creativity/innovation

Presentation for Staff District 30

March 1, 2010

Michele Kane, Ed.D. Assistant Professor

Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL • michelekane1@aol.com

773.442.5594

What will we do today? !  Discuss definitions of creativity and

creative thinking !  Examine the personality

characteristics of people considered creative

!  Discuss the 4 P’s and participate in a creative process activity related to the 4 P’s

!   Identify some creative thinking activities for classroom application and then remodel a lesson

“We need a new frame of reference in which to picture ourselves growing and recognizing how the confluence of inner resources and life circumstances can present us with opportunities to revive our lives in meaningful, satisfying ways.”

Gene D. Cohen (2000), The Creative Age, p. 77

Thoughts to ponder..

!   Moving into the 21st century there are authors such as Daniel Pink who have put a spotlight on creative thinking

!   Creative thinking has had a body of research building since the 1950’s

!   Few would dispute the Importance of creative thinking in public schools

!   Much of the literature focuses on creative teaching approaches and strategies…SO:

What are some of the obstacles in pursuing the

creative process in the classroom?

Think about this for three minutes Share for two minutes

Barriers/Obstacles/Squelchers

!  “We’ve never done it before.” !  “We’ve already tried it.” !  "Too modern" or "Too old fashioned." !  "It's not in the budget." !  You've gotta be kidding." !  "What bubble head thought that up?" !  "Let's wait and see.“ !  “What will the parents think?” !  “Let’s form a committee.”

Barriers/Obstacles/Squelchers

!   "That's not our job."

!   "It's not in the curriculum."

!   "It's too late."

!   "Don't rock the boat.“

!   "That's not our department."

!   “Are you nuts?”

!   “No way.”

!   “It’s a waste of time.”

!  Others??? (Davis, 2004)

Definition

!  Creativity n.—creative ability; artistic or intellectual inventiveness

!  Creative adj.– having the power to create; pertaining to creation; inventive; productive (of) as in a creative mind

!  Create v.t.- to originate; to bring into being from nothing

Definition (process)

!   “A creator [must] claim appreciators or admirers to be legitimatized as a true creator.” Simonton, 1990

!   “The intersection of two ideas for the first time” Keep, cited in Taylor, 1988

!   “By this term we mean helping foster students' ability to think outside the box, create something new and find solutions to problems.” District 30 explanation

Definition (originality)

!   Creativity "is the skill of bringing about something new and valuable." Young (1985, p.85)

!   “Creativity is the process of bringing something new into birth.” (May, 1959)

!   “The ability to relate and to connect, sometimes in odd and striking fashion, lies at the heart of any creative use of the mind, no matter what field or discipline.” (Siedel, 1962)

The 4 P’s

!  Person

!  Process

!  Product

!  Place (or environment) (Davis, 2004)

Types of Creativity

!  Eminent Creativity !   Big “C”

!  Everyday Creativity !   Little “C’

Creative People Creative Characteristics !   Aware of Creativeness

values originality and creativity, values own creativity

!   Original imaginative, full of ideas, is a "what if?" person, resourceful,

finds ways of doing things differently, challenges assumptions, builds and rebuilds, bored by routine

!   Independent individualistic, internally controlled/inner directed, sets own

rules, self-aware, self-accepting, unconcerned with impressing others, may resist societal demands

!   Risk Taking does not mind consequences of being different, not afraid to

try something new, willing to cope with failure, rejects limits imposed by others, optimistic

Creative People Creative Characteristics !   Energetic

!   adventurous, sensation seeking, enthusiastic, alert, spontaneous, persevering, impulsive, driving absorption, excitable, enjoys telling about discoveries, etc.

