Dakota State University, Utah State University, Oregon State University, and the University of Delaware. To date, 541 individuals have participated in these events across the country. Innovate Extension has been improved and adapted over time to fit a variety of needs across the country. The primary goals of providing a safe space to be creative while infusing new partnerships and perspectives are always at the forefront. During these events participants are provided the inspiration, tools, and resources to change the way they work and develop solutions to both internal and external challenges and opportunities. Participants ultimately contribute to a new culture of innovation. Innovate Extension events provide an opportunity for outreach professionals to break out of silos and become better equipped to respond to the needs of our rapidly changing communities. The following information will be covered during this session and is intended for anyone interested in how hackathons are currently being utilized by outreach professionals to catalyze innovation and social change to address complex challenges: an overview of a hackathon event – what it is and why they are relevant to outreach education; the background and overview of Innovate Extension events; and the timeline, adaptations, and outcomes/impact of subsequent Innovate Extension events in additional states. Attendees will also learn how Innovate Extension (and other hackathon events) foster a culture of innovation and catalyze more meaningful impact by: inspiring creativity; providing a roadmap and resources for gaining new perspective, identifying new challenges and opportunities, and developing innovative ideas; encouraging true engagement and collaboration with diverse internal and external partners, as well as stakeholders; and action steps for those interested in participating in the 2018 Innovate: Community Engagement hackathon event. Participants will walk through design thinking and innovation learning activities utilized during hackathon events. These may include "Bad Ideas" or "Divergent Thinking" activities from Kickbox – Adobe's innovation process for employees. Watch the following video recaps for more information on Innovate Extension events: Ohio (2017) - https://youtu.be/Ajvve2XKn4c; Utah (2016) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddAmL-uCaOo&t=65s.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Jamie Seger, The Ohio State University Extension Program Director, Educational Technology, seger.23@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Danae Wolfe, The Ohio State University Extension Educational Technology Specialist; Josh Dallin, Associate Professor, 4-H, Utah State University Extension; Bob Bertsch, Web Technology Specialist, North Dakota State University Extension; Mike Letscher, Student, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business; Donte Woods-Spikes, Central Community House Transit Arts.

Keywords

collaboration, innovation, change, engagement, diversity

Citation

Engaged Scholars, v. 6 (2018).

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/1811/84717

Collections

Engaged Scholars: Volume 6 (2018)

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