{"id":100,"date":"2018-01-19T19:21:11","date_gmt":"2018-01-19T19:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-cos2master\/chapter\/creative-thinking-skills\/"},"modified":"2020-07-16T15:44:21","modified_gmt":"2020-07-16T15:44:21","slug":"creative-thinking-skills","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-wcc-collegesuccess3\/chapter\/creative-thinking-skills\/","title":{"raw":"Creative Thinking Skills","rendered":"Creative Thinking Skills"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Exploring Your CREATIVITY<\/h3>\r\nThink about a time when you visited a museum or a sculpture garden, or you attended an orchestral performance or a concert by a favorite performer. Did you marvel at the skill, the artistry, and the innovation? Did you imagine how wonderful it must feel to have\u00a0those abilities?\r\n\r\nWhen you've admired creative works or creative people, have you also acknowledged the seeds of creativity within yourself? Where in your life do you get your creative energy? What inspires you? How have you creatively problem-solved in the past? Write a reflection exploring your creativity.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2785\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2932\/2018\/01\/18003104\/quote-chalk-think-words-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"A black chalkboard with a box drawn on it and the words THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX exceeding the boxes boundaries\" width=\"440\" height=\"293\" \/><\/div>\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center\"><em><strong>Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world. \u2014Paulo Coelho, author and lyricist<\/strong><\/em><\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n<h1>Creative Thinking<\/h1>\r\nEveryone has creative abilities. Whether expressed fully or not at all, humans are innately creative, especially if creativity is understood as a problem-solving skill. Creative thinking is the ability to look at problems with a new perspective in order to offer unconventional solutions.\r\n\r\nPut another\u00a0way, creativity is inspired when there is a problem to solve. For example, when a sculptor creates an amazing sculpture, it's an act of problem-solving: the sculptor must determine which artistic style to use in order to create the likeness of an object and which tools will most suit that purpose or style while also assessing how best to satisfy a customer\u2019s request or earn income.\u00a0In every case, the problem sparks the sculptor's creativity, and\u00a0creativity is necessary to find an\u00a0artistic solution.\r\n\r\nWhen considered as an act of problem-solving, creativity can be understood as a <em>skill<\/em>\u2014as opposed to an inborn talent or natural \"gift\"\u2014that can be taught as well as learned. Problem-solving is something we are called upon to do every day, from performing mundane chores to executing sophisticated projects. The good news is that we can always improve upon our problem-solving and creative-thinking\u00a0skills, even if we don't consider ourselves to be artists or creative.\r\n\r\nThe following information may surprise and encourage you:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Creative thinking (a companion to critical thinking) is an invaluable skill for college students. It's important because it helps you look at problems and situations from a fresh perspective. Creating thinking is a way to develop novel or unorthodox solutions that do not depend wholly on past or current solutions. It's a way of employing strategies to clear your mind so that your thoughts and ideas can transcend what appear to be the limitations of a problem. Creative thinking is a way of moving beyond barriers.[footnote]Mumaw, Stefan. \"Born This Way: Is Creativity Innate or Learned?\" <em>Peachpit<\/em>. Pearson, 27 Dec 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016.[\/footnote]<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a creative thinker, you are curious, optimistic, and imaginative. You see problems as interesting opportunities, and you challenge assumptions and suspend judgment. You don't give up easily. You work hard.[footnote]Harris, Robert. \"Introduction to Creative Thinking.\" <em>Virtual Salt<\/em>. 2 Apr 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016.[\/footnote]<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nEven if you don't yet see yourself as a competent creative thinker or problem-solver yet, you can learn solid skills and techniques to help you become one.\r\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\r\n<h3>Assess Your Creative Problem-Solving Skills<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Access <em>Psychology Today<\/em>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/ca\/tests\/career\/creative-problem-solving-test\">Creative Problem-Solving Test<\/a> at the <em>Psychology Today<\/em>\u00a0website.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Read the introductory text, which explains how creativity is linked to fundamental qualities of thinking, such as flexibility and tolerance of ambiguity.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then advance to the questions by clicking on the \u201cTake The Test\u201d button. The test has 20 questions and will take roughly 10 minutes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">After finishing the test, you will receive a Snapshot Report explaining your results.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h1>Creative Thinking in Education<\/h1>\r\nNow that you have taken the creative problem-solving self-assessment test, do you have a better sense of which creative thinking skills and attitudes you have and which ones you might want to improve upon?\r\n\r\nCollege is great ground for enhancing creative thinking skills. The following\u00a0are some college activities that can\u00a0stimulate creative thinking. Are any familiar to you?\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Design sample exam questions to test your knowledge as you study for a final.