Creativity and Teaching, Creative Teaching, The Creative Teachers and The InventSchool Educational Programs
March 1, 2009 – 6:32 pmCREATIVITY JOURNAL No. 3 1st Quarter 2009
PDF copy of the Creativity Journal is available to all subscribers; request for your pdf copy now by simply providing us your email address.
The inventive mind is the heart of technical innovation, social invention and economic development!
Promote inventive activities in your school.
Teachers and students organize…
THE INVENTSCHOOL
Learning Center
in your own campus
… and we will help develop the inventive mind of students and teachers in your school by providing them scientific-technological and social creativity training programs.
The Likhaan Group needs you!
Join our team; help us set-up Likhaan organizational units such as The InventSchool,™ Likhaan Institute, and Social Inventions & Community Innovations, among others, in your country/locality or in your respective schools, colleges and universities.
Join one of the most exciting events in the field of technological innovations and social inventions since the first school was invented in Sumer (an ancient country in western Asia in southern Mesopotamia in the present day Iraq) in 2500 B.C.
Are you interested in joining our team? Contact us now!
email us: likhaangroup@likhaan.com, likhaangroup@yahoo.com or likhaangroup @gmail.com or call/text Mobile: +0639272957076 or Mobile: +0639184956535.
CREATIVITY JOURNAL
Volume 2 ▪ Number 3 ▪ eMail Edition
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES 1st Quarter 2009
Creativity and Teaching
Creativity and Education
Parents, teachers, educators and students have started to question whether our kind of education is adequate for the global economy and the information age. The values of our educational system have been disputed. Our teaching methods have been attacked. Our belief in learning largely by memory has been gravely shaken. In fact, Harold F. Holding once said, “We produce critics rather than artists, or poets or inventors in the broad sense of those magnificent words.”
Dr. Edward de Bono considered that in education, “Information is very valuable. Information is easy to teach. In fact our educational system is primarily concerned with developing information processing and analysis.” Sometimes we are able to achieve complete information, particularly in routine matters. This situation would require no thinking. Sooner or later, we shall hand over these routine matters to computers, Dr. Edward De Bono pointed out.
Definitely, if there is incomplete information we need thinking in order to make the best use of available information, De Bono emphasized. Today, information technologies are giving us more and more information. In this situation, De Bono continued, we need thinking skills so that we are not flooded by confusing or irrelevant information.
The present always moves toward the future—since we can never have complete information about tomorrow—intellective and creative thinking is required, in fact necessary. Therefore, it is crucial to train the human mind, particularly in creative thinking.
The Schools – Why Creativity has not been Encouraged?
Why creative thinking is neglected in our schools. We need creativity in order to break free from the temporary structures that have been set up by a particular sequence of experience, De Bono noted. He explained that perceptive teachers would see that the time sequence effect is the same as the patterning effect. It is the time sequence of experience that sets up the routine patterns of experience; we need to escape from these to put together new sequences.
De Bono explains this important matter in one of his books, he wrote: “Imagine a system that collects information over time. The information does not all arrive at once but in dribs and drabs. Suppose that at every moment the system tries to make the best use of the information available. Obviously this sort of system resembles individuals, institutions, corporations, cultures, and so on. Information is gathered over time and the system tries to make the best use of what has become available.”
We believe that creative thinking is a key part of thinking faculty, but this type of thinking has never been given serious attention in our schools. Creativeness and inventiveness are not encouraged in our educational system.
De Bono cited two reasons why we have neglected creative thinking. He said, “The first reason is that we have believed that nothing can be done about it.” We thought creative thinking is “a mystical gift that some people have and others do not have. There is nothing that can be done except to foster the creative gift in those who seem to have it.”
“The second reason why we have neglected creative thinking,” De Bono emphasized, is that “valuable creative idea must always be logical in hindsight (after someone has had the idea). If the new idea were not logical in hindsight we would never be able to regard it as valuable. So we are only able to recognize those creative ideas which are indeed logical in hindsight. The rest remain as crazy ideas. We may catch up with some of the crazy ideas later or they may remain crazy forever.”
Some groups believe that everyone is naturally creative but inhibited. The inhibition emanates from the need to provide only the ‘right’ answers at school or from the fear of making mistakes. Hence, the solution is simple: free and remove these inhibitions to release the natural human creativity inherent in every individual. Thus many creative tools and techniques are simply processes for freeing people from inhibitions.
Dr. de Bono contends that creativity is not natural to the brain. He said, “the purpose of the brain is to allow experience to organize itself as patterns—and then to use these existing patterns. So freeing people to be their natural selves will only make them slightly more creative (through being less inhibited).”
The case in point is that creativity is not a mystical gift. There are explicit tools and techniques that enhance and facilitate creative thinking. With these thinking tools, creativity can now be encouraged in our schools and thinking skills can be developed among students.
Incorporating Creativity into Existing Curricula
Harold F. Harding gave “three good reasons” why we need a more creative trend in education. “First, we are not now giving creativity the attention it deserves in our curricula—high school, college, or graduate and professional school. xxx Where it is now taught it is by accident and chance rather than by design and understanding.”
“A second reason… We are now faced as never before with a world of vastly more complex problems—and there are not nearly enough able, ready and willing solvers. xxx A third reason (is that) the main business of education, at least in the colleges and universities, is training the mind. xxx The main function of a university is to provide the atmosphere for scholars and students to work with ideas creatively together. I earnestly believe that creativity, originality, and inventiveness are the prime requisites for the crucial task of training the mind.” (Italics supplied)
Harnessing the creative mind. In incorporating creativity in the curricula, we should bear in mind that: “Without creativity we would not progress or develop better ideas. Without logical/critical thinking we would always be moving from one situation to another getting nowhere.” Combinatorial interactive creativity calls for the interaction of both critical/logical thinking and perceptive/creative thinking. Thus, incorporating creative thinking in our existing critical thinking-oriented curricula would make training the mind a full measure.
