Combining Creativity with Critical Thinking

      Creativity is Fun and Useful, but...
      In productive PROBLEM SOLVING you creatively GENERATE ideas and critically EVALUATE ideas.  Usually, creative generation is the most exciting part of this process.  But critical evaluation is more important, because if creative ideas are immediately converted into action (without being wisely evaluated) the result can be unwise action.  By itself, creativity is not sufficient.  But it is useful and fun.  Hopefully, this page — with its interesting "ideas about getting ideas" — will inspire some exciting mental adventures and creatively productive ideas.
 

 
WHAT, WHY, and HOW?

      What is Creativity?
      "Creative or innovative thinking is the kind of thinking that leads to new insights, novel approaches, fresh perspectives, whole new ways of understanding and conceiving of things.  The products of creative thought include some obvious things like music, poetry, dance, dramatic literature, inventions, and technical innovations.  But there are some not so obvious examples as well, such as ways of putting a question that expand the horizons of possible solutions, or ways of conceiving of relationships that challenge presuppositions and lead one to see the world in imaginative and different ways." {Peter Facione, Santa Clara University}

      Why should you want to be creative?  What are the benefits?  12 Reasons to Study Creativity

      How can you be more creative, and help your students be more creative?  The International Center for Studies in Creativity says, "Creativity is an effective resource that resides in all people and within all organizations.  Our more than thirty years of research has conclusively demonstrated that creativity can be nurtured and enhanced through the use of deliberate tools, techniques and strategies." {source}
      You can begin exploring with Three Basic Principles (and more);  creative strategies are explained, and illustrated with historical examples, in Creativity, Innovation and Problem Solving.   If you only want to read one page, I suggest the Introduction to Creative Thinking by Robert Harris, which is an excellent summary of strategies for understanding and improving creativity.
      A wide variety of strategies — 31 tools for creativity — are described by Charles Cave in Creativity Techniques plus "What can I do to increase my creativity?" and a link to plenty of ideas and resources in his Creativity Web: Resources for Creativity and Innovation.  This is very thorough, is worth exploring, and is useful for getting a comprehensive overview of the field.
      Another website is less comprehensive, but interesting:  Thoughts on Problem Solving was developed by faculty in the Engineering Dept at the Univ of Michigan.
      Strategies for effective searching (to find old ideas) and imagining (to invent new ideas) help you use the best of the old and new.
      Edward de Bono has been influential in the field of creativity, with his Thinking Tools — Lateral Thinking, Six Thinking Hats, Direct Attention Thinking Tools, and more.  On his own website, de Bono describes Lateral Thinking & Parallel Thinking and other ideas.
 

 
Creative Thinking in Education:

Teaching Creativity in Schools

      Plenty of "creativity training" is offered by independent organizations (who work with corporations,...) and there is some activity in mainstream education.  For example, The International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State University offers a thorough education in creativity — although I'm sure they would say "this is just a start, a launching pad for your own explorations" — and (check their "Education" links) several degrees.
      K-12 programs seem to focus on critical thinking more often than creative thinking, but some "thinking skills" programs (see the "learning, teaching, and education" parts of the link-pages for Critical Thinking and Problem Solving) combine creativity and critical thinking.   { Later, probably beginning in October 2009, after a more thorough search for TEACHING ACTIVITIES there will be more information about creativity-stimulating activities and programs, for K-12 and beyond. }
      ERIC Digests have excellent introductory summary/overviews about creative education that fosters creativity in children & adults or stimulates & supports curiosity.  {creativity occurs in a wide range of areas, including education, business, technology, science, and language arts}   And ERIC lets you search for ideas about thinking skills (creative thinking, critical thinking, decision making, ...) and much more.

      Educators should recognize, appreciate, and encourage different styles of creativity.  Gerard Puccio describes the advantages and disadvantages of two styles of creative people (functioning primarily as adaptors who focus on improving an existing situation, and innovators who develop and advocate new solutions): "Instead of valuing one style, an organization should respect and value the adaptive and innovative styles of creativity.  Individuals within an organization can work more effectively together by capitalizing on each others' strengths, rather than punishing each other because of individual differences.  If an atmosphere of openness and trust prevails in the organization, then the adaptors and innovators will be able to join their creative talents to propel the organization to success. ...  Individuals will manifest their creativity in different ways, and both styles of creativity are valuable."   { from Two Dimensions of Creativity: Level and Style which also describes four aspects of "the what-and-how of creativity" and of research about the creative person, process, product, and environment }
 

 
Scientific Research about Creative Thinking Skills

      MORE
      You can explore a variety of ideas about creativity by using two links-pages (with different approaches and resources) that lead in many interesting directions:
      The Creativity Web of Charles Cave offers a Resource Center with lots of information in 11 categories, including software, magazines, books, organizations, conferences, and websites.
      And from the International Center for Studies in Creativity, links to five organizations promoting creativity.
 

   SITEMAP FOR THE WEBSITE