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Devise a social media strategy for a club on campus.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Propose an education plan for a major you are designing for yourself.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prepare a speech that you will give in a debate in your course.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop a pattern for a costume in a theatrical production.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arrange audience seats in your classroom to maximize attention during your presentation.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arrange an eye-catching holiday display in your dormitory or apartment building.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Participate in a brainstorming session with your fellow musicians on how you will collaborate to write a musical composition.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Draft a script for a video production that will be shown to several college administrators.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Compose a set of requests and recommendations for a campus office to improve its customer service.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop a marketing pitch for a mock business you are developing.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop a comprehensive energy-reduction plan for your housing arrangement.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>How to Stimulate Creative Thinking<\/h2>\r\nThe following video, <em>How to Stimulate the Creative Process<\/em>, identifies the following six strategies\u00a0to stimulate your creative thinking:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sleep on it. Over the years, researchers have found that the REM sleep cycle boosts our creativity and problem-solving abilities, providing us with innovative ideas or answers to vexing dilemmas when we awaken. Keep a pen and paper by the bed so you can write down your nocturnal insights if they wake you up.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Go for a run or hit the gym. Studies indicate that exercise stimulates creative thinking, and the brainpower boost lasts for a few hours.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allow your mind to wander a few times every day. Far from being a waste of time, daydreaming has been found to be an essential part of generating\u00a0new ideas. If you're stuck on a problem or creatively blocked, think about something else for a while.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep learning. Studying something far removed from your area of expertise is especially effective in helping you think in new ways.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Put yourself in nerve-wracking situations once in a while to fire up your brain. Fear and frustration can trigger innovative thinking.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep a notebook with you so you always have a way to record fleeting thoughts. They're sometimes the best ideas of all.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/kPC8e-Jk5uw\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><em>The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. \u2014Linus Pauling, double Nobel Laureate, chemist, biochemist, and peace campaigner<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n<div>\r\n<h2>A Brainstorm of Tips for Creative Thinking<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>\r\nBelow\u00a0are some additional tips to help you tap into original and creative thinking\u00a0in your college assignments and endeavors:\r\n<h3>Sensing<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Use all your senses\u2014seeing, tasting, smelling, touching, hearing, thinking, speaking, sensing.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Be a good observer\u00a0of people, nature, and events around you.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Thinking<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Engage thinking on the right side of your brain (intuition, open-mindedness, visual perception, rhythm, etc.).<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Change your interpretation of an event, situation, behavior, person, or object.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allow ideas to incubate.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Be open to insights as ideas pop into your mind.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Imagining<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brainstorm by generating ideas with a group of people.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask, \"What would happen if . . .\"<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask, \"In how many different ways . . .\u201d<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop ideas and expand their possibilities.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Envision the future.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Speaking and Writing<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use your words and your \u201cvoice\u201d when conveying your original ideas.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid using clich\u00e9s or overly familiar responses to questions or problems.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Explain how your ideas move beyond the status quo and contribute to a discussion.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take notes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Try to relate unrelated objects. For example, how is your life like a piece of paper?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Drawing<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use mind-mapping to capture\u00a0ideas; start with a key concept and write it in the center of your page. Use connecting lines, radiating from the central concept, and write down any connected or\u00a0related ideas that come to you.