Critical Thinking. Critical thinking is our check on truth: Is this true? What is important is the level of claimed truth. This can range from a claimed absolute certainty to something that is only offered as a possibility. Over-claiming needs to be challenged.
The next role of critical thinking is to check on the logic that is being used. With logic, we seek to derive a further truth from truths which we already have.
We need to ask the important question: Does this follow? A much more significant question is: Must this follow?
With a logical argument it is claimed that the conclusion must follow from the preceding step. We need to look closely at this ‘must’. Very often it is claimed that something must follow because the thinker cannot imagine an alternative. If you can imagine an alternative, that destroys the ‘must’ aspect.
At the end, critical thinking may conclude: This is false. This is doubtful. At this point: we need a new idea, a new concept or an alternative which can only be provided by individual or group with creative thinking skills (De Bono).
Intelligence is a potential and for that potential to be fully used we need to develop thinking abilities. Without such skills the potential is under-used. — De Bono
Creative Thinking. With creative thinking we are not so much concerned with proving something as with moving forward with possibilities, De Bono said. “Once we have reached a new idea, we can set about proving its truth and value.”
Dr. de Bono explained: In logical thinking we seek to move step by logical step from where we are to a new position. In creative thinking we can make jumps ahead and when we have reached a new position we then set about checking the value of that position.
He continued that hypothesis, speculation and provocation are all ways of making that creative jump ahead. Sometimes we have to guess because we do not have enough information for action. In creative thinking we guess in order to have new ways of looking at information and in order to explore the possibility of new ideas.
De Bono further noted that “critical analysis of information is not sufficient to produce new ideas because the mind can see only what it is prepared to see—and that means the old ideas. We need to develop skill in speculation.”
Speculation may range from a very reasonable guess (what we seek in a hypothesis) to a mere possibility to a provocation which makes no claim to truth whatever. The purpose of a provocation is to get us to look at something in a new way – not by presenting the new way but by jerking us out of the old way (De Bono).
“A creative jump ahead can pull our thinking forward. We lead from in front. Without creative thinking we lead from behind and we have to strive to push forward, building on what we know,” De Bono pointed out.
The creative attitude involves a willingness to go forward and to explore possibilities. This is what is lacking in our school curricula. We only develop critiques among students. Of course, this is very important. But our students also need to be creative. This is a must if we want to be competitive in the currently enlarging global economy and expanding information superhighway. We must incorporate creativity in the existing curricula as well as in our teaching methods because developing the creative skills of our students is now an urgent task.
Guiding the Creative Development and Transformation of Students
Guiding the creative development and transformation of students involves helping them develop their thinking skills―that means monitoring their interest, understanding, practice, skill and use of thinking tools. De Bono said interest and understanding together provide the background. They also determine the attitude towards creative thinking. This attitude determines the amount of skill that will be developed and the useful application of this skill.
Guiding Principles. “In computers,” Dr. De Bono explained, “if you put good data you get good answers. If you put bad data you get bad answers (though you may not know this). It is the same with logic. Like the computer, logic is a servicing mechanism to service the data and perceptions we are using. We should therefore be quick to point out bad logic but slow to accept the conclusions of good logic—because the perceptions may be inadequate.”
Again, De Bono emphasized, “Most of the faults in thinking are faults of perception (limited view, etc.) and not faults of logic. Perception is the basis of wisdom. Logic is important in technical matters and especially in closed system like mathematics.”
De Bono observed, “Because perception is so very important a part of thinking it is surprising that we persist in believing that logic is the basis of thinking. This arises from our reactive thinking habits. You put material with ready-made perceptions and information in front of students and then ask them to react. Clearly logic is important since the perceptions are provided. In real life we have to form our own perceptions (insight, comprehension, alternative ways of viewing the situation, etc.).”
“Skilled logic and poor perception can be dangerous,” De Bono pointed out. “In practice, logic and perception are closely intertwined.”
Introduction to Creative Teaching
Backdrop. Creative teaching is restrained by questions on whether creative thinking is teachable (can be taught) and creativity is learnable (can be actualized).
‘Teachability’ of creative thinking. People can be trained deliberately in creative thinking. Dr. Edward de Bono emphasize: Everybody can be taught creative thinking tools and techniques which they can use for purposeful activities such as generating ideas, planning, problem solving, decision making, developing alternative courses of action, seeking opportunities, exploring possibilities, and so forth.
“We can train in creative thinking just as we can train in mathematics, cooking, or playing tennis. It does not mean that everyone trained in creativity will become a genius. Everyone trained to play a good game of tennis does not become a Wimbledon champion,” Dr. Edward De Bono clarified. Nonetheless, De Bono noted that there is a huge amount of useful creativity to be done at all levels below the level of genius.
‘Learnability’ of creativity. Creativity can be learned. Experience in North America, Europe and Japan have shown us that people can develop their creativity in a deliberate manner through formal education or non-formal training and the encouragement of inventive activities in school campuses, and in the premises of business organizations and industrial companies as well as in the agricultural fields. This disagrees with two traditional principles of creativity, which De Bono describes as follows:
1) “That creativity is a natural talent that some people have and others do not have; that there is nothing you can do about creativity except to employ people who have this natural talent.”
2) “That creativity consists of being freed from fears and inhibitions and that once these are removed, it is enough to mess around and something useful will happen. To encourage this messing around, judgment must be suspended.”
Creativity training involves will, skill, and method. De Bono offered the following explanation on these matters:
Will – “There has to be a determined attempt to teach and learn certain techniques and procedures.”
