Criticalthinking &

CreativeProblem
Solving

By
Pr. Moustapha Achoui
[email protected]
 Course Description
• This course introduces to the students the
following topics:
- Brain’s structure and functions.
- Creativity process and problem solving.
- Critical thinking and critical skills.
- Barriers to creativity.
- Barriers to critical thinking
 Learning objectives
1. Understanding the brain main structure.
2. Understanding the brain main functions:
A. Left brain functions: upper and lower
sides.
B. Right brain functions: upper and lower
sides.
3. Be familiar with the:
“The Four-Quadrant Brain Model of
Thinking Preferences” (Whole Brain).
 Continue
4. To be familiar with the “Whole Brain”
Concept.
5. To be able to implement the whole brain
concept in practicing critical thinking & creativity.
6. To understand the creativity process and skills.
7. To understand critical thinking concept and skills.
8. To improve your creativity and critical thinking and
skills.
9. To understand barriers to creativity.
10. To be able to detect creativity barriers and
overcome them.
 Introduction
• Why this course for ENSIA students?
• The importance of skills of future
employment.
• The World is competing for Human
Resources and natural resources.
• Human resources are more important.
 International reports about the
importance of soft skills

• Foundation for Young Australians (2016). -

- Big data analysis reveals the skills young
people need for the New Work Order.
http://www.fya.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/The-New-Basics_Web_Final.pdf

• The “Enterprise Skills” for future work are:

Problem Solving skills, Communication skills,
Digital skills, Team Work skills, Critical Thinking
skills, Creativity skills and Finance skills.
 Continued
• The World Economic Forum Report in
2016:
• The Future Jobs: Employment, Skills and
Workforce Strategy for the Fourth Industrial
Revolution.
• Changing the educational systems.
• https://reports.weforum.org/future-of-jobs-
2016/
 Brain Structure & Functions
- Relationship between the brain & skills.

- Learning is neuron connections.

- What is the structure of the human brain?

- What are the functions of the human brain?

 Neurons

• The brain is consisted of billions of neurons

• Neurons are brain cells.

• How much of our brain we use?

• Don’t forget the heart !!

The Four-Quadrant Brain Model
of Thinking

• Brain as a structure, and functions.

12
 The Four-Quadrant Brain Model
of Thinking Preferences

- Dr. Sperry won the Noble prize on 1981 on the functions

of the brain.
- Neuro-psychology has found that for most people:
1- Mathematical and verbal thinking are in the left
hemisphere.

2- Spatial, holistic and imaginative thinking is in the right

hemisphere.

- In 1986, Hermann observed that the brain is a

specialized organ.
 The Concept of Brain Dominance

- The two halves of the brain are not used by People in the
same way and with the same frequency.
- People develop dominance: Left brain dominance / right
brain dominance.
- People use their dominant mode when they need to solve
a problem or learn something new.
1- Left Brain approach depends on: Solving a problem
analytically by looking at facts & numbers and putting
everything into a logical formula or sequential procedure.
2- Right Brain approach depends on: Searching patterns
and images involving sensory impressions in order to get
an intuitive understanding of the whole problem.
 The whole Brain
Concept
- Develop the whole brain thinking in order to
be:
❖ More critical (upper left brain),
❖ More creative (upper right brain),
❖ More sympathetic: emotional intelligence
(lower right brain).
❖ More organized & punctual (lower left
brain).
 Brain Dominance &
Performance Effectiveness

- For more effectiveness in education both abilities

should be encouraged and balanced.

- Faculty and students, for example, should be trained how

to use and integrate these abilities for the “Whole-
Brain” thinking, and creative problem solving.

* Discussion: Does our educational system

encourage the left or the right brain
approach?
 Brain Dominance &
Performance Effectiveness

- Remember that the brain is divided to the right and left

hemispheres.

- These two structures contain 80% of the brain.

- The primary mental processes in these hemispheres

include:
Vision, hearing, body sensation, intentional motor control,
reasoning, conscious thinking and decision making,
language and nonverbal visualization, imagination and
idea synthesis.
 How the “Four-Quadrant Model”
relates to the physical brain?

- Herrmann noted that:

Thinking preferences seemed to fall into 4 clusters, not 2
clusters.
- In assessing over half a million people, Hermann has
found that:
* 7% have a single dominance.

* 60% have a double dominance.

* 30% have a triple dominance.

* 3% have a quadruple dominance.

 The Quadrant A thinking

1- Characteristics:
Factual, analytical, logical, critical.

2- Preferred subjects:
Arithmetic, algebra, calculus, sciences & technology.

3- Careers:
Engineers, computer scientists, bankers.