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Create pictures or drawings of situations (\u201crich pictures\u201d) to show them\u00a0in a different way.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Learning<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Find ways to demonstrate your personal investment in projects.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gather knowledge and conduct research.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have more fun learning.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1>Creative Thinking Fiction and Facts<\/h1>\r\nAs you continue to develop your creative thinking skills, be alert to perceptions about creative thinking that could slow down progress. Remember that creative thinking and problem-solving are ways to transcend the limitations of a problem and see past\u00a0barriers.\r\n<div>\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 19px\"><\/td>\r\n<th style=\"width: 212px\">FICTION<\/th>\r\n<th style=\"width: 720px\">FACTS[footnote]Harris, Robert. \"Introduction to Creative Thinking.\" <em>Virtual Salt<\/em>. 2 Apr 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016.[\/footnote]<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">1<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer)<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">The goal of problem-solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works, it's a good solution. Other people may think up solutions that differ from yours, but that doesn't make your solution wrong or unimportant. What is the solution to \"putting words on paper\"? Fountain pen, ballpoint, pencil, marker, typewriter, printer, printing press, word-processor, computer\u00a0. . .?<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">2<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">The best answer or solution or method has already been\u00a0discovered<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">Look at the history of any solution and you'll see that improvements, new solutions, and new right answers are always being found. What is the solution to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the train, the car, the airplane, the jet, the space shuttle? What is the best and last?<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">3<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">Creative answers are technologically\u00a0complex<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">Only a few problems require complex technological solutions. Most problems you'll encounter\u00a0need\u00a0only a thoughtful solution involving\u00a0personal action and perhaps a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require technology can be addressed in other ways.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">4<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">Ideas either come or they don't. Nothing will help\u2014 certainly not structure.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">There are many successful techniques for generating ideas. One important technique is to include structure. Create guidelines, limiting parameters, and concrete goals for yourself that stimulate and shape your creativity. This strategy can help you get past the intimidation of \"the blank page.\" For example, if you want to write a story about a person who gained insight through experience, you can stoke your creativity by limiting or narrowing your theme to \u201ca young girl in Cambodia escaped the Khmer Rouge to find a new life as a nurse in France.\" Apply this specificity and structure to any creative endeavor.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nCreative problem-solving involves searching for new and novel solutions to problems. Unlike critical thinking, which scrutinizes assumptions and uses reasoning, creative thinking is about generating alternative ideas, practices, and solutions that are unique and effective. It\u2019s about facing sometimes muddy and unclear problems and seeing how things can be done differently and how new solutions can be imagined.[footnote]\"Critical and Creative Thinking, MA.\" <em>University of\u00a0Massachusetts\u00a0Boston<\/em>. 2016. Web. 16 Feb 2016.[\/footnote]. This type of thinking will serve you well in college, on the job, and in all areas of your life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\r\n<h3>Resources for Creative thinking<\/h3>\r\nExplore one of the following websites and look for three creative thinking techniques you could use as a college student.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.skillsyouneed.com\/ps\/creative-thinking.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creative Thinking Skills<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/ozpk.tripod.com\/000create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">45 Websites on Creative Thinking and Creative Skills<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creativity Techniques A To Z<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Exploring Your CREATIVITY<\/h3>\n<p>Think about a time when you visited a museum or a sculpture garden, or you attended an orchestral performance or a concert by a favorite performer. Did you marvel at the skill, the artistry, and the innovation? Did you imagine how wonderful it must feel to have\u00a0those abilities?<\/p>\n<p>When you&#8217;ve admired creative works or creative people, have you also acknowledged the seeds of creativity within yourself? Where in your life do you get your creative energy? What inspires you? How have you creatively problem-solved in the past? Write a reflection exploring your creativity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2785\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2932\/2018\/01\/18003104\/quote-chalk-think-words-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"A black chalkboard with a box drawn on it and the words THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX exceeding the boxes boundaries\" width=\"440\" height=\"293\" \/><\/div>\n<blockquote>\n<div style=\"text-align: center\"><em><strong>Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world. \u2014Paulo Coelho, author and lyricist<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h1>Creative Thinking<\/h1>\n<p>Everyone has creative abilities. Whether expressed fully or not at all, humans are innately creative, especially if creativity is understood as a problem-solving skill. Creative thinking is the ability to look at problems with a new perspective in order to offer unconventional solutions.