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Problem Solving and Creativity Garque Rena Mae

This document discusses creativity and problem solving frameworks. It summarizes Edward Torrance's four criteria for creativity: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. It then outlines Torrance's framework for creative thinking processes and provides examples. The document also describes Osborn's six-stage model for creative problem solving (CPS): mess finding, data finding, problem finding, idea finding, solution finding, and acceptance finding. Finally, it briefly introduces Branford's five-step IDEAL model for problem solving: identify the problem, define the problem, explore solutions, act on strategies, and look back and evaluate.

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85 views5 pages

Problem Solving and Creativity Garque Rena Mae

This document discusses creativity and problem solving frameworks. It summarizes Edward Torrance's four criteria for creativity: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. It then outlines Torrance's framework for creative thinking processes and provides examples. The document also describes Osborn's six-stage model for creative problem solving (CPS): mess finding, data finding, problem finding, idea finding, solution finding, and acceptance finding. Finally, it briefly introduces Branford's five-step IDEAL model for problem solving: identify the problem, define the problem, explore solutions, act on strategies, and look back and evaluate.

Uploaded by

Racky Balboa
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Facilitating Learners Centered Teaching For Learners

Module 20: Problem Solving and Creativity

Intended Learning Outcome: At the end of this Lesson you are expected to:

• explain the Four Criteria for Creativity by Torrance.

• practice creative thinking.

• apply problem- solving skills.

Edward Paul Torrance is known as the “ Father of Creativity” for his nearly 60
years of research that became the framework for the field of gifted education. He
was professor emeritus of educational psychology. He invented the benchmark
method for quantifying creativity.

Torrance Framework for Creative Thinking

A common framework for creative thinking processes is described by Torrance


(1979). Each aspect is defined below, along with ways to facilitate the respective
aspect by using key words and application activities.

Fluency

Fluency refers to the production of a great number of ideas or alternate solutions is


learned.

Key words

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

Flexibility

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 to use
many different points of view approaches or strategies.
Key words

Change, demonstrate, distinguish, employ, extrapolate, interpolate, interpret, predict

Elaboration

Elaboration is the process of enhancing ideas by providing more details. Additional


detail and clarity improves interest in, and understanding of, the topic.

Key words

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

Originality

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.

Creative Problem Solving CPS

Osborn's Checklist the origin of Classical Brainstorming is the root of creative


problem solving (CPS). There are a variety of general structures: 'define problem,
generate possible solutions, select and implement the best' which can be found
extensively, in several different academic traditions,

In it's most extended and formalized form it has the six stages shown below, each
with a divergent and a convergent phase. However, more recent publications seem
more interested in focusing on procedure and technique issues, with less weight on
the full elaboration of this structure.

The following, based on Van Gundy (1988's) description, is very brief of a very rich
process, showing it in its full 6 x 2 stages form:

1. Stage 1: Mess finding Sensitise yourself (scan, search) for issues


(concerns, challenges, opportunities, etc.) that need to be tackled.
• Divergent techniques include Wouldn't It Be Nice If... (WIBNI) desirable
outcomes, and obstacles to be overcome.
• Convergent techniques include the identification of hotspots (Highlighting),
expressed as a list of IWWMS ('In What Ways Might...), and selection in
terms of ownership criteria (e.g problem-owner's motivation and ability to
influence it) and outlook criteria (e.g. urgency. familiarity, stability).

2. Stage 2: Data finding: Gather information about the problem.

•Divergent techniques include Five Ws and H (Who, Why, What, When,


Where and How) and listing of wants, sources and data: List all your
information 'wants' as a series of question; for each, list possible sources of
answers; then follow these up and for each source, list what you found.
• Convergent techniques again include: identifying hotspots (Highlighting);
Mind-mapping to sort and classify the information gathered; and also
restating the problem in the light of your richer understanding of it.

3. Stage 3: Problem finding: convert a fuzzy statement of the problem


into a broad statement more suitable for idea finding.

•.Divergent techniques include asking 'Why?' etc. the repeatable questions


and Five W's and H.
• Convergent techniques include Highlighting again, reformulation of problem-
statements to meet the criteria that they contain only one problem and no
criteria, and selection of the most promising statement (but NB that the
mental 'stretching' that the activity gives to the participants can be as
important as the actual statement chosen).

4. Stage 4: Idea Finding: generate as many ideas as possible

• Divergence using any of a very wide range of idea-generating techniques.


The general rules of Classic Brainstorming (such as deferring judgement) are
likely to under-pin all of these.

• Convergence can again involve hotspots or mind-mapping, the combining of


different ideas, and the short-listing of the most promising handful, perhaps with
some thought for the more obvious evaluation criteria, but not over-restrictively.
5. Stage 5: Solution finding: Generate and select obvious evaluation criteria
(using an expansion/contraction cycle) and develop (which may include
combining) the short-listed ideas from Idea Finding as much as you can in the
light of these criteria. Then opt for the best of these improved ideas (e.g.
using Comparison tables).

6. Stage 6: Acceptance Finding: How can the suggestion you have just
selected be made up to standard and put into practice? Shun negativity, and
continue to apply deferred judgement- problems are exposed to be solved,
not dishearten progress. Action plans are better developed in small groups 2-
3 rather than in a large group ( unless you particularly want commitment by
the whole group) .Particularly for ‘people’ problems it is often worth
developing several alternative plans. Possible techniques include, 5 W’s and
H, implementation, checklist, Consensus mapping, Potential Problem Analysis
( PPA) .

Other Model for Problem Solving

Branford’s IDEAL Model

1. Identify the Problem .


2. Define the problem through thinking about it and sorting out the relevant
information.
3. Explore solutions through looking at alternatives, brainstorming and
checking out different point of view.
4. Act on the strategies.
5. Look back and evaluate the effects of your activity.
Prepared by: Rena Mae Garque Bsed English 3A

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