NEED FOR CREATIVITY IN 21ST CENTURY

 There is a transition from an agricultural and labour oriented economy to n

information driven economy
 Self motivation, team work, effective communication skills, creative problem solving
etc. are given importance today
 They must be able to break the established patterns

21ST CENTURY SKILLS

1. Learning skills – Creative thinking, communication skills
2. Literacy skills – Information literacy, technical literacy, media literacy
3. Life skills- Flexibility, social skills, Leadership etc.

THREE TYPES OF CREATIVITY BY ABRAHAM MASLOW

1. PRIMARY CREATIVITY- Most often expressed in art and literature. It is related to
self expression. It is spontaneous and is not concerned with the utility of work.
2. SECONDARY CREATIVITY- Ideas based on existing concept. It takes the work
further.
3. INTEGRATED CREATIVITY- It brings forth great achievements. It combines the
elements of both primary and secondary creativity.

Creativity and critical thinking is linked with:-

a) EXPERIENCE- It is the source from which e aquire knowledge. People with more
experience will be more creative. Our brain works on the basis of different
experiences. Openness to experience is very important. This is a capability to
appreciate new knowledge.
b) INTUITION- It is the ability to know something without using any reasoning or
rational thought. All the experiences will be stored in the subconscious mind and this
will be connected when we have some problems or questions. Intuition is non linear.
Mind jumps from known to unknown and recognises a new information.
c) IMAGINATION- It is the ability to see the impossible. Knowledge is the starting
point of imagination

SOURCES OF CREATIVITY
1. KNOWLEDGE- A basic knowledge about the domain is required. This will help to
form teams of varied specializations.
2. CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS- For better creative thinking skills we must be
unafraid to try out new ideas, accept and give criticisms, be patient in failures and
combine knowledge from unrelated fields. The three main aspects of creative thinking
are Synthetic( ability to redefine problems and generate ideas, distinguish relevant
from irrelavent etc.), Analytical ( ability to judge value and the ability to identify
 strengths and weaknesses) and Practical ( applying abstract concepts to everyday
situations)
3. MOTIVATION- This is the most important component. There are two types of
motivation:
a) Intrinsic motivation- Motivtion that arises within oneself. They will have inborn
curiosity and interest.
b) Extrinsic motivation- Motivation that arises from the promise of a reward. It
arises from factors outside oneself.

THREE ELEMENTS OF CREATIVE THINKING

1. Originality

Seeing unique or different solutions to a problem

EG:After noting that electricity passing through a conductor produced a glowing red or
white heat, Edison imagined capturing this light for practical uses

2. Fluency
Generating a large number of possible solutions
EG : Edison tried literally hundreds of different materials to find one that would heat
to the point of glowing white heat without burning up
3. Flexibility
Shifting with ease from one type of problem-solving strategy to another
EG : When he couldn’t find a long-lasting material, he thought of heating it in a
vacuum – thereby creating the first light bulb

MYTHS OF CREATIVITY
David Burkes has summarised 10 different myths of creativity.

I. THE EUREKA MYTH- This myth says that creative ideas should come to us in a
flash. The truth is, the creative process often takes a certain amount of time from the
conception of idea through its incubation phase.
II. THE BREED MYTH- This is the thinking that some people are naturally more
creative, whether because of their personality or genetics. Scientific studies do not
support this. Anyone can be creative if taught good techniques for surfacing ideas.
III. THE ORIGINALITY MYTH- The idea that any creative endeavour must be wholly
original is called originality myth. Infact most new ideas come from combining and
manipulating old ideas. Creativity is combining existing ideas and putting them in
new use.
IV. THE EXPERT MYTH- While it makes sense that the depth of a person's knowledge
affects the quality of his or her work, Burkus says at a certain point too much
expertise hampers creativity.
V.THE INCENTIVE MYTH- The level of a person's creativity is highly dependent upon
their motivation to solve a particular problem. This isn't something you want to incentivize,
however. External rewards to spur motivation don't work nearly as well as if you can get a
person to be intrinsically motivated, meaning they're interested in and engrossed by their
work.

VI. THE LONE CREATOR MYTH- Some of the world's most famous invention stories are
fabrications that give credit to one person instead of the team really behind the innovation.
Thomas Edison and the light bulb is one example, Burkus says, pointing out that Edison's
patent for "Improvement in Electric Lights" only has his name on it in spite of the fact that at
the time he filed it he employed a team of engineers, machinists, and physicists who called
themselves "muckers" and likely contributed to the technology.

VII. THE BRAINSTORMING MYTH- Many consultants today preach the concept of
brainstorming, or spontaneous group discussions to explore every possible approach, no
matter how far-out, to yield creative breakthroughs. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that
just "throwing ideas around" consistently produces innovative breakthroughs.