<\/p>\n<p>Put another\u00a0way, creativity is inspired when there is a problem to solve. For example, when a sculptor creates an amazing sculpture, it&#8217;s an act of problem-solving: the sculptor must determine which artistic style to use in order to create the likeness of an object and which tools will most suit that purpose or style while also assessing how best to satisfy a customer\u2019s request or earn income.\u00a0In every case, the problem sparks the sculptor&#8217;s creativity, and\u00a0creativity is necessary to find an\u00a0artistic solution.<\/p>\n<p>When considered as an act of problem-solving, creativity can be understood as a <em>skill<\/em>\u2014as opposed to an inborn talent or natural &#8220;gift&#8221;\u2014that can be taught as well as learned. Problem-solving is something we are called upon to do every day, from performing mundane chores to executing sophisticated projects. The good news is that we can always improve upon our problem-solving and creative-thinking\u00a0skills, even if we don&#8217;t consider ourselves to be artists or creative.<\/p>\n<p>The following information may surprise and encourage you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Creative thinking (a companion to critical thinking) is an invaluable skill for college students. It&#8217;s important because it helps you look at problems and situations from a fresh perspective. Creating thinking is a way to develop novel or unorthodox solutions that do not depend wholly on past or current solutions. It&#8217;s a way of employing strategies to clear your mind so that your thoughts and ideas can transcend what appear to be the limitations of a problem. Creative thinking is a way of moving beyond barriers.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Mumaw, Stefan. &quot;Born This Way: Is Creativity Innate or Learned?&quot; Peachpit. Pearson, 27 Dec 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016.\" id=\"return-footnote-100-1\" href=\"#footnote-100-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a creative thinker, you are curious, optimistic, and imaginative. You see problems as interesting opportunities, and you challenge assumptions and suspend judgment. You don&#8217;t give up easily. You work hard.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Harris, Robert. &quot;Introduction to Creative Thinking.&quot; Virtual Salt. 2 Apr 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016.\" id=\"return-footnote-100-2\" href=\"#footnote-100-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Even if you don&#8217;t yet see yourself as a competent creative thinker or problem-solver yet, you can learn solid skills and techniques to help you become one.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\n<h3>Assess Your Creative Problem-Solving Skills<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Access <em>Psychology Today<\/em>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/ca\/tests\/career\/creative-problem-solving-test\">Creative Problem-Solving Test<\/a> at the <em>Psychology Today<\/em>\u00a0website.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Read the introductory text, which explains how creativity is linked to fundamental qualities of thinking, such as flexibility and tolerance of ambiguity.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then advance to the questions by clicking on the \u201cTake The Test\u201d button. The test has 20 questions and will take roughly 10 minutes.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">After finishing the test, you will receive a Snapshot Report explaining your results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h1>Creative Thinking in Education<\/h1>\n<p>Now that you have taken the creative problem-solving self-assessment test, do you have a better sense of which creative thinking skills and attitudes you have and which ones you might want to improve upon?<\/p>\n<p>College is great ground for enhancing creative thinking skills. The following\u00a0are some college activities that can\u00a0stimulate creative thinking. Are any familiar to you?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Design sample exam questions to test your knowledge as you study for a final.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Devise a social media strategy for a club on campus.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Propose an education plan for a major you are designing for yourself.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prepare a speech that you will give in a debate in your course.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop a pattern for a costume in a theatrical production.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arrange audience seats in your classroom to maximize attention during your presentation.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arrange an eye-catching holiday display in your dormitory or apartment building.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Participate in a brainstorming session with your fellow musicians on how you will collaborate to write a musical composition.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Draft a script for a video production that will be shown to several college administrators.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Compose a set of requests and recommendations for a campus office to improve its customer service.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop a marketing pitch for a mock business you are developing.