Skill – “Just messing around and encouraging people to have ‘crazy’ ideas is not good enough. The effect of that is very temporary. Learning the formal techniques or anything that requires us to do things which go against our usual habits and even our natural tendencies seem awkward at first. Overcoming the natural inhibitions through ‘fun’ and ‘craziness’ is not the only approach or the most powerful one. Understanding the logic of creativity is more powerful, particularly with technical people.”
Method – “…formal programs for training in creative thinking which is specific and deliberate approach to serious creativity.”
Review of the Basic Principles of Creativity and Creative Thinking
Basic principles of creativity. The basic principles of creativity in relation to education and teaching are plain and easily understandable. Some of these are as follows:
1) All students (individuals) are born with inherent creativity (creative potential).
2) There is a relationship between creativity and intelligence. This relationship has a common denominator—the capacity to absorb, process and analyze information, and memorize, or retain and recall these data and information.
3) Creativity is a form of “giftedness” which is not measured by current intelligence tests.
4) Creativity is a process and a product developed by a person or group of persons under certain socio-economic conditions and environmental situation.
5) Creativity can be encouraged, stimulated, enhanced, reinforced and developed.
6) All subject matters and areas in the school curriculum may be used to develop creativity.
7) Creativity cannot be developed at one time or in one or a few lessons. Creative development has transformative stages.
More knowledge, more facts and more skills are required of each individual in order for him/her to be creative than ever before.
9) Theories of creativity, its development and transformation, lead us to believe that the subconscious plays a great role in creative performance.
10) Excessive conformity and rigidity are true enemies of creativity.
11) Students (individuals) go through various steps in the process of creation.
12) Students (individuals) who have lost much of their creativity may be helped to regain it by special methods of teaching.
Basic principles of creative thinking. De Bono put together some guiding principles for creative thinking. He explained that the principles arise directly from processes that have been covered in his many books and teaching experiences. So the principles become sort of crystallization of what has been learned. De Bono’s twelve principles of creative thinking are presented below:
1. Always be constructive. Many people have negative habits of thinking. They are quite critical. They need constructive and generative elements of thinking. Sometimes it is necessary to be critical. We need constructive thinking more than critical thinking.
2. Think slowly and try to make things as simple as possible. There is no great merit in thinking quickly. Sometimes thinking slowly has its own plus point. “Always try to make things simple.” Making things complicated has no merit but to impress others.
3. Detach your ego from your thinking and be able to stand back to look at your thinking. Ego involvement is the “biggest obstacle to skilled thinking”―”I must be right.” “My idea must be best.” “…you should be able to be objective about your thinking. That is the way to develop any skill.”
4. Effective thinking requires a sense of focus and purpose. “Without this sense of focus or purpose, thinking is just a matter of drifting along from moment to moment, from point to point.”
5. Be able to ‘switch gears’ in your thinking. “It is not enough just to be creative or critical. You need to know when and how to use the different types of thinking”―using logic and creativity, seeking information.
6. Spell out clear outcome of your thinking, explain just why you think it will work. Define clearly the outcome of your thinking, believe that your idea will work, and explain why you think the “outcome is going to work.”
7. Feelings and emotions are important parts of thinking but their place is after exploration and not before. Feelings and emotions “need to be used at the right place xxx “it is the role of feelings and emotions to make the final choice.” De bono emphasized, “If feelings are used at the beginning, perception is limited and choice of action may be inappropriate.”
8. Always try to look for alternatives, for new perceptions and for new ideas. Time and again find alternatives, look for other explanations, search for fresh interpretations and seek for more action possibilities.
9. Be able to move back and forth between broad-level thinking and detail-level thinking. Generate alternatives by thinking in terms of actual details and looking at the broad level. Move from one idea to another in order to link up ideas.
10. Logic is only as good as the perception and information on which it is based. This principle “deals with truth and logic.” Always distinguish between “may be” and “must be.” Examine the basis of its claim, or logic.
11. Differing views may all be soundly based on differing perceptions. “When there are opposing views we tend to feel that only one of these can be right. If you believe that you are right, you set out to show that differing views must be wrong. But differing views may be just as ‘right’. A differing view may be soundly and logically based on a perception that is different from yours.” This perception may be based on “different information, different experience, different values and a different way of looking at the world.” All these must be compared.
12. All actions have consequences and an impact on values, people and the world around. “Not all thinking results in action. xxx In general, thinking that results in an action plan, a problem solution, a design, a choice or a decision is going to be followed by action. That action has future consequences. That action has an impact on the world around.”
Introduction to the Principles of Creative Teaching
“The teaching of thinking is not the teaching of logic but the teaching of perception,” Dr. Edward de Bono pointed out. “Perception is the way we look at available knowledge and the way we direct attention over available knowledge. xxx We need thinking in order to make even better use of information that is also available to our competitors. xxx So (if) information is not enough. We do need thinking as well,” he further explained.
De Bono also noted, “All information is valuable. Every new bit of information is of increasing value because it adds to what we already know. So how do we get the courage to reduce the amount of time we spend on teaching information in order to find time to teach the thinking skills that are needed to make the best use of the information? A trade-off is clearly needed.”
Principles of creative teaching. There are many creative teaching principles which can be assembled on the basis of the discussions in previous topics. James A. Smith (1967), in his book, Setting the Conditions for Creative Teaching in the Elementary Education, offered some fundamental principles of creative teaching. The following principles are synthesized and/or adapted from said book:
1) In creative teaching, something new, different or unique are performed or produced.
2) In creative teaching, divergent thinking processes are stressed.
3) In creative teaching, motivational tensions are a prerequisite to the creative process. The process serves as a tension-relieving agent.
4) In creative teaching, open-ended situations are utilized.
5) In creative teaching, there comes a time when the teacher withdraws and students face the unknown themselves.
6) In creative teaching, the outcomes are unpredictable.
