Creative Thinking Encouraging the use of characteristics such as hunches, insights, intuition, and fantasy to promote creativity Divergent thinking Ideas should vary Convergent thinking Ideas must come together Encouraging the use of characteristics such as hunches, insights, intuition, and fantasy to promote creativity Divergent thinking Ideas should vary Convergent thinking Ideas must come together

Enhancing Group Creativity Brainstorming Process of tapping creativity by generating as many ideas as possible without evaluation Guidelines for Brainstorming Preview brainstorming “rules” in group Preview brainstorming “rules” in group Focus on problem Focus on problem Come up with as many solutions as possible Come up with as many solutions as possible No evaluation or judgment No evaluation or judgment Keep on generating ideas Keep on generating ideas Record ideas Record ideas Evaluate ideas LATER Evaluate ideas LATER Brainstorming Process of tapping creativity by generating as many ideas as possible without evaluation Guidelines for Brainstorming Preview brainstorming “rules” in group Preview brainstorming “rules” in group Focus on problem Focus on problem Come up with as many solutions as possible Come up with as many solutions as possible No evaluation or judgment No evaluation or judgment Keep on generating ideas Keep on generating ideas Record ideas Record ideas Evaluate ideas LATER Evaluate ideas LATER

Synectics Process of stimulating creativity through metaphor and looking for similarities in different things Examples of Synectics  Learning is like cooking. Certain ingredients come together to make one whole dish. Each ingredient comes from a different place, coming together to form a whole.  Teaching is like a roller coaster… sometimes you are thrown for a loop, but the ride is always fun.  The Velcro example!Synectics Process of stimulating creativity through metaphor and looking for similarities in different things Examples of Synectics  Learning is like cooking. Certain ingredients come together to make one whole dish. Each ingredient comes from a different place, coming together to form a whole.  Teaching is like a roller coaster… sometimes you are thrown for a loop, but the ride is always fun.  The Velcro example! Enhancing Group Creativity, 2

Mind Mapping Process of using free-association to move away from linear thinking How Mind Mapping Works subject  The center of the mind map is the subject ; often represented by a picture or symbol major characteristics or associations  List the subject’s major characteristics or associations, connected to the subject by lines So…….let’s see what a Mind Map looks like Mind Mapping Process of using free-association to move away from linear thinking How Mind Mapping Works subject  The center of the mind map is the subject ; often represented by a picture or symbol major characteristics or associations  List the subject’s major characteristics or associations, connected to the subject by lines So…….let’s see what a Mind Map looks like Enhancing Group Creativity, 2

A Mind Map Enhancing Group Creativity, 2

Critical Thinking Using evidence, reasoning, and logic to reach a conclusion or solve a problem Evidence: Evidence: facts, data, qualified opinions, and other information to back a claim or conclusion Arguments: Arguments: claims supported by evidence and reasoning Using evidence, reasoning, and logic to reach a conclusion or solve a problem Evidence: Evidence: facts, data, qualified opinions, and other information to back a claim or conclusion Arguments: Arguments: claims supported by evidence and reasoning

Enhancing Critical Thinking HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE * Be open-minded (willing to consider new information or ideas) * Be skeptical (question assumptions, ask for proof) GATHER INFORMATION direct observation books, articles the Web (incl. databases, etc.) interviews HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE * Be open-minded (willing to consider new information or ideas) * Be skeptical (question assumptions, ask for proof) GATHER INFORMATION direct observation books, articles the Web (incl. databases, etc.) interviews

Enhancing Critical Thinking, 2 EVALUATE THE INFORMATION * Facts (verifiable by independent observation) * Opinions (inferences that are probable) * Ambiguities (something with more than one possible meaning) * Credibility (evaluate bias, expertise, other expert opinion) EVALUATE THE INFORMATION * Facts (verifiable by independent observation) * Opinions (inferences that are probable) * Ambiguities (something with more than one possible meaning) * Credibility (evaluate bias, expertise, other expert opinion)

Enhancing Critical Thinking, 2 LOOK FOR REASONING ERRORS Fallacies (mistakes in reasoning) Overgeneralizations (jumping to conclusions) Attacking the Person Rather Than the Argument Confusing Causal Relationships Either-or Thinking (black-and-white thinking) Faulty or Incomplete Comparisons LOOK FOR REASONING ERRORS Fallacies (mistakes in reasoning) Overgeneralizations (jumping to conclusions) Attacking the Person Rather Than the Argument Confusing Causal Relationships Either-or Thinking (black-and-white thinking) Faulty or Incomplete Comparisons

Enhancing Critical Thinking, 2 AVOID GROUPTHINK (excessively high group cohesiveness where disagreement is seen as disloyalty) Symptoms Group overestimates its power & righteousness Group becomes closed-minded Pressure to conform Prevention Encourage discussion Establish group norm to evaluate all information  Devil’s advocate Prevent leaders from expressing premature opinion Keep group from being isolated from external opinion and information AVOID GROUPTHINK (excessively high group cohesiveness where disagreement is seen as disloyalty) Symptoms Group overestimates its power & righteousness Group becomes closed-minded Pressure to conform Prevention Encourage discussion Establish group norm to evaluate all information  Devil’s advocate Prevent leaders from expressing premature opinion Keep group from being isolated from external opinion and information