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop a comprehensive energy-reduction plan for your housing arrangement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to Stimulate Creative Thinking<\/h2>\n<p>The following video, <em>How to Stimulate the Creative Process<\/em>, identifies the following six strategies\u00a0to stimulate your creative thinking:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sleep on it. Over the years, researchers have found that the REM sleep cycle boosts our creativity and problem-solving abilities, providing us with innovative ideas or answers to vexing dilemmas when we awaken. Keep a pen and paper by the bed so you can write down your nocturnal insights if they wake you up.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Go for a run or hit the gym. Studies indicate that exercise stimulates creative thinking, and the brainpower boost lasts for a few hours.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allow your mind to wander a few times every day. Far from being a waste of time, daydreaming has been found to be an essential part of generating\u00a0new ideas. If you&#8217;re stuck on a problem or creatively blocked, think about something else for a while.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep learning. Studying something far removed from your area of expertise is especially effective in helping you think in new ways.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Put yourself in nerve-wracking situations once in a while to fire up your brain. Fear and frustration can trigger innovative thinking.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep a notebook with you so you always have a way to record fleeting thoughts. They&#8217;re sometimes the best ideas of all.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"How to Stimulate the Creative Process\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kPC8e-Jk5uw?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><em>The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. \u2014Linus Pauling, double Nobel Laureate, chemist, biochemist, and peace campaigner<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<h2>A Brainstorm of Tips for Creative Thinking<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p>Below\u00a0are some additional tips to help you tap into original and creative thinking\u00a0in your college assignments and endeavors:<\/p>\n<h3>Sensing<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Use all your senses\u2014seeing, tasting, smelling, touching, hearing, thinking, speaking, sensing.<\/li>\n<li>Be a good observer\u00a0of people, nature, and events around you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Thinking<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Engage thinking on the right side of your brain (intuition, open-mindedness, visual perception, rhythm, etc.).<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Change your interpretation of an event, situation, behavior, person, or object.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allow ideas to incubate.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Be open to insights as ideas pop into your mind.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Imagining<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brainstorm by generating ideas with a group of people.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask, &#8220;What would happen if . . .&#8221;<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask, &#8220;In how many different ways . . .\u201d<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop ideas and expand their possibilities.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Envision the future.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Speaking and Writing<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use your words and your \u201cvoice\u201d when conveying your original ideas.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid using clich\u00e9s or overly familiar responses to questions or problems.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Explain how your ideas move beyond the status quo and contribute to a discussion.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take notes.<\/li>\n<li>Try to relate unrelated objects. For example, how is your life like a piece of paper?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Drawing<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use mind-mapping to capture\u00a0ideas; start with a key concept and write it in the center of your page. Use connecting lines, radiating from the central concept, and write down any connected or\u00a0related ideas that come to you.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Create pictures or drawings of situations (\u201crich pictures\u201d) to show them\u00a0in a different way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Learning<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Find ways to demonstrate your personal investment in projects.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gather knowledge and conduct research.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have more fun learning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1>Creative Thinking Fiction and Facts<\/h1>\n<p>As you continue to develop your creative thinking skills, be alert to perceptions about creative thinking that could slow down progress. Remember that creative thinking and problem-solving are ways to transcend the limitations of a problem and see past\u00a0barriers.<\/p>\n<div>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 19px\"><\/td>\n<th style=\"width: 212px\">FICTION<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 720px\">FACTS<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Harris, Robert. &quot;Introduction to Creative Thinking.&quot; Virtual Salt. 2 Apr 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016.