7) In creative teaching, conditions are set which make possible subconscious thinking.
In creative teaching, differences, uniqueness, individuality, originality are stressed and rewarded.
9) In creative teaching, the process is as important as the results/products.
10) In creative teaching, certain conditions must be set to permit creativity to appear.
11) In creative teaching, teaching is “success” rather than “failure” oriented.
12) In creative teaching, provision is made to learn knowledge and skills, but provision is also made to apply these in new problem-solving situations.
13) In creative teaching, self-initiated learning is encouraged.
14) In creative teaching, ideas and objects are manipulated and explored.
15) In creative teaching, skills of constructive criticism, self-criticism and evaluation skills are developed.
16) Creative teaching means that students are encouraged to generate and develop their own ideas.
17) Creative teaching employs democratic processes and participative procedures.
18) In creative teaching, methods are used which are unique to the development of creativity.
19) Creative teaching, gives the students self-confidence, a faith in himself and ultimate self-realization.
20) Creative teaching is not a supplement to teaching nor is it an adornment to practice. It is a method of teaching itself, a new approach, a new outlook on the purpose of education.
The above principles relate directly to creativity. Remember, however, that the school is a place for the development of the human mind in all its aspects—memory, thinking (all types), attitudes, mental skills, analysis, judgment, evaluation, perception, etc.
The Creative Teacher
Education and teaching. William Pearson Tolley (1977) explained that education is “the art of learning, growing, and becoming. xxx It is the art of becoming in emotional maturity, health, physical fitness, spiritual insight and faith, character and integrity, knowledge and wisdom. xxx Education is organized instruction, we defined it in terms of teachers, classes, and courses. xxx It is structured learning, and we work for certificates, credits, and degrees.” Continuing education, he continued, is “learning co-extensive with life.”
Teaching is the development and use of human mind. It is the cultivation of intellectual interests as they affect the nature and quality of human life. To live life to the full we must learn all we can as long as we can (Tolley, 1977). This principle should be molded into the minds of students.
The creative teachers. The creative teachers should—at all times—imprint in the minds of students that education is an opportunity for growth. Tolley emphasized that, “Learning is boundless opportunity limited only by the length of our life span and the development/cultivation of special aptitudes and powers (time and energy).”
Teachers should light the fires of intellectual curiosity and inquiry among the students. The fundamental role of teachers is to facilitate learning inside and outside the classroom. Hence, the teacher needs a TEACHING PLAN that is continually updated in order to enrich the students’ experience of learning.
The busiest and most productive teachers are relaxed and at ease, not at all tense, hurried, or driven. They are alert and attentive. They try to get to the heart of the subject matter. They are well organized. They plan their time, manage time—time does not manage them.
The creative teachers, like everyone else, have more time than they need. One problem relative to time is very obvious: Look at the hours we spend reading the daily newspaper (and worse, the least informative tabloids). We might also time the hours spent listening to radio or viewing the television. We shall have plenty of time to prepare for teaching preparation once we begin to use it more carefully.
Reading habit. Most teachers depend on the ”latest” textbooks on the assumption that they carry the most recent knowledge on a particular subject. Many teachers go through teaching life with uncalled-for detailed examination of the most updated materials that is not related to the subject matters they teach. This is not necessarily bad, but the teacher should have at least the same interest in enriching their knowledge on the subject they teach.
It is recommended that the teacher should read 20 minutes or more from a carefully chosen book (preferably those directly or indirectly related to teaching concerns) before they open the newspaper in the morning. The same rule might be followed when we get home at night. This would help the teachers in updating their knowledge. Of course, the newspapers and magazines may contain the most recent information on the topic they are teaching.
By turning one book to another in the course of our daily life, we are able to savor old and new information. Some books we taste and put aside, others read quickly, still others we’ll read again and again. Keep one book in each logical location of your house. This allows us to take advantage of odd minutes to read. Gains in learning productivity are impressive when time formerly wasted in waiting for somebody also become reading time. Gains are also remarkable, particularly when we read three old books to one new each time (Tolley). Unquestionably, reading makes a teacher a well-informed person.
Innovative teachers. The creative teacher facilitates learning. A creative teacher is an innovative educator—he/she not only finds but also anticipates or creates a need and fills it. An innovative teacher welcomes change, not resists it; learns how to make change work, not against it; and develops a set of skills which enables to create opportunities.
The innovative teacher guides the development of creativity among students by using the following guideposts, compiled from several authors:
1) Recognize that non-conformity may be an asset. Reinforce creative endeavor by positive recognition.
2) Be aware of the student’s ability to suggest hypothesis, design experiments, collect data, make inference, generalize, and draw conclusion.
3) Provide opportunities for students to learn that there are several ways of looking at things or a problem, and possibly several methods of finding an answer to it.
4) For the student, who is outstanding in creative ability, attempt to provide activities with other talented students so they can have opportunity to interact and become acquainted.
5) Keep the curiosity of students alive. Encourage inquiry in students inside and outside the classroom. Emphasize high degree of independence and autonomy. Encourage both individual and team work.
6) All students do not have to perform the same activity. Give students choices. Students should be allowed to take their time on project work.
7) Give students as many opportunities as possible to participate and do experiments. Reinforce an attitude of perseverance and meeting adversity, if it comes, as a challenge.
Have students interested in science (all its branches, physical and social); relate their interest to younger students. Cultivate creative activity to stimulate science interest, and suggest ideas for creative work. Encourage students to participate in science and technology fairs and related activities.
9) Prepare a collection of discovery lessons, inquiring discussions, pictorial riddles, inquiring experiments, demonstration ideas for possible inventions (social and technical), and counter intuitive activities. Rely as much as possible on first-hand experience.
