CREATIVITY &PROBLEM SOLVING

1. CREATIVITY &PROBLEM SOLVING CH: 1 INTRODUCTION I

2. To be successful, everyoneneedsto be abletoidentifyandsolveproblems. Creative Problem Solving (CPS)

3. «I’dliketoattractmorecustomersformybusiness»

4. «I wishourfamilywouldfindenjoyablewaystospendmore time together»

5. « My newinventionwouldreally be usefultopeopleif ı couldfind a cleverwayto market it»

6. “We need to get some new program ideas so our organization’s members will attend our meetings.”

7. “I wish I had ways to help my students be more excited or motivated about learning.”

8. I’m lookingforwaystoempowerpeopletotakemoreresponsibilityforqualityandimprovement

9. How do youfeelwhenyouhavetodealwithany of thesesituations, orotherslikethem? Excited? Eager? Or, frustratedand tense?

10. Everyone has theabilitytothinkcreativelyandcritically, andeveryone can be successful in solvingproblemseffectivelyandproductively.

11. Bylearningandusing CPS youwillincreaseyourabilityto: • Recognizeopportunities,challenges, andconcerns; • Examine data in yoursituationtodiscoverthemostimportantchallenge at theheart of thesituation;

12. Considermanywaystostatethe problem, andthenselect a specific problem statementthatwillstimulateideas; • Generatemany, varied, andunusualideasfordealingwiththe problem you’vestated;

13. Identifyandusetoolsforchoosing, analizing, anddevelopingpromisingideas; • Examinepromisingpossiblesolutionsandthen plan forsuccessfulimplementation; • Design andcarryout a specificanddetailed plan of action.

14. Foundations of CPS • Understandingthemeaning of creative & criticalthinking • Clearingawaysomemyths & misunderstandingsaboutcreativity • Clarifyingthereasonswhycreativity is important • Describingthebasicguidelinestokeep in mindwhenapplying CPS • Identifyingseveralbasictools

15. What is creativethinking? What is criticalthinking? What do theyhaveto do with CPS?

16. Creative andcriticalthinkingareoftenseen (orstereotyped) as opposites, poles apart andincompatiblewithoneanother. Inthismindset, oftensupportedbysome of thesemisunderstandings;

17. Thecreativethinker, • Is viewed as a person who is wild and zany, • eccentric,

18. or at least a little bit weird or strange, • who thrives on “off the wall” ideas that are usually impractical.

19. Thecriticalthinker, • Is oftenstereotyped as serious, deep, analytical, andimpersonal. Webelievesuchstereotypesareneitheraccurate, noruseful.

20. We believe that creative and critical thinking are two complementary,mutually important ways of thinking. • Theyneedtoworktogether in harmony. Successful problem solvingdepends on usingboth, not justoneortheother.

21. Creative Thinking involvesencounteringgaps, paradoxes, opportunities, challenges, orconcerns, andthensearchingformeaningfulnewconnectionsbygenerating: • Manypossibilities, • Variedpossibilities (fromdifferentviewpointsorperspectives), • Unusualororiginalpossibilities, and • Detailstoexpandorenrichpossibilities.

22. Creative thinking is oftendescribed as a divergentprocess in whichwebegin at a singlepointorwith a singlequestion, but extendoursearch in manydifferentdirections, generating a widevariety of newpossibilities.

23. Weprefertousethemorefamiliarwordgeneratewhenourgoal is toseekmany, varied, orunusualpossibilities, ortoadddetailsandexpand on existingpossibilities.

24. Critical Thinking involvesexaminingpossibilitiescarefully, fairly, andconstructively, andthenfocusingyourthoughtsandactionsby: • Organizingandanalyzingpossibilities, • Refininganddevelopingpromisingpossibilities, • Rankingorprioritizingoptions, and • Choosingordeciding on certainoptions.

25. Critical thinking is alsooftencalledconvergentthinking, which is theprocess of attemptingtotakemanydifferentideasanddrawthemtogethertoward a singlegoalorresult.

26. When it is time toshiftfromgeneratingpossibilities in CPS tousingcriticalthinking , weprefertousethetermfocusing.

27. THINK ABOUT A CAMERA

28. Focus is importanttobring an imageclearlyandsharplyintoview. This is true in thinkingprocesses, too.

29. EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVERS MUST DO BOTH -GENERATING and FOCUSING- NOT JUST ONE OR THE OTHER

30. Generatingmanyideaswill not be enoughbyitselftohelpyousolve a problem. Smilarly, ifyourelyonly on thefocusingside, youmayhavetoofewpossibilitiesfromwhichtochoose.

31. Webelievethatsuccessful problem solvers can, and do, learntouseboththeircreativeandcriticalthinkingabilities in harmony, generatingoptionsandfocusingtheirthinking.

32. Werefertothebalanceduse of creativethinkingandcriticalthinking (generatingandfocusing) in harmony as the “heartbeat” of CPS.

33. GeneratingFocusing • Many • Varied • UnusualOptions • Yourthinkingconstructively

34. Interesting Roads

39. Why Was This Bridge Built Like This

41. MYTHS and MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CREATIVITY

42. Myths 1: I am not a creativepersonMyths 2: Creativity is toomysteriousto be taught

43. Myths 3: CreativityequalsartsMyths 4: Creativity as madness

44. Summary • Describedthefoundations of thecontemporary CPS system. • Definedcreativeandcritical thinking

45. THEN & NOW • How manythingshavechanged in yourown life since yourchildhood? Ex: fastfoods, rapidtransportations…