4- Culture:
Achievement oriented, performance driven.
 Exercises to develop
quadrant A thinking
• Collect data and information about a
particular subject or problem.
• Organize the collected information logically
into categories.
• Develop graphs, flowcharts, and outlines from
data and information.
• Take a broken small appliance apart: find out
about the function of each part.
• Play chess, do logic puzzles or games.
 Continue
• Learn how to use an analytical software
package or program on your computer.
• Exercise:
• Play “devil’s advocate” in a decision
process about a problem.
• What did we learn from this exercise?
 The Quadrant B thinking

1- Characteristics:
Organized, structured, sequential, planned, Detailed.

2- Subjects preferred:
Law, management, Military.

3- Careers:
Bureaucrats, administrators, planners, bookkeepers,
Military Jobs.

4- Culture:
Traditional, production oriented, bureaucratic, reliable.
 Exercises to develop
quadrant B thinking
• Learn a new habit through planning and
self-discipline.
• Plan a project by writing down each step in
detail; then do it.
• Assemble a model kit by instruction.
 Continue
• Exercise & Homework:
• Set up a filing system for your activities (A
week activity/plan).
• Organize your desk or clothes closet.
• Be exactly on time all day.
• Learn time management skills.
• Homework:
• Develop a personal budget, then keep it for
a week or a month.
 The Quadrant C thinking

1- Characteristics:
Sensory, emotional, people-oriented.

2- Subjects preferred:
Social Sciences, music, drama.

3- Careers:
Teachers, nurses, social workers.

4- Culture:
Humanistic, cooperative, spiritual, value-oriented, feeling-
oriented.
 Exercises to develop
quadrant C thinking
• Get together with a friend; share your
feelings about a topic or issue.
• In conversation, spend most of the time
listening to the other person.
• Play with a small child the way he or she
wants to play.
 Continue
• Become a volunteer in an activity.
• Explore your spirituality. Read about faith
and religion.
• Enjoy a walk in nature.
• Create a mood in your room.
• Make time for family meals and celebrations.
• Practice artistic activities
• Exercise:
• Think about what other people (parents) have
done for you and find ways to thank them.
 The Quadrant D thinking

1- Characteristics:
Visual, holistic, innovative, creative.

2- Subjects preferred:
Arts, geometry, design, poetry & architecture.

3- Careers:
Artists, entrepreneur, researchers.

4- Culture:
Explorative, inventive, entrepreneurial, future-oriented.
Continue
 Exercises to develop
quadrant D thinking
• Look at the big picture, not the details, of a problem or issue.
• Exercise:
• Make a study of a trend, and prepare at least three
scenarios.
• Exercise:
• Ask what-if question about an issue, and come up
with many different answers.
• Allow yourself to daydream.
• Make sketches to help you memorize material that
you are learning.
 Continue
• When solving problems, find two or three
different ways to do them.
▪ Solve problems that require brain storming;
find at least ten possible answers.
▪ Learn to paint, draw and sketch.
▪ Exercise: Design a plane, for example, and
fly it.
▪ Take as many as photos of a seen, try unusual shots.
▪ Imagine yourself in 2030/2050/2070.
▪ Homework: Create a logo for your your future own company/school.
Simple Model
 Exercise
• Put your own images on the Quadrant
Thinking Brain Model.
 Hermann’s Brain Dominance
Instrument (HBDI)
• A system to measure and describe
thinking preferences in people, developed
by William "Ned" Herrmann while leading
management education at General Electric's
Crotonville facility (USA).
 Continue
• The HBDI® Test is a powerful psychometric
assessment that defines and describes the degree to
which we Think in the four quadrants of the
Whole Brain® Model.
• HBDI Tests indicate the way we Think by
understanding how you and your team members
think means you can make decisions, solve
problems, communicate work with and manage
others far more effectively.
Example
 HBID in Companies
The world’s largest organizations
trust Herrmann Model.
More than 2 million people from 97% of Fortune 100 companies
have used Whole
Brain® Thinking to improve productivity, innovation, collaboration,
and inclusion.
 Organizational Implications

1- It was found that people are more effective when their

activities match their thinking preferences.

-Brain preference is not equal competence.

2- Competency is achieved through: Motivating, Training

& Practicing.

3- Many organizations/Universities tend to be entrenched

in quadrant B thinking: Bureaucratic & conservative
systems ?!

Discussion
What do you think about our universities?
 Exercises
• What is your mindset?
• Draw a map of your thinking quadrants
from the strongest quadrant to the less
strong (put numbers in sequence).
• What are your most dominant quadrants?
 Critical Thinking
and
Creativity

1- Creativity is mainly in quadrant D.

2- Critical Thinking is mainly in quadrant A.

3- Both Critical Thinking and Creativity should be

developed.
4- The Goal of this course is to develop the whole
brain thinking and problem solving.
The whole Brain = A + B + C + D
 How to develop
creative problem solving?
• What is a Problem?

• How do you solve a problem creatively?