10) Stimulate the student’s imagination by asking what they think the city or town, car, bus, boat, house, settlements, business and industries, environment, society and culture, science and technology, etc. of tomorrow will look like and why.
11) Be creative yourself in the methods you use in teaching. Show examples of creative works to your students.
Characteristics of Creative Teaching Style. Considering the guideposts presented above, the main characteristics of creative teaching style are:
1) Not always lecture.
2) Choice of assignments; preferably interdisciplinary projects.
3) Relating real stories about real events, famous people.
4) Use of quotes in class.
5) Giving attention to students’ interests and choices.
6) Open-ended questions in class and on tests.
7) Ability to encourage questions from students and to explore their opinions.
Use of thinking games, creative competitions and skits.
9) Seminar-like discussions, debates and free interpretations of contents.
10) Experimenting with difficult and challenging content, i.e., animation in art.
11) Grading on ideas, on the process and on the proofs (i.e., math and science).
12) Allowing independent study.
13) No heavy emphasis on “busywork” or “mechanical perfection,” i.e., perfect handwriting, or 1” margins on papers.
14) Attending interesting conferences and workshops and sharing them with students. Better yet, “how about taking them along once in a while.”
15) Helping students to get ideas when none is flowing.
Attitudes. A teacher usually has some background attitudes towards his or her teaching work and style. Attitudes affect our whole approach to teaching; in turn, it affects our ability in improving the thinking skills of students. So, let us look at the attitudes of the good thinker as defined by Dr. De Bono:
▪ Awareness of the danger of being trapped by a fixed way of looking at things.
▪ Awareness of the need to look for different ways of doing things rather than being satisfied by the apparent best.
▪ Awareness of the danger of concept prisons.
▪ Awareness of the dangers of arrogance and righteousness about a particular idea.
▪ Awareness of the need to use ideas in a practical manner and yet realize the need to change them.
De Bono pointed out the four most harmful attitudes:
▪ Apathy (“We have managed all right without it so far.”)
▪ Intense enthusiasm (“This is great, this will solve all our problems.”)
▪ Know-all (“I have always thought like that anyway.”)
▪ Defensive resentment (“It’s a new fad that will pass.”)
The Creative Teachers
& The InventSchool ™ Program
Many people believe that creativity is restrained or suppressed by logic. However, as pointed out in earlier articles, creative thinking without logical/critical thinking would always be moving from one direction to another getting nowhere. Creativity calls for the interaction of both critical/logical thinking and perceptive/creative thinking to make training the mind a full measure. Therefore, let us place logic (and perception) in its appropriate position and perspective.
Logic and Perception. The traditional emphasis in teaching thinking has always been on logic. Dr. Edward De Bono pointed out, “This is not surprising. Thinking in education is almost always reactive. How do you respond to what is placed before you? So the information is given. The pieces of the puzzle are given. You use logic to work out the answer.”
De Bono explained that “Critical thinking, argument and the adversarial system are largely (not entirely) based on logic. xxx Logic is the way scientists, or other people, have to present their ideas. Even if a scientific breakthrough came out through hunch or chance it must be presented as if it were the result of logic. Otherwise ideas cannot be accepted. xxx We need to see how conclusions have been reached, so we need to see the reasons or logic behind them. xxx For all these reasons we have come to put a lot of emphasis on logic. xxx Sometimes we need logic to take our perceptions further. Sometimes better perception reduces the need for logic.”
De Bono clarified further that “Perception is how we see the world around us. Logic is how we make the best use of those perceptions. xxx Most often the perceptions are converted into the form of language or symbols. We then use the rules of logic in language or mathematics to move forward to some conclusions. xxx Wisdom is directly based on perception. Wisdom is the ability to take in many things. Things that are now present and things that will happen in the future. Wisdom allows us to look at things in different ways.”
Creative teaching… the art of creative learning. Learning is active not passive—we can learn despite limited schooling. What is required is an active, probing, and searching mind. Education is solo flight. Learning is something we do for ourselves. In creative learning, we need to map out our knowledge hunting and information acquisition. The “pursuit of knowledge is one of continuous and vigorous challenge.” It takes “the same courage, same concentration and same all-out effort to make a successful response to their challenge.” (De Bono)
Creative teaching is a commitment—commitment does not take us far without sacrifice and self-denial. De Bono explained, “We must learn to say ‘no’ to ourselves as well as our fellows. xxx Do not yield to impulse and whim. Learning is not freedom to do as we please.” It demands commitment and self-control.
Excellence in creative teaching takes TIME! In the pursuit of creative education, we should remind ourselves from time to time to examine our goals and then move toward them. Remember, we learn to write by writing and we develop skills by practice.
Promotion of creativeness through inventive activities in school campuses. Many people are disputing the effectiveness of our educational system. Teaching methods and curricular contents are also being attacked. Moreover, business organizations and the civil society have started to question whether our kind of education adequately prepares students for the information age and the intensifying competition among nations in the rapidly enlarging global economy.
Several decades ago, Harold F. Holding warned that we are producing “critics rather than artists, or poets or inventors in the broad sense of those magnificent words.” A few years ago, Dr. Edward de Bono pointed out “our educational system is primarily concerned with developing information processing and analysis.” Today, these observations remain valid.
Well? It is very clear that our school system in the Philippines is not purposely promoting inventiveness and creative learning among students. Moreover, the teachers themselves have not been prepared to handle students with creative talent, develop creativeness among the youth, and promote inventive activities in the campus milieu. Harding, referring to creativity and creative thinking, explained: “Where it is now taught it is by accident and chance rather than by design and understanding.”
These are just a few reasons why we need to promote creativeness and imaginative learning, particularly in the school setting through the promotion of inventive activities in and out of the school campus. The purpose is to fully train the human mind! Harding emphasized that “creativity, originality, and inventiveness, are the prime requisites for the crucial task of training the mind” (italics supplied).
