1. Designing The Design Problem NATA 2008

2. I am the Curriculum Specialist for Visual Art for Lincoln Public Schools I work with 70 teachers in 52 buildings This presentation is a shortened version of a staff development that I offered in my district I am the Curriculum Specialist for Visual Art for Lincoln Public Schools I work with 70 teachers in 52 buildings This presentation is a shortened version of a staff development that I offered in my district

3. Creativity What is it? How do we teach it? How do we assess it? Do we practice it as Art Educators? What is it? How do we teach it? How do we assess it? Do we practice it as Art Educators?

4. Creativity Solving a problem within a set of limitations For this session those limitations will be called “parameters” The teacher is the master of creativity and sets the parameters of the problem Solving a problem within a set of limitations For this session those limitations will be called “parameters” The teacher is the master of creativity and sets the parameters of the problem

5. Talented Kids?

6. Talented Teachers! A sequence of skills that takes students from what they can do to what they thought they couldn’t do

7. A Good Teacher Is Like Good Art… Sometimes drags us kicking and screaming to a place we thought we didn’t want to go

8. Sequence of Skills Designing the problem - what is the lesson about? Lesson design - sequence of activities Scaffolding Assessment is the feedback Formative Summative Designing the problem - what is the lesson about? Lesson design - sequence of activities Scaffolding Assessment is the feedback Formative Summative

9. Why use the term “Problem”? A term that is taken more seriously than activity A term other educators and administrators understand A different way to “align” our selves with the other curriculum areas A term that is taken more seriously than activity A term other educators and administrators understand A different way to “align” our selves with the other curriculum areas

10. Problem Solving is the Heart of What We Do Let’s take the term and run with it

11. Problem Solving Skills that Art Develops Using a process to approach a problem Learning how to take a problem apart Problem defining - asking the question Open-ended problem solving - more than one solution Developing comfort with ambiguity Doing research - visual and verbal Making and evaluating decisions Using a process to approach a problem Learning how to take a problem apart Problem defining - asking the question Open-ended problem solving - more than one solution Developing comfort with ambiguity Doing research - visual and verbal Making and evaluating decisions

12. The Creative Process Ask the Question Saturation Incubation Illumination Verification Ask the Question Saturation Incubation Illumination Verification

13. Lets Practice It Six Sorts of Butterflies and Beetles

14. CLIP ART FOR REFEFENCE Straight lines only Revisit childhood Homage to Giacometti Stylized Design a tatto Free choice Straight lines only Revisit childhood Homage to Giacometti Stylized Design a tatto Free choice

15. What Did We Just Do? Personal Brain Storming Group Brain Storming Visual Research Thumbnails Made Decisions Personal Brain Storming Group Brain Storming Visual Research Thumbnails Made Decisions

16. How Would We Assess What We Just Did? Critique Guide Sheets Define the Problem How many sketches did you do? Are your sketches clear enough to be “read”? Did you explore the possibilities? Are your design sketches visually interesting? Are your visual concepts fresh? Critique Guide Sheets Define the Problem How many sketches did you do? Are your sketches clear enough to be “read”? Did you explore the possibilities? Are your design sketches visually interesting? Are your visual concepts fresh?

17. Can We have Parameters and Choice? The trick is finding a balance

18. The power of Choice The open ended problem allows room for the student to make choices. Choice allows the student to be personally invested in the process of solving the problem

19. Why is This Important? Because “Creativity is the cousin of self worth”“Creativity is the cousin of self worth” Nora Lorraine And this may one of the most important things we teach students because this impacts every area of their lives Because “Creativity is the cousin of self worth”“Creativity is the cousin of self worth” Nora Lorraine And this may one of the most important things we teach students because this impacts every area of their lives

20. Plus Those who practice the creative process do something called “flexible purposing” (Elliot Eisner) and this is how we get from the known to the new Teaching this skill to students affects the world All of our students may not become Artists, but they can all become thinkers and innovators for the future Those who practice the creative process do something called “flexible purposing” (Elliot Eisner) and this is how we get from the known to the new Teaching this skill to students affects the world All of our students may not become Artists, but they can all become thinkers and innovators for the future

21. Samuel Taylor Coleridge “I have known strong minds, with imposing, undoubting, Cobbett-like manners; but I have never met a great mind of this sort. The truth is, a great mind must be androgynous”

22. Daniel H. Pink “A Whole New Mind Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future” “A Whole New Mind Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future”

23. So.. How do we develop these skills and practice them in our classrooms every day?

24. By… Presenting students with real open-end problems to solve

25. What does that mean for you as a teacher It may mean a re-framing or refining of what you already do

26. Bridging Thinking Systems How is the Creative process like the problem solving processes of other curriculum areas? Math Science Writing How is the Creative process like the problem solving processes of other curriculum areas? Math Science Writing

