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Innovation competitions and programs (ICPs) are becoming pivotal in STEM education by immersing students in experiential learning that fosters an innovation mindset. However, measuring the transformative impact of ICPs on students remains a challenge due to the lack of validated frameworks. This study introduces the Transformative Learning Scale for the Innovation Mindset (TLSIM), designed to assess shifts in self-awareness, open-mindedness, and innovation capabilities among STEM students. Using Transformative Learning Theory (TLT) and Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network's (KEEN) 3Cs framework (Curiosity, Connections, Creating Value), TLSIM was developed and validated through expert reviews, focus groups, and psychometric analysis with data from 291 STEM students, 70.2% of whom were engineering majors. Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed strong psychometric properties, demonstrating TLSIM’s reliability and validity in capturing transformative learning in ICP contexts. The scale emphasizes the multidimensional nature of the innovation mindset and focuses on both the outcomes and processes of developing an innovation mindset. Thereby, the TLSIM provides a new way for educators and program designers to assess and enhance the effectiveness of ICPs in fostering innovation mindsets in STEM education. The paper also presents preliminary findings about the connections between ICP processes and innovation mindset. The TLSIM tool has the potential to significantly improve the assessment and development of ICPs, which could result in more impactful innovations in STEM education. Future research will focus on refining the instrument and exploring its cross-disciplinary applications. 

Abstract The transformative learning scale for the innovation mindset (TLSIM) is an instrument that effectively assesses both process-related experiences and outcome-oriented shifts in students’ self-awareness, open-mindedness, and innovation capabilities resulting from participation in innovation competitions and programs (ICPs), namely, experiential learning opportunities. It was developed using transformative learning theory (TLT) and the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network’s (KEEN) 3Cs framework (Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value). The study involved developing scale items, validating content and face validity through expert reviews and student focus groups, as well as conducting psychometric analysis using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on data collected from 291 STEM students (70.2% from engineering) who participated in ICPs. The CFA results showed strong factor loadings across most constructs, with Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) values within acceptable limits, confirming the robustness of the TLSIM for measuring both process-oriented (RMSEA = 0.047, CFI = 0.929) and outcome-oriented constructs (RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.901) in the development of an innovation mindset. The analysis showed that TLSIM is a reliable and valid instrument with strong psychometric properties for measuring key constructs related to the innovation mindset. TLSIM can capture significant changes in students’ beliefs, attitudes, and self-perceptions regarding innovation. Future research should refine TLSIM across various disciplines. 

Student Innovation Competitions and Programs (ICPs), including design challenges, hackathons, startup competitions, and boot camps, play a critical role in entrepreneurship and innovation education. These programs foster students' technical skills, networking opportunities, and innovation mindsets. However, the literature lacks an exploration of ICPs' transformative impact on students' entrepreneurial mindsets, which involves profound changes in students' values and abilities. This study addresses this gap by applying the Transformative Learning Theory (TLT) to examine how ICPs can be transformative experiences for students. Using a qualitative inductive approach, semi-structured interviews with 36 students who participated in ICPs were conducted. Thematic analysis was performed using both human coders and ChatGPT 4.0 to identify the strengths and weaknesses realized by students during ICPs. The results showed a high level of agreement between human and AI-generated codes, highlighting ICPs' role in enhancing self-awareness and personal growth. Key strengths discovered included communication skills, leadership, problem-solving, organizational skills, tenacity, and interpersonal skills, while common weaknesses were noted as time management, communication challenges, lack of self-advocacy, trust issues, inflexibility, conflict management, and stress and anxiety. These findings suggest that ICPs are instrumental in fostering an entrepreneurial and innovation mindset, but organizers should address time management and stress issues to maximize benefits to students. 

In the dynamic field of educational technology, there is an increasing emphasis on incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings. Through interviews with mentors and students, this study compares the effectiveness and reliability of AI-generated qualitative codes with human-generated codes in addressing student challenges during Innovation Competitions and Programs (ICPs), such as hackathons, ide competitions, and pitch competitions. While ICPs encourage creativity and innovation, participants often encounter significant challenges. The methodology involves analyzing qualitative responses to student challenges from students involved in the ICPs. Preliminary findings suggest that AI-generated codes offer improved efficiency and objectivity, while human evaluators provide crucial nuanced insights into student challenges. The results showed a high level of agreement between human and AI-generated overall themes that highlight student challenges during ICPs. However, a low agreement was found in mapping AI-generated codes to transcript files. Based on the identified codes and themes, several recommendations were made to make ICP more inclusive learning events for all students. 

Universities have developed various informal learning experiences, such as design challenges, hackathons, startup incubator competitions, and accelerator programs that engage students in real-world challenges and enable environments for creative problem-solving. However, limited studies explain the extent and nature of the impact of student innovation competitions and programs (ICPs) on participating students' innovation mindset. Current literature was analysed using network analytics techniques to discover relations among ICPs and innovation skills. Using an online instrument, 194 students from two universities categorised and ranked skills/abilities they gained as the most or least improved due to participating in ICPs and their challenges during ICPs. The collected data was analysed to gain insight into the student's experiences and perceptions. The findings of this study showed that overall, students rated technical and problem-solving skills higher than some innovation mindset skills. However, the findings also suggested that incorporating more entrepreneurial elements in ICPs may improve the innovation mindset learning outcomes of ICPs. The findings contribute to how ICPs can be better designed to foster an innovation mindset, mitigate challenges that students come across, and increase the participation of all students. 

Student innovation competitions and programs (ICPs), including hackathons, start-up competitions, and customer discovery labs, have had a transformative impact on the higher education entrepreneurial ecosystem. They have also facilitated students’ experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). However, there is a disparity in the number of underrepresented students and dominant student groups participating in STEM fields. While research supports the benefits of ICP participation, literature discussing students’ perceptions of these programs remains limited. This study addresses three research questions about participation motivation (perceived values and associated costs), participation barriers, and differing perceptions among groups. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 38 students (25 females/13 males, 17 participants/21 non-participants). The analysis focused on the Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The research findings contribute to fostering diversity and inclusion within educational or professional environments by uncovering values (e.g., acquiring professional skills) and costs (e.g., opportunity costs) that students associate with motivation to engage in ICPs. Institutional and individual barriers were identified, including limited program awareness, lack of diversity, and identity mismatch. Therefore, the study intends to inform STEM educators and ICP organizers, foster inclusivity and diversity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and offer guidance for interventions. 

Educational programs like innovation competitions and programs (ICPs) play a pivotal role in entrepreneurial development among student participants. Students with a focus on fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) tend to benefit from participation in ICPs. Higher education institutions and foundations have broadened their co-curricular offerings to attract and support student innovators. These include design challenges, hackathons, start-up incubator competitions, boot camps, customer discovery labs, and accelerator programs. Hence, student ICPs are increasingly instrumental in shaping the education of the next generation of innovators and critical thinkers. Furthermore, organizers have a crucial role in ensuring the success and feasibility of innovation and pitch competitions. The successful implementation of such programs often entails myriad challenges and setbacks that organizers must overcome to benefit their participants. This paper aims to explore the different challenges organizers face while running student ICPs, typically non-credit, co-curricular, and team-based initiatives where student teams collaborate to address open-ended problems. The literature review and analysis of organizer interviews will explore current trends, similarities in challenges and setbacks, and provide a concise overview of best practices that organizers can adopt to ensure the success of innovation competitions and programs. The primary focus is on understanding the challenges organizers face during the establishment and execution of their ICPs.