VIII. THE COHESIVE MYTH- Believers in this myth want everyone to get along and work
happily together to foster innovations. That's why we see so many "zany" companies where
employees play foosball and enjoy free lunches together. In fact, many of the most creative
companies have found ways to structure dissent and conflict into their process to better push
their employees' creative limits.

IX. THE CONSTRAINS MYTH- Another popular notion is that constraints hinder our
creativity and the most innovative results come from people who have "unlimited" resources.
Research shows, however, that creativity loves constraints. Perhaps companies should do just
the opposite -- intentionally apply limits to leverage the creative potential of their people.

X.THE MOUSETRAP MYTH- Others falsely believe that once we have a new idea, the
work is done. But the world won’t beat a path to our door or even find the door to an idea for
a better mousetrap, unless we communicate it, market it and find the right customers. We all
know of at least one "better mousetrap" that is still hidden.

LATERAL THINKING
Lateral thinking is a manner of solving problems using an indirect and creative approachIt
involves ideas that may not be obtainable using only traditional step-by-step logic. The term
was promulgated in 1967 by Edward de Bono. He cites the Judgment of Solomon as an
example, where King Solomon resolves a dispute over the parentage of a child by calling for
the child to be cut in half. 2 main aspects of lateral thinking are freeing our thoughts from old
ideas and stimulating the creation of new ideas.

Four thinking tools for lateral thinking

• Idea generating tools(break routine thinking patterns)

 • Focus tools(new focus areas of ideas)

• Harvest tools(more values from the generated idea)

• Treatment tools(consider real world constrains and opportunities).

CRITICAL THINKING VS CREATIVE THINKING

CRITICAL THINKING
• LINEAR

• Selective-uses elimination

• Converges towards single answer

• looks for correct answer

• objective and logical

CREATIVE THINKING
• NON LINEAR

• generate new possibilities

• moves away from single answer

• looks for possibilities

• Suspends judgement

FUNCTIONS OF LEFT BRAIN AND RIGHT BRAIN

• Human brain has two hemispheres- left and right

• This is connected by a band called corpus callosum

• left side of brain controls the right side of body and vise versa

• two hemispheres have two functions

• left- rational thinking

• Right- intuitive or non linear thinking

• In each individual one side will be dominant

• Each part work independently but work efficiently together

LEFT BRAIN

• Responsible for reading , writing, arithmetic

 • controls feelings, emphasise logic,complete tasks in order

• Optimism, jolliness

• Logical

• Process verbal instructions

• Sees differences and dissimilarities

RIGHT BRAIN

• Sensory side

• Acknowledge feelings and emotions

• no order in completing tasks. Flit from one to another

• intuitive

• Non verbal

• Sees similarities

CONVERGENT VS DIVERGENT THINKING

CONVERGENT THINKING

• Similar to critical thinking

• Figure out most effective answer to a problem

• Characteristics are speed,accuracy and logic

• Think a person as either sick or healthy

• Engineering student can only be an engineer

DIVERGENT THINKING

• Similar to creative thinking

• Figure out many possible solutions

• characteristics are spontaneous, freeflowing and non linear

• Think other possibilities ie either mentally fit and physically healthy

• An engineering student can be a painter, musician etc.

THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

When you hear the word intelligence, the concept of IQ testing may immediately come to
mind. Intelligence is often defined as our intellectual potential; something we are born with,
something that can be measured, and a capacity that is difficult to change. In recent years,
however, other views of intelligence have emerged. One such conception is the theory of
multiple intelligences proposed by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner. This theory
suggests that traditional psychometric views of intelligence are too limited. Gardner first
outlined his theory in his 1983 book "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple
Intelligences," where he suggested that all people have different kinds of "intelligences."
Gardner proposed that there are eight intelligences, and has suggested the possible addition
of a ninth known as "existentialist intelligence."1

1.Visual-Spatial Intelligence

Strengths: Visual and spatial judgment

People who are strong in visual-spatial intelligence are good at visualizing things. These
individuals are often good with directions as well as maps, charts, videos, and pictures.3

Characteristics of visual-spatial intelligence include:

 Enjoys reading and writing

 Good at putting puzzles together
 Good at interpreting pictures, graphs, and charts
 Enjoys drawing, painting, and the visual arts
 Recognizes patterns easily

If you're strong in visual-spatial intelligence, good career choices for you are:

 Architect
 Artist
 Engineer

2. Linguistic-Verbal Intelligence

Strengths: Words, language, and writing

People who are strong in linguistic-verbal intelligence are able to use words well, both when
writing and speaking. These individuals are typically very good at writing stories,
memorizing information, and reading.