Ultimately, the promotion of creativeness and inventiveness in the school setting will make training the mind a full measure. This will also balance our existing rote learning, adversarial and critic-oriented curricula.
The InventSchool™ is convinced that creativity can be encouraged in our schools, and thinking skills can be developed among students and teachers. Necessarily, the overall state of education in the country should be improved in order to fully enhance creativeness and inventiveness among teachers and students.
Accordingly, The InventSchool™ is calling for the immediate resolution of the “real culprits” in the falling standard of Philippine education. The major problems and issues include a disturbing deterioration in language proficiency (in both English and Filipino), “a dearth of quality textbooks, a deep insularity in matters of research and research publication (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 16 Dec. 2001, section A, p.8).
Enhancing creative learning among students. When the Russian Sputnik was launched in late 1950’s, the Americans called for educational reform by injecting “creativity” and “thinking skills” in their curricula.
Creative techniques like brainstorming, morphological analysis and synectics, among many other thinking tools (all developed in late 1930s,1940s & 1950s) became popular, not only in education but more so in business.
Again in late 1980’s, “Time magazine ran a cover story that attributed inflation, low productivity and failing international markets to poor management techniques and university MBA programs. Business Week, Newsweek and Fortune magazines quickly joined the attack. All made reasonably uniform criticisms: MBAs specifically, and American business generally, had become too analytical, too dependent on numbers, too conservative, unconcerned with people, shortsighted, and as a whole shamefully uncreative.” (Quoted in Ray & Myers, 1989; underscoring supplied.)
These events are pointing to us that we should develop creative learning programs among students. Creativity is in everyone! Creative learning is directed towards building the capability of students, as well as teachers, to enhance their capacity to create or invent something new, novel and useful ideas (social inventions) and things (technical inventions). It means stimulating the students’ imaginative ability. As Albert Einstein pointed out, “imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Generally, the improvement of livability in urban and rural settlements, and the development of global competitiveness of Philippine business and economy are rooted in creative education.
The InventSchool™
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
THE INVENTSCHOOL™ is dedicated to the development of human creativity and the promotion of inventive activities. It stimulates the creation of scientific/technological and social inventions, and improvement of social productivity. It promotes equitable community transformation and sustainable development.
In this light, its regular educational programs and training courses are divided into two major strands: 1) Technological Inventions, and 2) Social Inventions.
Regular Educational Programs
The TECHNOLOGICAL INVENTIONS DIVISION (TID) offers three (3) course programs: 1. Scientific and Technological Creativity (SciTeC™); 2. Entrepreneurial Creativity and Venture Management (EnCVM); and 3. New Products and Innovation Management (NuPIM).
1. Scientific and Technological Creativity (SciTeC™) program introduces the principles, methods, tools and techniques of scientific and technological creativity, the promotion and development of inventions, the study of technological innovation process, and other related topics.
The SciTeC™ course program is divided into four (4) core courses: (1) Basic SciTeC, an introductory course on human creativity and thinking skills; (2) Primary SciTeC, a course on idea generation/development and creative analysis; (3) Intermediate SciTeC, deals with creative research and invention development; and (4) Advanced SciTeC, a course on invention enterprise (inventerprise) development and venture management.
Two supplementary/complementary courses are attached to the core SciTeC™ program. These are: (1) Continuing SciTeC, subject matters dealing with continuing developments in human creativity and thinking skills, and technological invention development; and (2) Special SciTeC courses deals with special topics relevant to scientific and technological creativity and industrial innovations.
2. Entrepreneurial Creativity and Venture Management (EnCVM) course is an in-depth application of Advanced SciTeC in invention-based enterprise development, business planning and management of new ventures, specifically new products and inventions.
3. New Products and Innovation Management (NuPIM) course is an intensive study of the generation, development, evaluation, promotion and management of new products and the innovation process within the enterprise or business organization.
The SciTeC™ courses are open to students, teachers, inventors and creative researchers; while EnCVM and NuPIM courses are offered to senior college students, teachers, inventors, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, businesspersons, industrialists, R&D managers, product developers and designers, innovation groups, and other individuals interested in new products and innovations, and invention-based entrepreneurship (inventerprise).
The SOCIAL INVENTIONS DIVISION (SID) has three (3) course programs as follows: 1. Creativity in Social Inventions and Community Innovations (SinCom™); 2. Social Inventions Workshop (SIW); and 3. Social Entrepreneurship and Community Management (SECM).
1. Creativity in Social Inventions and Community Innovations (SinComä) course explains the principles, methods, tools and techniques of social creativity, the promotion and development of social inventions within the social/community innovation process, and other related topics.
Like the SciTeC™ course program, SinCom™ is divided into four (4) core courses: (1) Basic SinCom, an introductory course on human creativity and thinking skills; (2) Primary SinCom, a course on idea generation/development and creative analysis; (3) Intermediate SinCom, deals with social innovation research and development; and (4) Advanced SinCom, a course on social entrepreneurship and community development/management.
The core courses of the SinCom program are complemented by two supplementary courses: (1) Continuing SinCom deals with continuing developments in human creativity and thinking skills, and social invention development; and (2) Special SinCom courses tackle special topics relevant to social creativity and productivity, business or community innovations, and social entrepreneurship.
2. Social Inventions Workshop (SIW) deals with a general discussion on practical social problems in home lives, community neighborhood, schools or business organizations. The participants select one or two social problems to focus on, evaluate the problems, and come up with an action plan for tackling the chosen problems in an imaginative way, and then design and carry on specific short-term project.
3. Social Entrepreneurship and Community Management (SECM) is an intensive study of creativity in social entrepreneurship in general, and illustrates the use of social creativity in development planning and management in community setting. The participants select one or two social enterprises or community problems to focus on, evaluate the problematic situation, and come up with an action plan for solving the problems in a creative way. Then, they design and carry on specific short-term social enterprise or community development project.