\" id=\"return-footnote-100-3\" href=\"#footnote-100-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">1<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">The goal of problem-solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works, it&#8217;s a good solution. Other people may think up solutions that differ from yours, but that doesn&#8217;t make your solution wrong or unimportant. What is the solution to &#8220;putting words on paper&#8221;? Fountain pen, ballpoint, pencil, marker, typewriter, printer, printing press, word-processor, computer\u00a0. . .?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">2<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">The best answer or solution or method has already been\u00a0discovered<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">Look at the history of any solution and you&#8217;ll see that improvements, new solutions, and new right answers are always being found. What is the solution to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the train, the car, the airplane, the jet, the space shuttle? What is the best and last?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">3<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">Creative answers are technologically\u00a0complex<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">Only a few problems require complex technological solutions. Most problems you&#8217;ll encounter\u00a0need\u00a0only a thoughtful solution involving\u00a0personal action and perhaps a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require technology can be addressed in other ways.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 19px\">4<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 212px\">Ideas either come or they don&#8217;t. Nothing will help\u2014 certainly not structure.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 720px\">There are many successful techniques for generating ideas. One important technique is to include structure. Create guidelines, limiting parameters, and concrete goals for yourself that stimulate and shape your creativity. This strategy can help you get past the intimidation of &#8220;the blank page.&#8221; For example, if you want to write a story about a person who gained insight through experience, you can stoke your creativity by limiting or narrowing your theme to \u201ca young girl in Cambodia escaped the Khmer Rouge to find a new life as a nurse in France.&#8221; Apply this specificity and structure to any creative endeavor.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Creative problem-solving involves searching for new and novel solutions to problems. Unlike critical thinking, which scrutinizes assumptions and uses reasoning, creative thinking is about generating alternative ideas, practices, and solutions that are unique and effective. It\u2019s about facing sometimes muddy and unclear problems and seeing how things can be done differently and how new solutions can be imagined.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"&quot;Critical and Creative Thinking, MA.&quot; University of\u00a0Massachusetts\u00a0Boston. 2016. Web. 16 Feb 2016.\" id=\"return-footnote-100-4\" href=\"#footnote-100-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a>. This type of thinking will serve you well in college, on the job, and in all areas of your life.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\n<h3>Resources for Creative thinking<\/h3>\n<p>Explore one of the following websites and look for three creative thinking techniques you could use as a college student.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.skillsyouneed.com\/ps\/creative-thinking.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creative Thinking Skills<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/ozpk.tripod.com\/000create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">45 Websites on Creative Thinking and Creative Skills<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creativity Techniques A To Z<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Creative Thinking Skills. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Linda Bruce. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Thomas C. Priester, editor. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Open SUNY Textbooks. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/textbooks.opensuny.org\/foundations-of-academic-success\/\">http:\/\/textbooks.opensuny.org\/foundations-of-academic-success\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">All rights reserved content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>How to Stimulate the Creative Process. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Howcast. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/kPC8e-Jk5uw\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/kPC8e-Jk5uw<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-100-1\">Mumaw, Stefan. \"Born This Way: Is Creativity Innate or Learned?\" <em>Peachpit<\/em>. Pearson, 27 Dec 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016. <a href=\"#return-footnote-100-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-100-2\">Harris, Robert. \"Introduction to Creative Thinking.\" <em>Virtual Salt<\/em>. 2 Apr 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016. <a href=\"#return-footnote-100-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-100-3\">Harris, Robert. \"Introduction to Creative Thinking.\" <em>Virtual Salt<\/em>. 2 Apr 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016. <a href=\"#return-footnote-100-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-100-4\">\"Critical and Creative Thinking, MA.\" <em>University of\u00a0Massachusetts\u00a0Boston<\/em>. 2016. Web. 16 Feb 2016. <a href=\"#return-footnote-100-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":311,"menu_order":4,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"How to Stimulate the Creative Process\",\"author\":\"Howcast\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/kPC8e-Jk5uw\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom\",\"author\":\"Thomas C. 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