Module 18: Problem Solving and Creativity

Edward Paul Torrance - Known as the "Father of Creativity" for his nearly 60 years of research that
became the framework for the field of gifted education. He was professor emeritus of educational
psychology. He invented the benchmark method for quantifying creativity
The "Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking" helped shatter the theory that IQ tests alone were sufficient to
gauge real intelligence. The tests solidified what heretofore was only conceptual - namely that creative
levels can be scaled and then increased through practice.

Torrance Framework for Creative Thinking – a common framework for creative thinking processes is
described by Torrance (1979). Each aspects is defined below, along with ways to facilitate the respective
aspect by using key words and application activities.

Fluency refers to the production of a great number of ideas or alternate solutions to a problem. Fluency
implies understanding, not just remembering information that is learned.
Key words - compare, convert, count, define, describe, explain, identify, label, list, match, name, outline,
paraphrase, predict, summarize
Application activities
Trace a picture and label its parts.
Outline an article you find on your topic.
How many uses can you think of a clothes hanger?
List 15 things that are commonly red or contain red.
Example: Apple, blood, brick, caboose, cherry, Christmas stocking, exit sign, fire alarm, flag, heart, red
nose reindeer, rose, tomato, wagon.

Flexibility refers to the production of ideas that show a variety of possibilities or realms of thought. It
involves the ability to see things from different points of view, to use many different approaches or
strategies.
Key words - Change, demonstrate, distinguish, employ, extrapolate, interpolate, interpret, predict.
Application ideas
What would happen if ... there were no automobiles?
How would a ... dog look to a flea?
How is _______ like ________?
How would you feel if ... you were invisible for a day?
How would you group the ideas about "red" into categories?
Example: fruit, safety features, vehicles

Once categories are identified, fluency may be further demonstrated by generating more ideas about
the idea red within categories. Even a modest attempt could result in the following lists, recognizing that
the creative thinking process may shift the mind in a spiral way between all four aspects of creativity.

Red Fruit Red Safety Red vehicles

features
Apple Exit sign Caboose
Cherry Fire alarm Fire truck
Raspberry Stop sign Tricycle
tomato Tail lights Wagon
Elaboration is the process of enhancing ideas by providing more detail. Additional detail and clarity
improves interest in, and understanding of, the topic.
Key words - Appraise, critique, determine, evaluate, grade, judge, measure, select, test.
Application ideas
Tell your neighbor about your last family trip using as many detail as possible.
What can you add to_______ to improve its quality or performance?
Describe all the possible characteristics of the red quality in a wagon
Example: Shade, finish, texture, uniformity.

Originality involves the production of ideas that are unique or unusual. It involves synthesis or putting
information about a topic back together in a new way.
Key words- Compose, create, design, generate, integrate, modify, rearrange, reconstruct, reorganize,
revise.
Application ideas
Find an original use for_________.
What would be the strangest way to get out of bed?
Design a new___________ that is better than the one you have
Write an unusual title for the ideas about red.
Example: Revolutionary "Red" Representation.
An overview of the four aspects of creativity appears in a PowerPoint presentation that may be
downloadable from the following link: Creativity ppt.
An adaptation of the creativity aspects to the construct “jumping” appears to a Word document that
may be downloadable from the following link: Jumping doc
Creative Problem Solving or CPS is an intentional process for solving and problems and
discussing opportunities. It espouses the use of creativity in the 1950’s Alex Osborn described
this process in his book, Applied Imagination. Osborn opened the process in the public domain
which means anyone can use it. Over the years countless people have utilized the CPS in various fields
and endeavors.
Osborn’s Checklist, the origin of the Classical Brainstorming is the root of creative problem solving (CPS).
There are a variety of general structures: define problem, generate possible solutions, select and
implement the best’ which can be found extensively, in several different academic traditions.

The following , based on Van Gundy (1988’s) description, is a very brief skeleton of a very rich process,
showing it in its full ‘6 x 2’ stages form:
1. Stage 1: Mess Finding: Sensitise yourself (scan, search) for issues (concerns, challenges,
opportunities etc.) that need to be tackled.
 Divergent techniques include ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice If…’ (WIBNI) and ‘Wouldn’t It Be
Awful If…’ (WIBAI) – brainstorming to identify desirable outcomes, and obstacles to be
overcome.
 Convergent techniques include the identification of hotspots (Highlighting), expressed as
a list of IWWMs (‘In What Ways Might…’), and selection in terms of ownership criteria
(e.g. problem-owner’s motivation and ability to influence it) and outlook criteria (e.g.
urgency, familiarity, stability).
2. Stage 2: Data finding : Gather information about the problem
 Divergent techniques include Five Ws and H (Who, Why, What, When, Where and How)
and listing of wants, sources and data: List all your information ‘wants’ as a series of
 question; for each, list possible sources of answers; then follow these up and for each
source, list what you found.
 Convergent techniques again include: identifying hotspots (Highlighting); Mind-mapping
to sort and classify the information gathered; and also restating the problem in the light
of your richer understanding of it
3. Stage 3: Problem Finding: Convert a fuzzy statement of the problem into a broad statement
more suitable for idea finding.
 Divergent techniques include asking ‘Why?’ etc. – the repeatable questions and Five Ws
and H.
 Convergent techniques include Highlighting again, reformulation of problem-statements
to meet the criteria that they contain only one problem and no criteria, and selection of
the most promising statement (but NB that the mental ‘stretching’ that the activity gives
to the participants can be as important as the actual statement chosen).
4. Stage 4: Idea Finding: generate as many ideas as possible
 Divergence using any of a very wide range of idea-generating techniques. The general
rules of classical brainstorming (such as deferring judgement) are likely to under-pin all
of these.
 Convergence can again involve hotspots or mind- mapping, the combining of different
ideas, and the short-listing of the most promising handful, perhaps with some thought
for the more obvious evaluation criteria, but not over-restrictively
5. Stage 5: Solution Finding: Generate and select obvious evaluation criteria (using an expansion/
contraction cycle) and develop (which may include combining) the short-listed ideas from Idea
Finding as much as you can in the light of these criteria. Then opt for the best of these improved
ideas (e.g. using Comparison tables).
6. Stage 6: Acceptance finding: How can the suggestion you have just selected be made up to
standard and put into practice? Shun negatively, and continue to apply deferred judgment.
Problems are exposed to be solved, not to dishearten progress. Action plans are better
developed in small groups of 2 or 3 rather than in a large group ( unless you particularly want
commitment by the whole group). Particularly for ‘people’ problems it is often worth developing
several alternative action plans. Possible techniques include – Five W’s and H. Implementation
Checklists Consensus Mapping. Potential-Problem Analysis (PPA).\

Other Model for Problem Solving

Bransford’s IDEAL Model
1. Identify the problem.
2. Define the problem through thinking about it an sorting out the relevant information
3. Explore solutions through looking at alternatives, brainstorming, and checking out different
point of view.
4. Act on the strategies
5. Look back and evaluate the effects of your activity.