The SinCom™ courses are open to students, teachers, social innovators and community development workers; while SIW and SECM courses are offered to senior college students, teachers, social inventors or community innovators, social entrepreneurs, development workers, and other individuals interested in social entrepreneurship and community management.
The SciTeC™ Course Program
CORE COURSES:
SciTeC 1 (Basic Course) – Introduction to Creativity and Thinking
SciTeC 2 (Primary Course) – Idea Generation/Development & Creative Analysis
SciTeC 3 (Intermediate Course) – Creative Research & Invention Development
SciTeC 4 (Advanced Course) – Inventerprise Development and Venture Management
SUPPLEMENTARY COURSES:
SciTeC 5 (Continuing Courses) – Subject matters dealing with continuing developments in human creativity and thinking skills, and technological invention development.
SciTeC 6 (Special Courses) – Special topics relevant to scientific and technological creativity and industrial innovations.
The SinCom™ Course Program
CORE COURSES:
SinCom 1 (Basic Course) – Introduction to Creativity and Thinking
SinCom 2 (Primary Course) – Idea Generation/Development & Creative Analysis
SinCom 3 (Intermediate Course) – Social Innovation Research and Development
SinCom 4 (Advanced Course) – Social Entrepreneurship & Community Development/Management
SUPPLEMENTARY COURSES:
SinCom 5 (Continuing Courses) – Subject matters dealing with continuing developments in human creativity and thinking skills, and social invention development.
SinCom 6 (Special Courses) – Special topics relevant to social creativity & productivity, business or community innovations, and social entrepreneurship.
N.B. It should be emphasized that the basic courses, SciTeC 1 and SinCom 1, are one and the same course. About 75% and 85% of the course content of the primary and intermediate courses, SciTeC 2 & 3 and SinCom 2 & 3, respectively, are also similar. They only differ in the course focus, SciTeC 2 & 3 deals with technological inventions or technical innovations, while SinCom 2 & 3 deals with social inventions and community innovations. SciTeC 4 and SinCom are relatively similar. However, the topical discussions and workshops are quite different. SciTeC 4 deals with “inventerprise” development, while SinCom 4 deals with community entrepreneurship and social development.
Lateral and Special Entry Courses
The SciTeC™ and SinCom™ course programs are the direct entry courses to The InventSchoolä. However, many expected participants would not enter the TISI Educational Programs directly for some unknown reasons; perhaps, “creativity” and “invention” are ill favored or unattractive to them. Thus, The InventSchool™ offers two sets of indirect entry courses: 1) Introductory Seminar-Workshops and Summer Institute, and 2) Teachers’ Forum and Seminar-Workshops. In addition, prospective participants may attend free orientation lectures and short seminars, or better yet participate in the Annual Institute, Workshop, Conference, Convention and Invention Exhibition presently held occasionally—sooner or later, will be held at regular intervals throughout the year.
The INTRODUCTORY SEMINAR-WORKSHOPS & SUMMER INSTITUTES (ISWSI) is the lateral entry courses to The InventSchool™ consisting of five (5) short-courses:
1. Technological Invention Seminar (TISem) defines what is a technological invention (others prefer to call it “technical innovation”). It presents the origin and conception of an invention, and the general process of invention development. It also defines the technical and legal requirements of an invention such as novelty and inventive step, and utility or ‘operativeness’ and industrial applicability.
2. Social Invention Seminar (SISem) explains the concept of social invention, defines its meaning, and cites examples of social inventions, e.g., new law, organization or procedure that changes the ways in which people relate to themselves or to each other, individually or collectively. It also describes the development process of social inventions.
3. Technological and Social Invention Seminar (TeSIS) brings together two seminars— TISem and SISem. It presents the concepts, defines the meanings, and explains the different aspects and interrelationships of technological invention and social invention.
4. Orientation Seminar-Workshop on Thinking, Creativity and Creative Teaching/ Learning (OSW) introduces the concepts and principles of human creativity in general, and the practice of creative thinking and analytical-critical thinking in particular. The Seminar-Workshop is an appreciation course to enable the participants to acquire a good understanding of thinking and creativity. It clarifies the purpose and usefulness of creativity. It provides deliberate method of generating creative ideas in a practical way. It explains by example the basic thinking tools and techniques. It also demonstrates the principles of creative teaching and the importance of innovation in education.
5. Summer Institute on Education for Scientific-Technological Creativity and Social Invention (SumIns) is a more detailed presentation of OSW. The general intention of the Summer Institute is to assist teachers-educators and students in becoming more aware of their own creativity and the creative process, in nurturing their individual/group creativeness, and in better understanding how they may help to nurture creativity in others.
The Summer Institute explains the uses of creativity by providing information on its nature; analysis of the qualities and characteristics of the creative personality; description of the operational mechanisms behind the creative process; and presentation of ideational tools and techniques for generating ideas and developing creative products and social innovations. It also spells out the purpose and usefulness of perceptive thinking and the deliberate method of creative thinking. It also illustrates the principles of creative teaching and the importance of educational innovations.
The TEACHERS’ FORUM AND SEMINAR-WORKSHOPS (TFSW) is the special entry courses to The InventSchool™ consisting of five (5) short-courses:
1. Teachers’ Forum on Creativity in Education (T-ForCE) presents the illuminating factors relating to the shifting patterns of education, creative teaching and instructional innovations, principles of creative education and innovative learning, and the different approaches for stimulating creativity and inventiveness among students.
2. Seminar on Shifting Patterns of Education (SPEd) surveys the key factors relating to the shifting patterns of education focus on the aims and methods of education, schematization of instruction, dominant educational systems around the world, and the organization of education and its institutions.
