Getting Started...FFOE

In my classes, from the elementary grade through college, when I want my students to begin using creative thinking, which include the elements of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration (FFOE), I have to define and explain the distinction between divergent/creative thinking and convergent/critical thinking. I usually do this by providing what I call a "Big Test." The test consists of only three questions that can be answered divergently and/or convergently. I use questions similar to those found in Sidney Parnes's (1981) book, The Magic of Your Mind, like:

1. What is half of 8?
   
2. A _____ of horses went by. (Choices: a. stream b. team c. steam)
3. How many squares are there... (I provide a square broken into 16 smaller squares.)

The test is followed by a discussion of the student responses. Most respond instinctively with convergent responses; this is how most of us have been trained to think. Often, students realize that I am up to something, and think beyond the obvious. Whatever the responses provided, the next question is, "How did you arrive at that answer? What was your thinking here." This opens up our whole discussion about the differences between the two types of thinking being emphasized here.

DIVERGENT THINKING—Points to include:

• When you are involved in divergent thinking you generate many, varied and unusual responses to an open-ended question or problem. Use it any time you need to generate a number of creative alternatives or options.
• There are many (many, many...) "right" answers in a divergent activity.
• FFOE is the goal here.

CONVERGENT THINKING—Points to include:

• When you are thinking convergently, you are considering (analyzing and refining) a number of alternatives down to find your "best" or most correct answer based on specific criteria.
• In convergent thinking, there are only a few best answers or sometimes ONE correct response.

For each type of thinking there are GUIDELINES to follow that will help to make the thinking most successful. These guidelines have been published in many places and often referred to by different terminology, but they boil down to this:

• When diverging: no judging of ideas is allowed; push for quantity of ideas; let ideas flow freely; hitchhike or piggyback on the ideas of others.

• When converging: be deliberate, state ideas and challenges to ideas affirmatively, beware of jumping too quickly to a conclusion; keep your goals in mind as you work.

Once students have been introduced to these two concepts, it is important that they be provided with opportunities to practice. You will need to "cue" students in to the type of thinking they are being asked to do. Sometimes just using the words many, varied and unusual is enough to cue student in to recognizing that they need to think divergently. For younger students, sometimes people have found it helpful to use something a visual clue (e.g., this is "green light" thinking). For convergent cues, using the word "best" or "right" answer often is enough (or teach the "red light" thinking cue).

There is an ongoing question posed in the field about whether students should be taught thinking skills in isolation or if it is important that they be embedded in content. My answer to this question is always, "YES!" In my experience, students need the opportunity to practice their thinking skills in activities that focus on the thinking as the objective. Then they should be required to use these new skills within and across content areas. These are real skills intended for real use for real purposes.

Suggested Procedure for Divergent Thinking Activities:

1. Organize into small groups.
2. Decide how ideas will be shared and recorded.
3. Review the guidelines (see above).
4. Be sure that all groups members are clear on the question they are responding to.
5. Remind the group of the time limit if there is one.
6. Encourage all members to contribute.
7. Begin...conclude.

Practice Activities:

• List many, varied and unusual uses for an old bathtub.
• List mvu things that protect.
• Generate many, varied, and  unusual things as sturdy as a castle.
• Generate many, varied, and unusual ways our lives would be different if all cars were painted yellow.
• What if...we could only see in black and white?

Content Connections:

• As a part of a health unit, students are asked to generate many, varied and unusual ways to help reduce the spread of colds.
• Math students are asked to think of many, varied and unusual situations that might require them to make change.
• Students think of many, varied and unusual ways that explorers might secure financial resources for their explorations.
• Students list many, varied and unusual places to get information on a research project.

This kind of thinking can be encouraged at any age/grade level and is the basis for many other types of creativity activities. That is why I suggest that this a great place to begin providing "creative spaces for all." I would love to hear about your creativity adventures.

Promoting Creativity Consciousness

If you are not familiar with Gary Davis's book, Creativity is Forever (5th ed.), this is book that is jam packed with good information on multiple aspects of creativity. In this book, Davis says that, "increasing creativity consciousness and creative attitudes is the single most important component of teaching for creative growth" (p. 328). He also suggests that it will be the "natural outgrowth of virtually any type of creativity exercises and activities" (p. 329). Based on my own experiences with creativity, I agree that this consciousness/awareness of your own creativity and its importance for others makes the difference between those who see creativity as a frill and those who make it a priority for themselves and others. Creativity consciousness, according to Treffinger, Young, Selby and Shepardson (2002) in an article on "Personal Creativity Characteristics" support the importance of having a "personal understanding of who you are, a vision of where you want to go, and a commitment to do whatever it takes to get there" (p.4). There are many resources available for helping to promote creative thinking and problem solving. I have included a section on this blog of some of my favorites. Again, according to Davis, the best way to develop your creativity, and thus your creativity consciousness, is to do creative things.

Treffinger, D., Young, G., Selby, E., & Shepardson, C. (2002). Personal creativity characteristics (Part 4 of 4). Creative Learning Today, 11 (4), 4-6.

Why Creative Spaces?

“Creative spaces” is a concept that came out of a study I completed in 2005, where I studied four teachers’ experiences and practices that they felt were important to their desire and ability to teach for creativity in their classrooms. Teaching for creativity means that there was a deliberate effort on their part to encourage, support and help their students to develop their own creativity. As a result of this study, it became apparent that creative spaces (i.e., the time, awareness, opportunity, acceptance and support of creativity) are as important for teachers as well as their students. In fact, many believe that creativity is important for all people. I am one of those people and it has become my passion to try make creative spaces accessible for everyone. Becoming aware of your personal creativity is a part of the creative process. You can develop your own “creativity consciousness,” learn some creative thinking skills, and find out ways to promote the creativity of others here; ways to provide creative spaces for those around you. This site is intended as a “creative space” for all who visit. I am not sure what direction this will take and I am sure there are many options. Whenever creativity is discussed, often a person's reaction is to say, "Oh, I'm not creative. I can't draw or paint and I am not artistic in the least." Creativity goes well beyond the arts to science, business, medicine, and many other areas of human endeavor. So, I guess that the awareness factor is a first step for anyone wishing to develop his or her own creativity. So how are you creative?