Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Today's Creative Inspiration
From German photographer and designer Marcel Schindler comes the best adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea
ᔥ Marcel Schindler | ↬ brainpickings.org
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Objective Finding
Depending on what creative problem solving process (CPS) you follow, the stating of objectives is usually the first, second, or third stage. I like using the process outlined in Koberg & Bagnall's (1991) book Universal Traveler. From their work, objective finding usually happens during the definition stage--which is the third stage. From my perspective, however, creative problem solving is not normally linear. Many experience the process as jumping around between stages. In my current project, I found that to be true as well. Last week, I thought I had accomplished the definition stage, and I moved on to the ideation stage. However, I realized that I had more to define before selecting my idea.
I've attended many meetings where people debate: What is the difference between an objective and a goal. From my experience as an urban planner, an objective is a detail that helps you accomplish meeting a goal. My professor would often tell us, an objective is winning a battle and the goal is winning the war. However, I believe it does depend on the professional perspective
In my own work, I did refine my goal. I debated whether I wanted to write it down in this blog, because I'm not sure how attainable it is. I guess that is my first hurdle. To help me over that hurdle, I think it would be good to publish it on the blog. My goal: To become a national expert on the creative problem solving process and its impact on college student learning and development.
There, I said it. Of course, I'm not trying to think about objectives. I know some of my objectives include the following: Write a research journal article on CPS and student learning; work as a consultant concerning CPS and student learning; speak about the cps process and the impact on college student development.
I have several other objectives that I will list another time.
I've attended many meetings where people debate: What is the difference between an objective and a goal. From my experience as an urban planner, an objective is a detail that helps you accomplish meeting a goal. My professor would often tell us, an objective is winning a battle and the goal is winning the war. However, I believe it does depend on the professional perspective
In my own work, I did refine my goal. I debated whether I wanted to write it down in this blog, because I'm not sure how attainable it is. I guess that is my first hurdle. To help me over that hurdle, I think it would be good to publish it on the blog. My goal: To become a national expert on the creative problem solving process and its impact on college student learning and development.
There, I said it. Of course, I'm not trying to think about objectives. I know some of my objectives include the following: Write a research journal article on CPS and student learning; work as a consultant concerning CPS and student learning; speak about the cps process and the impact on college student development.
I have several other objectives that I will list another time.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Today's Creative Inspiration Post
Poster created for first year students in the UK
ᔥ brainpickings.org
BTW: I'm back! Back into the groove.
Creativity and Motivation
Keeping motivated is an important part of creative work. I've been away to a conference, and I've had problems with keeping up with this blog. However, I have made several notes along the way. I do have several ideas about keeping motivated with creative projects.
1.) Try to stay with a strict schedule. For instance, I try to spend one hour a day either reading or writing about creativity. While I was away, I did read some, and I wrote a lot in my journal.
2.) Routinely schedule a specific time a day to work on creativity. This does not work for everyone. I usually do better in the mornings when I'm a lone and I have fewer disruptions. In the evenings, I tend to have more disruptions: meetings, the TV is usally on, etc. Some may find scheduling a specific time as too stifling. I can understand that. But, I usually have busy days. So, I have to schedule time or I won't get to it.
3.) Reward yourself. Believe it or not this is not easy for me. My reward is usually food related. I'm trying to eat healthier. So, I'm trying to find new ways to reward myself besides food.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Analysis: What is going on here...
Once you make a commitment and accept the challenge ahead of
you, the next step of the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) procedure is
ANALYSIS. This fact-finding stage
of this process involves gathering information about the problem (or
phenomenon). Simply stated, this
is the stage where an individual asks, “What is going on here?”
There are so many ways to conduct research to analyze a
problem. In this post, I’m going
to advocate for the common sense approach
to problem solving. Sometimes we
see a problem more complex than it actually is. The common sense
approach involves clearing the mind and communicating all the thoughts,
beliefs, and ideas you know about the phenomenon. To communicate these ideas, you can talk it out; you can
write it down; you can sketch; you can act it out. It doesn’t matter how you record or convey these ideas. In fact, the more senses you use to
express these ideas the more you may find out that you actually know.
Sometimes this form of analysis is done too late in the
process, because we often fear that our problem is more complicated than it
actually is. We also avoid asking
ourselves, because it is thought of as too obvious. However, we usually know a lot about a subject without looking
it up.
Before starting this blog (Creative-Praxis), I cleared my
mind by meditating for a few minutes, and I wrote down everything I knew about
CPS. Here is a list of some of the
things I wrote down.
Creative problem solving is…
A
step by step process
Includes: Acceptance, Analysis, Definition,
Brainstorm, Selection, Implementation, and Evaluation.
I can relate CPS to many things
Something
I would enjoy teaching
Books
and articles are written about CPS
Used
in business, education, and design
A
worldview
Experience
is the best teacher of CPS
Journals
could be used to assess CPS
Acceptance
is really about motivation
Analysis
is research, reading, note-taking
Definition
uses the information from analysis to define
Ideation
is often called brainstorming. It
involves alternatives
Selection
involves finding the best fit.
Implementation
involves just do it.
Evaluation
is something that I actually enjoy
CPS
is a process of convergent and divergent thinking
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Let Go: Today's Creative Inspiration
Sometimes, you need to "let go" to be an effective creative problem solver.
Acceptance & Contingency Management
Through my own creative problem solving (CPS) process, I am using this blog to reflect on my journey through CPS and the steps outlined in the process. In the past few posts, I have written about accepting the challenge ahead of me. This post is continuing this process. The "problem" that I'm trying to solve is to deepen my understanding of CPS and become a CPS expert by blogging about my own CPS process. It sounds complicated--I know. Stated simply, this blog is my own journal of going through the CPS process with the goal of furthering my own expertise in CPS. I expect this blog will create several spin-off projects (e.g., consulting, career options, courses, research ideas, new directions, a book).
Currently, I am writing about my own acceptance phase of the CPS process. Acceptance is usually the initial stage of CPS. Before you solve a problem, you need to accept that you will go on this journey. An exercise that can help an individual accept the problem ahead of you is to conduct CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT (Koberg & Bagnall, 1991). Everyone has roadblocks as they try to go through the CPS process. Psychologist have advice on how to manage those instances that block our progress. As a contingency management plan, you can follow the four rules listed below. Psychologists would call these behavioral modifications.
1. "Understand your limits." You can only do so much at a time.
2. "Establish feasible goals." This means you need to understand your abilities and balance them with your project goals and objectives.
3. "Be strict and consistent." Be dedicated to your work and do not allow exceptions to weaken your standards.
4. "Reward yourself." To create balance in your life, you must reward yourself when you have met expectations and/or met your goals and objectives.
(Citation: Koberg & Bagnall, 1991, p. 48)
Currently, I am writing about my own acceptance phase of the CPS process. Acceptance is usually the initial stage of CPS. Before you solve a problem, you need to accept that you will go on this journey. An exercise that can help an individual accept the problem ahead of you is to conduct CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT (Koberg & Bagnall, 1991). Everyone has roadblocks as they try to go through the CPS process. Psychologist have advice on how to manage those instances that block our progress. As a contingency management plan, you can follow the four rules listed below. Psychologists would call these behavioral modifications.
1. "Understand your limits." You can only do so much at a time.
2. "Establish feasible goals." This means you need to understand your abilities and balance them with your project goals and objectives.
3. "Be strict and consistent." Be dedicated to your work and do not allow exceptions to weaken your standards.
4. "Reward yourself." To create balance in your life, you must reward yourself when you have met expectations and/or met your goals and objectives.
(Citation: Koberg & Bagnall, 1991, p. 48)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
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