thinking inside the box workshop with haleh moravej

Chrissi Nerantzi Academic Developer Manchester Metropolitan University @chrissinerantzi

Haleh Moravej Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Science

Manchester Metropolitan University

@halehmoravej CEL

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By the end of this session, colleagues will be able to:

• Discuss the concept of thinking inside-the-box as an enabler to innovate

• Share and experience collaborative problem-solving and ideas generation linked to a specific constraining learning and teaching scenario

• Identify opportunities for innovative thinking and action within constraints linked to own practice to transform the student experience

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Reminder

“Problems are things or states that someone thinks are worthy of attention or investigation.

They might be visualised from two very different perspectives.

The first sees a problem as an issue that needs to be resolved or rectified, the second that there is an opportunity for something different.”

(Jackson, 1996, 3)

Curriculum … is a creative act but it

usually focuses on… •norm •core knowledge of discipline •assessment •orientation internally and externally •informal adjustments ongoing •crammed?

Creative Curriculum … is a creative act that focuses on… •space •flexibility •originality •personalisation •collaboration

little-c, big-C (Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, 1997)

big C – extraordinary

creativity, transformation of a domain, person well known in his field – breaking the norm! When we think of creativity we usually think of big C people

little c – everyday

creativity, problem-solving at personal level, person not known to many others

In flow (Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi)

http://indiedevstories.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/flow-channel1.png

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5q3g5rw4GBI/TFA1MnCDkZI/AAAAAAAAAAM/2IHEbv_YUHk/s1600/whitebox.jpg

INSIDE: Reflect on the limitations you experience linked to a specific learning & teaching situation. – individual task

#thinkbox

#thinkbox OUTSIDE: Discuss with others and capture some ideas on the outside of your box that would help you resolve your problem. KEEP ONE SIDE BLANK!!!

On blank side: Ideas to follow up, things to try!

Join the Greenhouse ;) monthly gatherings around the university to

share creative and innovative practice, experiment with learning & teaching ideas

cross-disciplinary fertilisation

explore opportunities for wider engagement

and dissemination

infect others

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21614692@N02/sets/72157642314666495/page2/

http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/flex/greenhouse.php

Creativity

• Preparation • immersion in the material

• Incubation • matures during incubation

• Illumination • full consciousness, testing in the real world, refined,

examined

• Verification • made whole, completed

earliest description of creative process Wallas G (1926) The art of thought, New York: Harcourt

Gelb (1996) •preparation •generation •incubation •evaluation •implementation

“People tend to be more satisfied if they are able to be creative; and that individually and collectively we need to be creative to continually adapt and invent in an ever-changing world” (Jackson, 1996, 1)

source: http://izquotes.com/quotes-pictures/quote-a-new-idea-is-first-condemned-as-ridiculous-and-then-dismissed-as-trivial-until-finally-it-william-james-345047.jpg

References

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997) Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention, Harper Perennial

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Harper

Perennial Dineen, R. (1996) Views from the chalk face. Lecturers’ and students’ perspectives on

the development of creativity in art and design, in: Jackson, N., Oliver, M., Shaw, M. and Wisdom, J. (1996) Developing Creativity in Higher Education. An imaginative curriculum, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 109-117

Jackson, N. (1996) Imagining a different world, in: Jackson, N., Oliver, M., Shaw, M.

and Wisdom, J. (1996) Developing Creativity in Higher Education, pp. 1-9 Torrance E P (1974) Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, Lexington, MA: Personnel

Press

Chrissi Nerantzi Academic Developer Manchester Metropolitan University @chrissinerantzi

Haleh Moravej Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Science

Manchester Metropolitan University

@halehmoravej CEL

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Tea

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, 4 J

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14

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Oh, no! It can’t be done. I can’t do it. There is nothing I can do. But I am not creative. That is childish. What will people think? Unaccepted! Play it safe!

Blockage Attitude Curiosity Challenge Belief that mistakes are welcome Ability to see the need for improvement Belief that problems can be solved Ability to suspend judgement and criticism Seeing the good in the bad Problems lead to improvements Problem can also be a solution

Reminder to self

• Pay attention to your ideas • Keep an ideas (e-)booklet! • Start mind mapping • Put ideas into practice • Use available technology • Change surroundings • Challenge assumptions • Create connections, associations • Develop creative habits of mind

Creativity

Evolution new ideas from existing ideas

Synthesis combination of existing ideas

Revolution brand new ideas

Re-application existing ideas in new light

Changing direction new path when old doesn’t work

Types?

Tasks 1. Asking questions (3 min): Write all questions you can think of, based on the drawing/scene. 2. Product improvement (3 min): List ways to change the toy/game so that children will have more fun playing with it. 3. Unusual uses (3 min): List interesting and unusual uses of a cardboard box. 4. Elaboration (3 min): How many different objects/pictures can you make from the shapes? Title them.

Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (1974)

(Scoring for : fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration)

Directions: Do not begin until you are told to do so. •Try to think of things that no one else will think of. •Try to think of as many ideas as possible. •Add details to your ideas to make them complete. •If you finish before time is up, you may continue to add details or sit quietly. •Please do not go to the next activity until told to do so.

Scoring components: •Fluency – the sheer number of ideas •Originality – the statistical infrequency of response •Flexibility - the degree of difference in the responses, i.e. whether the responses come from a single domain or multiple domains, and the variety of categories of relevant responses. •Elaboration - the amount of detail in the response

Guilford’s Alternative Uses Task (1967)

List as many possible uses for a common household item (such as s brick, a paperclip, a newspaper)