Characteristics of linguistic-verbal intelligence include:

 Good at remembering written and spoken information

 Enjoys reading and writing
  Good at debating or giving persuasive speeches
 Able to explain things well
 Often uses humor when telling stories

If you're strong in linguistic-verbal intelligence, good career choices for you are:

 Writer/journalist
 Lawyer
 Teacher

3.Logical-Mathematical Intelligence

Strengths: Analyzing problems and mathematical operations

People who are strong in logical-mathematical intelligence are good at reasoning, recognizing
patterns, and logically analyzing problems. These individuals tend to think conceptually
about numbers, relationships, and patterns.

Characteristics of logical-mathematical intelligence include:

 Excellent problem-solving skills

 Enjoys thinking about abstract ideas
 Likes conducting scientific experiments
 Good at solving complex computations

If you're strong in logical-mathematical intelligence, good career choices for you are:

 Scientist
 Mathematician
 Computer programmer
 Engineer
 Accountant

4.Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence

Strengths: Physical movement, motor control

Those who have high bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence are said to be good at body movement,
performing actions, and physical control. People who are strong in this area tend to have
excellent hand-eye coordination and dexterity.

Characteristics of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence include:

 Good at dancing and sports

 Enjoys creating things with his or her hands
 Excellent physical coordination
  Tends to remember by doing, rather than hearing or seeing

If you're strong in bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, good career choices for you are:

 Dancer
 Builder
 Sculptor
 Actor

5.Musical Intelligence

Strengths: Rhythm and music

People who have strong musical intelligence are good at thinking in patterns, rhythms, and
sounds. They have a strong appreciation for music and are often good at musical composition
and performance.

Characteristics of musical intelligence include:

 Enjoys singing and playing musical instruments

 Recognizes musical patterns and tones easily
 Good at remembering songs and melodies
 Rich understanding of musical structure, rhythm, and notes

If you're strong in musical intelligence, good career choices for you are:

 Musician
 Composer
 Singer
 Music teacher

6.Interpersonal Intelligence

Strengths: Understanding and relating to other people

Those who have strong interpersonal intelligence are good at understanding and interacting
with other people. These individuals are skilled at assessing the emotions, motivations,
desires, and intentions of those around them.

Characteristics of interpersonal intelligence include:

 Good at communicating verbally

 Skilled at nonverbal communication
 Sees situations from different perspectives
 Creates positive relationships with others
 Good at resolving conflict in groups
If you're strong in interpersonal intelligence, good career choices for you are:

 Psychologist
 Philosopher
 Counselor
 Salesperson
 Politician

7.Intrapersonal Intelligence

Strengths: Introspection and self-reflection

Individuals who are strong in intrapersonal intelligence are good at being aware of their own
emotional states, feelings, and motivations. They tend to enjoy self-reflection and analysis,
including daydreaming, exploring relationships with others, and assessing their personal
strengths.

Characteristics of intrapersonal intelligence include:

 Good at analyzing his or her strengths and weaknesses

 Enjoys analyzing theories and ideas
 Excellent self-awareness
 Clearly understands the basis for his or her own motivations and feelings

If you're strong in intrapersonal intelligence, good career choices for you are:

 Philosopher
 Writer
 Theorist
 Scientist

8.Naturalistic Intelligence

Strengths: Finding patterns and relationships to nature

Naturalistic is the most recent addition to Gardner’s theory and has been met with more
resistance than his original seven intelligences. According to Gardner, individuals who are
high in this type of intelligence are more in tune with nature and are often interested in
nurturing, exploring the environment, and learning about other species. These individuals are
said to be highly aware of even subtle changes to their environments.

Characteristics of naturalistic intelligence include:

 Interested in subjects such as botany, biology, and zoology

 Good at categorizing and cataloging information easily
 May enjoy camping, gardening, hiking, and exploring the outdoors
 Doesn’t enjoy learning unfamiliar topics that have no connection to nature

If you're strong in naturalistic intelligence, good career choices for you are:
  Biologist
 Conservationist
 Gardener
 Farmer

9.EXISTENTIAL OR MORAL INTELLIGENCE

 Also known as spiritual intelligence

 Valuing other people
 Having empathy
 Standing against the crowd,
 Compassion

10. TEACHING- PEDAGOGICAL INTELLIGENCE

Includes the ability to teach well.

CRITICAL READING

• Starting point of good writing

• It means to read something critically

Steps of critical reading are :

• Previewing
• Annotating(making notes on the margin)
• Summarising
• Analysing
• Re reading
• responding

PROBLEM SOLVING

Problems are the obstacles which comes in life. The process of solving these problems are
called problem solving.

PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUES

• ASK questions as many as possible

• Dont believe yourself, examine context instead
• Storm your brains like there is no tommorrow
• Understand the problem
• Devise a plan
• Execute the plan
• Look back or re examine

SIX THINKING HATS

This method was putforward by Edward de Bono. This technique help us analyse and
structure our thought process. Bono says that we are capable of thinking in different styles.
These thinking styles are represented by imaginary hats. Each hat is having different colour.
By mentally wearing and switching hats it is easirer to move from one thinking style to
another. Keep the example of stray cats in mind. In a group it is necessary that everybody
wears the same colour of hat. This will help in parallel thinking and detailed analysis of each
aspect.

ADVANTAGES

1. Reduces time taken for meetings

2. Eliminates personality conflicts in meetings
3. Helps to separate each aspect of the problem.
4. Improves the performance of the team and individuals
5. Helps in preparing for changes
6. Improves clarity and conciseness of communication.
7. Parallel thought is encouraged.

DISADVANTAGES

1. Focus might fall on unworkable ideas.

2. Participants may be unwilling to consider others’ ideas.

WHITE HAT

It is the thinking hat of facts and figures. By wearing white hat we analyse datas and trends
available.

GREEN HAT

It is the hat of creativity.This gives a new solution to the problem.

YELLOW HAT

This is the hat of optimism and positivity. It focuses on the positive side of an idea.

BLACK HAT

It is the hat of caution and critical thinking. It focuses on the negative side and drawbacks of
an idea.

RED HAT

It is the hat of feelings and emotions. By wearing red hat we focus on insights and emotions.

BLUE HAT

It is the hat of process control and big picture. This helps us think whether we approaching
the problem in the right manner. This initiates the discussion, controls it and sums up the
result of a discussion.
MINDMAPPING

Mindmapping is pictorially representing ideas and information. It usually has a central theme
which will be drawn at the centre of a blank page. Major ideas are represented using words.
Each major idea also branches into smaller ideas, themes or facts which are grouped and
placed in a branched hierarchichal structure. Use of colur, images and short keywords enhace
the effectiveness of mindmaps.

ADVANTAGES

• Gives an overview
• Important ideas will be near to the centre
• New informations can be easily incorporated
• Promotes creative thinking
• Helps in concentrating on single idea
• Helps in memorization
• Large amount of information in a single paper

DISADVANTAGES

• Can accomodate only a limited amount of text

• Personalized so another person will not understand
• Preparation is time consuming
• Active participation is required to retrieve information
• Not suitable for new subjects

TOOLS

• Blank paper, sketch pens, colour pensils

• White boards, black boards, markers
• Post it notes of different colours
• Mind mapping apps and software

RULES

• Start at the centre of a paper

• If possible represent the idea with a picture
• Use colours
• Make branches curved not straight
• Only one keyword per line
• Images can be used at all levels
• Develop your own style

FORCED CONNECTIONS

Forced connections are based on the brain’s ability to link two disparate items -such as
words, objects , feelings, and ideas- and then use the new language generated by the linkages
to think through the problem. It is called Forced Connections because it relies on random
external triggers that force people to make a connection between the problem at hand and the
trigger. These triggers cause people to broaden their perspective. Triggers such as whimsical
items (cards, toys, photos, etc.) might help to generate ideas by forcing an association
between whatever objects they have chosen and the problem or situation they are working on.
Like brainstorming, forced connections are particularly useful when your group is blocked
while trying to generate new ideas or to solve problems. In these circumstances it is usually
imperative to introduce external triggers to get people thinking in new ways.

ANALYTICAL THINKING

Analytical thinking is a critical component of visual thinking that gives one the ability to
solve problems quickly and effectively. It involves a methodical step-by-step approach to
thinking that allows you to break down complex problems into single and manageable
components. Analytical thinking involves the process of gathering relevant information and
identifying key issues related to this information. This type of thinking also requires you to
compare sets of data from different sources; identify possible cause and effect patterns, and
draw appropriate conclusions from these datasets in order to arrive at appropriate solutions.
The three steps of analytical thinking are :

1. Gather information

2. Identify issues and problems

3. Organise information.

SCIENTIFIC TEMPERAMENT AND LOGICAL THINKING

 Scientific temper refers to an attitude of logical and rational thinking. An individual is

considered to have scientific temper if he employs a scientific method of decision-
making in everyday life. The term was coined by India’s first Prime Minister,
Jawaharlal Nehru, in his book 'The Discovery of India'.

 Nehru believed that scientific temper would play a crucial role in the nation’s socio-
economic development. The government at that period adopted various measures to
inculcate scientific temper in a society ridden with superstitions and social evils like
female infanticide and sati.

It is a way of life (defined in this context as an individual and social process of thinking and
acting) which uses the scientific method and which may, consequently, include
questioning, observing physical reality, testing, hypothesizing, analysing, and communicating
(not necessarily in that order). "Scientific temper" describes an attitude which involves the
application of logic.