27. Curriculum Integration What if we did this by linking thinking systems rather than by content?

28. How is it Different? More than one right answer The only other process that does this is writing We as a race were visual long before we were verbal More than one right answer The only other process that does this is writing We as a race were visual long before we were verbal

29. Innovation Getting from the “known” to the “new” The right-brained innovators will rule the world Getting from the “known” to the “new” The right-brained innovators will rule the world

30. How Do We As Educators Do This? By presenting students with real open-ended problems to solve - even in Elementary school

31. What are the Components to an Open-ended Problem? A Problem to solve with a Goal, Outcome or Intent Parameters Criteria A Problem to solve with a Goal, Outcome or Intent Parameters Criteria

32. Goal, Outcome, Intent Moving towards a something Answering a question Communicating an idea Moving towards a something Answering a question Communicating an idea

33. Core Ability #1 Think Creatively with Art! Explore the Creative Process:  ask the question  saturation  incubation  a-ha!  verification

34. Core Ability #2 (National Standard #4) Connect with Art! Explore Connections with History and Cultures through:  art history  aesthetics  criticism  multicultural education

35. Core Ability #3 (National Standard #3) Express Through Art! Explore Artistic Expression:  discover artists’ intentions  learn to read and interpret artworks  understand choices for effective communication

36. Core Ability #4 (National Standard #2) Know the Language of Art! Know:  the art elements and principles of design  how to identify, interpret and use the elements and principles in an artwork  how the elements and principles are connected ColorColor ColorColor Line Balance RepetitionRepetition Shape

37. Core Ability #5 (National Standard #1) Create Art! Acquire Technical Skills in:  drawing  painting  sculpture  printmaking  fibers  photography  jewelry  pottery  commercial art

38. Core Ability #6 (National Standard #6) Live with Art! Explore Art in the World through:  artists and art teachers  art historians and museums  art critics and aestheticians  graphic artists and illustrators  set designers and fashion designers  advertising and web designing  connections with all other subjects ART

39. Core Ability #7 (National Standard # 5) Talk about Art! Develop Critical Thinking Skills by:  looking, thinking, and talking about artwork  reflecting and assessing to understand what was learned through the art experience  receiving and providing feedback so that the total art experience is enhanced

40. If Creativity Requires Parameters… We have these in the Art Tool Boxes

41. The Art Tool Boxes ( aligned with CA and Natlional Standards) Elements - CA 4 - National Standard#2 Principles - CA 4 - National Standard #2 Media - CA 5 - National Standard #1 Genre - CA 2 - National Standard #4 Idea - CA 6 - National Standard #3 Elements - CA 4 - National Standard#2 Principles - CA 4 - National Standard #2 Media - CA 5 - National Standard #1 Genre - CA 2 - National Standard #4 Idea - CA 6 - National Standard #3

43. POST-ITS FOR PLANNING?

45. These 5 Tools are the parameters for CA 1 So lets create some problems

46. Practicing What We Preach Teams of 4-6 (six teams total) One large post it and thinking paper for each team Pull one item from each bag Design a “Design Problem” for the age of the students you teach Brain Storm for 5 minutes Write for 15 minutes Present to the group Teams of 4-6 (six teams total) One large post it and thinking paper for each team Pull one item from each bag Design a “Design Problem” for the age of the students you teach Brain Storm for 5 minutes Write for 15 minutes Present to the group

47. Now what do we do with this A problem has parameters The parameters become the objectives The objectives define the criteria The criteria is what you use to assess the solution A problem has parameters The parameters become the objectives The objectives define the criteria The criteria is what you use to assess the solution

48. Assessment Rubrics Affinity Diagrams Voting Chips Paper Clips, Post-it or PATS Formative and Summitive Rubrics Affinity Diagrams Voting Chips Paper Clips, Post-it or PATS Formative and Summitive

49. “Thinks” Assessment Brain Storming Visual Research Thumbnails Evaluating Thumbnails Copied or Twisted Selecting a Thumbnail Circle Compare Thumbnail to Finished Product Direct Translation or Twisted some more Brain Storming Visual Research Thumbnails Evaluating Thumbnails Copied or Twisted Selecting a Thumbnail Circle Compare Thumbnail to Finished Product Direct Translation or Twisted some more

50. Closure For Students Student Can: Restate the problem parameters State their idea in one sentence Talk about how the Principles were use Articulate the uniqueness of their solution Explain how the media was used & to what effect Student Can: Restate the problem parameters State their idea in one sentence Talk about how the Principles were use Articulate the uniqueness of their solution Explain how the media was used & to what effect

51. Closure For Teachers What did you learn today? What can you take back to your classroom? What did you learn today? What can you take back to your classroom?

52. Lincoln Public Schools Visit this web site to download a copy of this presentation and the 14 other 2007 presentations by Lincoln Public Schools http://artweb.lps.org/art/ Visit this web site to download a copy of this presentation and the 14 other 2007 presentations by Lincoln Public Schools http://artweb.lps.org/art/