3. Creative Teaching and Instructional Innovations (CTII) explains the process of learning and thinking. It describes the curricular strategies that enhance the teaching and learning process, and the importance of instructional innovations. It demonstrates the principles of creativity, creative teaching and creative techniques in designing the course of study and educational materials, and developing teaching and instructional innovations.
4. Workshop on Creative Education and Innovative Learning (CEIL) takes a closer look at creative education, its principles, methods and approaches. It offers an intimate group encounter with the process of innovative learning and creative teaching. It provides various points of view on educational creativity and the school system in the country.
5. Stimulating Creativity and Inventiveness of Students (SCIS) demonstrates the different approaches for stimulating creativity and inventiveness among students. It also describes different inventive activities for promoting inventiveness among students.
The TFSW are offered to open doorways to creative teaching and educational innovations for all teachers and educators in all educational levels: elementary, high school, college and graduate school.
The ANNUAL INSTITUTE, WORKSHOP, CONFERENCE, CONVENTION AND INVENTION EXPOSITION (AIWCCIE) are the periodical programs of The InventSchool™. At present, these events are held occasionally, but later on will be conducted at regular intervals throughout the year.
1. Annual Conference on Technological & Social Inventions (AC-TSI) presents recent developments and emerging trends in the field of technological and social inventions in the country and around the globe.
2. Annual Workshop on Creativity in Science, Technology and Social Inventions (AW-CSTSI) provides a venue for intimate discussion and resolution of issues and problems relating to the development of creativity in science, technology and social inventions. The workshop in divided into three discussion groups: 1) Creativity in Science and Technological Inventions, 2) Creativity in Social Inventions, and 3) Workshop on Creatology: The Science of Creativity.
3. Annual Institute on Educational Programs for Scientific-Technological Creativity and Social Invention (AI-EP) discuss the various educational programs for the development of scientific-technological creativity among students and teachers. It also reflects on how to improve the different training courses for creativity and innovation.
4. The InventSchool™ Annual Convention & Invention Exposition (IS-ACIE) is the annual assembly of teachers and students involved in The InventSchool™ program featuring invention competition and exhibits. Other interested teachers/students may attend the convention and participate in invention exposition.
LECTURES. Aside from the lateral and special entry courses, The InventSchool™ also offers two-hour or three-hour lectures on creativity and invention. These lectures include the following:
1. Understanding the Nature of Creativity and the Structure of Thinking – a half-day free lecture with short, stimulating workshops designed for schools, colleges and universities, corporations and business organizations, non-government organizations, cooperatives and community associations, civic associations and religious organizations. It presents the basic elements of creativity and the structure of thinking process. It introduces perceptive thinking tools and creative thinking techniques and procedures.
2. Creative Problem-Solving and Decision-Making – a one-day lecture-workshop on the application of creativity in problem-solving and decision-making designed for groups, organizations or association. It deals with the five-step creative problem-solving process and a four-point decision-making procedure.
3. Organizational and Corporate Creativity – a one-day lecture-workshop on the application of creativity and creative thinking designed for corporations and business organizations. It describes the major elements of creativity and the components of the thinking process, and their application in corporate setting and organizational environment. It also introduces creativity in business management, creative problem-solving and decision-making procedures.
4. Creativity in Development Work – a one-day lecture-workshop on the application of creativity in development work in communities designed for non-government organizations, cooperatives and community associations. It deals with the nature of creativity and structure of thinking. It demonstrates perceptive thinking tools and creative thinking techniques and procedures. It describes the five-step creative problem-solving process and a four-point decision-making procedure as applied to development management work.
5. Creativity in Business and Industrial Innovation – a one-day lecture-workshop on creativity in business and the application of creativity in research and development work in industrial setting or business environment designed for small and medium enterprises. It describes the basic elements of creativity and the thinking process. It demonstrates perceptive thinking tools and creative thinking techniques and procedures as applied to business “inventrepreneurship” and the development of business/industrial innovations.
6. Creativity in Education and Teaching – a one-day lecture-workshop on creativity in education and innovations in teaching designed for educators/teachers. It deals with the nature of creativity and the structure of thinking process. It presents perceptive thinking tools and creative thinking techniques and procedures in education and teaching practices. It demonstrates the five-step creative problem-solving process and a four-point decision-making procedure as applied to educational management and the conduct of actual teaching and classroom work.
7. Creativity in Education and Learning – a half-day lecture-workshop on creativity in schoolwork and learning designed for high school and college students. It deals with creative tools and techniques in class study and enlightened learning. It describes the methods for acquiring new knowledge that contribute to useful, purposeful and continuing learning.
8. Continuing Self-Education for Life-Long Learning – a half-day lecture with stimulating workshop designed for everyone. This lecture-workshop offers an innovative approach to self-education towards a life-long learning experience. It looks at the challenge of acquiring new knowledge and recommends how to connect creative acts that will really contribute to useful/purposeful and continuing learning. Topics include: What is self-education for life-long learning; how to acquire relevant new knowledge by sieving the mess of information; tools and techniques for innovative self-education; and purposeful life-long learning for personal/professional development.
9. Preparing the Logical Framework (LogFrame) for programs and projects – a half-day lecture with practical workshop designed for everyone engaged in project development, implementation and management. The lecture-workshop offers basic procedures in formulating the rudimentary project concept, particularly the following: 1) Defining the goal which is the overall achievement or benefits expected from the project by its target groups or beneficiaries; 2) Determining the project purpose which is envisaged solution that describes the desired conditions at which the beneficiaries shall have utilized the services and facilities of the project; 3) Enumerating in adequate detail the results/outputs or the services that are provided by the project; and 4) Describing the activities/tasks to be carried out in order to produce the results/outputs.