1. Chapter 8: Creativity I The Creative Person, Creative Process,
and Creative Dramatics
Artwork by Rene Schute (1969)

2. Two interrelated purposes of gifted education
To help these children and adolescents become more self-actualized, creative individuals
To better enable them to make creative contributions to society
“The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing knowledge” ~Einstein

3. 5 Levels of Creativity Intuitive expressive level
Academic and technical level
Inventive level
Innovative level
Genius level
“little c”  “middle c”  “big C

4. Characteristics of Creative people
Piirto’s 4 core attitudes – naïveté, self-discipline, risk-taking, group trust
Maslow’s 15 Characteristics of Self-Actualized People
Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration
Csikszentmihalyi’s Paradoxical and Complex Characteristics of Creative Persons – binary traits manifested simultaneously
Not all creative characteristics apply to all creative people, some are “domain specific”

5. Creative Abilities
Guilford/Torrance’s four classic or commonly accepted creative abilities: fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration
Other abilities: problem finding/sensitivity/defining, visualization, ability to regress, analogical thinking, evaluation, analysis, synthesis, transformation, extend boundaries, intuition, predict outcomes, resist premature closure, concentration, logical thinking, aesthetic thinking, etc.

6. The Creative Process - 3 Views
The sequence of stages to proceed in when solving a problem
The change in perception where new relationships, meanings, or new applications are identified
The techniques or strategies that are used to produce new ideas, meanings, and combinations

7. Wallas Model (1926) w/Cropley’s Extension (1997)
Preparation
Information – Learning or remembering special knowledge
Incubation
Illumination
Verification
Communication – Achieving closure, gaining feedback, sharing with other audiences
Validation – Evaluation by others
- In the original Wallas model, “Implementation” was not addressed. (How is the solution to be carried out?)
- In both Wallas & Cropley models, stages may be skipped or the creative thinker may backtrack.

8. Systems Model of Creativity – (Csikzentmihalyi, 1996)
Domain
Field
Individual
Creativity happens when the individual invents, discovers, or creates within the domain and his/her creations are accepted as attractive and valuable by others who are established in the field.
- If any of these components are absent, the product does not become valued as “creativity” at that time.

9. The Creative Problem Solving Model
Osborn (1963), Parnes (1981), Treffinger & Isaksen (2005), Treffinger, Isaksen, & Dorval (1994)
Fact Finding - Who What, When, Where, Why and How questions *
Problem Finding – Definition of a problem determines the nature of the solutions
Idea Finding – Brainstorming stage*
Solution Finding – Listing of criteria for evaluation of ideas (ex. evaluation matrix)*
Acceptance Finding – Idea Implementation, assisters vs. resisters
* Included in Alex Osborn’s Original Creative Problem Solving Model (1963)

10. Important Items About CPS Model:
5 Steps of CPS allow flexible movement from any one stage to any other stage.
In each phase, divergent thinking takes place first, followed by convergent thinking to select the most promising ideas.
Instruction in creative thinking SHOULD NOT ONLY focus on the Stage 3 – “Idea Finding” phase where brainstorming and divergent thinking occurs.
REALISTIC creative thinking also relies on gathering facts and data, problem definition, evaluation and implementation of ideas.

11. Piirto’s Creative Process (2003)
Inspiration
Imagery
Imagination
Intuition
Insight
Incubation
Improvisation
(no emphasis on implementation or closure, however)

12. Creative Dramatics
Examples of creative dramatics include warm-ups, movement exercises, sensory and body awareness, pantomime and playmaking
Creative dramatics stimulate and strengthen (Carelli, 1981):
Divergent and critical thinking, imagination, problem solving, sensory awareness, concentration, physical self control, identification and control of emotions, sense of humor, self-confidence, empathy and sympathy