!   Curious !   questioning, experimenting, inquisitive, wide interests,

open to new experiences and growth

!   Humorous !   playful, plays with ideas, childlike freshness in thinking

!   Attracted to Complexity !   attracted to novelty, attracted to the mysterious, tolerant

of ambiguity, tolerant of disorder, tolerant of incongruity, tends to believe in psychical phenomena

Creative People Creative Characteristics

!   Artistic !   artistic interests, aesthetic interests

!   Open-Minded !   receptive to new ideas, receptive to other viewpoints,

open to new experiences and growth, liberal, altruistic

!   Needs Alone Time !   reflective, introspective, internally preoccupied, sensitive,

likes to work by himself or herself, may be withdrawn

!   Perceptive !   intuitive, sees relationships, uses all senses in observing

Excerpted from: Creativity Is Forever by Gary A. Davis, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., 2004

Creative Product

!  Convergent Thinking (left brain)

!  Divergent Thinking (right brain) !   Fluency

!   Flexibility

!   Originality

!   Elaboration

Fluency

!   Definition

Fluency refers to the production of a great number of ideas or alternate solutions to a problem. Fluency implies understanding, not just remembering information that is learned.

!   Key words

Compare, convert, count, define, describe, explain, identify, label, list, match, name, outline, paraphrase, predict, summarize.

http://www.bethel.edu/~shenkel/PhysicalActivities/CreativeMovement/CreativeThinking/Torrance.html

Flexibility

!   Definition Flexibility refers to the production of ideas that show a variety of possibilities or realms of thought. It involves the ability to see things from different points of view, to use many different approaches or strategies.

!   Key words Change, demonstrate, distinguish, employ, extrapolate, interpolate, interpret, predict.

Originality

!   Definition Originality involves the production of ideas that are unique or unusual. It involves synthesis or putting information about a topic back together in a new way.

!   Key words Compose, create, design, generate, integrate, modify, rearrange, reconstruct, reorganize, revise.

http://www.bethel.edu/~shenkel/PhysicalActivities/CreativeMovement/CreativeThinking/Torrance.html

Elaboration

!   Definition

Elaboration is the process of enhancing ideas by providing more detail. Additional detail and clarity improves interest in, and understanding of, the topic.

!   Key words

Appraise, critique, determine, evaluate, grade, judge, measure, select, test.

Creative Process !  Combinations of two ideas that are

unrelated

!  Torrance’s Definition “I have tried to describe creative thinking as taking place in the process of (1) sensing difficulties…(2) making guesses/formulating hypotheses..(3)testing these guesses and possibly revising (4) communicating the results. I like this definition because it describes a natural process” (1995)

!  Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Model

CPS MODEL (sometimes without first step)

!  Mess finding (locating a problem)

!   Fact finding (examine what you know)

!   Problem finding (select a definition)

!   Idea finding (brainstorming)

!   Solution finding (evaluating ideas)

!   Acceptance finding (implementing ideas)

Brainstorming

!  Four Rules

!   As much as you can as fast as you can

!   Piggyback on the ideas of others

!   Don’t judge yourself or others

!   Wild, wacky, zany is desired

CAN YOU TEACH CREATIVITY??

(It depends on your definition)

1990’s change to Bloom’s Taxonomy (Reflects the relevance to 21st century skills)

New Bloom Old Bloom

Source: http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm

Everyday Creativity Nine Key Concepts:

!   Creativity is the ability to look at the ordinary and see the … extraordinary.

!   Every act can be a creative one.

!   Creativity is a matter of perspective.

!   There’s always more than one right answer.

!   Reframe problems into opportunities.

!   Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

!   Break the pattern.

!   Train your technique.

!   You’ve got to really care. (Dewitt Jones)

What is Everyday Creativity?

"Everyday creativity is about everyone, throughout our lives, and fundamental to our very survival...With our everyday creativity, we adapt flexibly, we improvise, we try different options.”

Ruth Richards

Creativity as a lifestyle

“Creativeness is not identical to mentally-healthy self-actualization; however, it is an important component. Further, the more you come to define creativity as a lifestyle—a way of living and perceiving—the greater is the overlap.”

“We know this—everyone can increase his or her creative capability.”

(Davis, 2004)

Final thoughts…

!  Many definitions of creativity add to the richness and confusion surrounding the topic

!  Creativity can be encouraged and aspects can be taught

!  Creative people go through a creative process to produce creative products in a creative press

!  Cultivate the creative ideas of others (Bleadow, 2002)

“Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely place. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

Roald Dahl