 Continue
• A problem is not only something that is not
working right or well.
• A problem is anything that could be made
different or better through some change or
development.
• A problem has two aspects:
• a) It can involve a difficulty or (danger).
• b) It can represent an opportunity or a
(challenge) even when there is a danger
(when it is over).
 Continue
• Mathematics courses for example,
provide some training in analytical
thinking.
• It is estimated that 80% of problems in
life need to be approached, and solved
with creative thinking.
• Most students are not trained in
developing critical thinking & creative
problem solving .
• Creative thinking is not taught in our
schools and universities.
 Continue

• Looking to a complex problem from

different angles.

• Looking to a problem from different

mindsets (Whole Brain) .
 Teams & Problem Solving
• Organizations use teams for creative
problem solving.

• Diversity = different mindsets + males +

females +++…
 What is creative problem
solving?
• - Creative problem solving involves three
types of thinking:
• a) Analytical thinking.
• b) Critical thinking.
• C) Creative thinking.
 What is Creative Thinking?

• CT is the ability to generate new ideas.

• CT is playing with imagination and

different possibilities, then making new and
meaningful connections while interacting
with ideas, people, and environment
(physical and social environments).
 Steps of Creative Problem
Solving

• CPS is a sequence of successive phases of

divergent thinking, followed by
convergent thinking.

• Use the whole brain concept in order to

use both divergent and convergent
thinking.
 Divergent Thinking
• Divergent thinking is a thought process or
method used to generate creative ideas by
exploring many possible solutions.

• It typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-

flowing, "non-linear" manner, such that many
ideas are generated.
• Look for totally new ideas/solutions.
 Continue

• Examples:

• Open ended questions.

• Brainstorming technique.
What is divergent thinking?
 Exercises
• 1 + 1 = 11, 3, train rail, etc….
• 4 + 4 = 8, 12 etc……
• Written exercises:
• How many ways you can use a fork?
• If you are in a foreign country without
money, what to do to survive?
(Generate at least five solutions).
 What is Convergent Thinking?
• Convergent thinking occurs when the solution
to a problem can be deduced by applying
established rules and logical reasoning.

• This type of reasoning involves solving a

problem within the context of known
information, data, facts, and narrowing down
the solution based on logical inference.
Convergent Thinking
 Examples
• Multiple choice exams (one write answer).

• Classical mathematical solutions.

• 5 + 5 = 10
- Divergent and Convergent thinking are used in steps
with different mindsets:
a) The explorer and detective for problem definition;

b) The artist for idea generation;

c) The engineer for creative idea evaluation, and

synthesis;

d) The judge for idea judgement and decision making;

e) The producer for putting the best solutions into

action.
 The Creative Process
❖The Whole Brain Creativity and Innovation
model shows how specialized thinking modes
are allocated to the four quadrants.

❖The creative process consists of six phases:

interest, preparation, incubation, illumination,
verification and application.
❖Each step of this process has its own
characteristic brain waves.
 Continue
• From a left brain/right brain perspective, the
creative process can be diagnosed as
follows:
• Interest (left and right), preparation (left),
incubation (right), illumination (right),
verification (left) application (left and
right).

• It is a balanced process--four "lefts" and

four "rights."
 What is Critical Thinking?

• Critical thinking refers to evaluating

information, and then making a decision
based on the fact & findings.
• Critical Thinking is mainly in the left brain
(using logic).
• Critical thinking is what helps
employees/students make decisions that solve
problems based on logic and evidence.
 Critical Thinking

• Critical thinking is asking for evidence (s).

• Selecting the best evidence(s).
• Example: Myth About using 10% or less
of our brain !!
• Read: the Brain: 10 percent and Counting.
Eric Chudler, Ph.D.
• The number of neurons in our brain is
another debatable issue. 100 or 86 Billions:
more or less ?
• What is important: the number or using?
 Critical Thinking Skills
• 1- Analytical skill
• 2- Induction skill
• 3- Deduction skill
• 4- Inference skill
• 5- Evaluation skill
 What are the Analytical Skills?
• The ability to collect and analyse
information, solve problems, and make a
decision(s).

• Analytical skills are soft skills that help you

identify and solve complex problems.

• Some popular analytical skills include:

critical thinking, data analysis, research and
communication.
 Analytical Thinking
• 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 solution(s).
 The Process of the
Analytical skill
1. Identifying a topic, problem or issue
2. Gathering information through testing and
observation.
3. Developing solutions or deepening your
understanding of the topic
4. Testing solutions or new ideas based on
what you’ve learned.
5. Post-analysis, or reviewing what solutions
worked, to assess and apply your new
knowledge.
How to improve your Analytical
Skills?
• Practice key analytical skills in your current role.
• Take classes that emphasize the use of analytical skills.
• Participate in activities that require the use of analytical
skills such as team sports, games or reading.
• Seek advice or mentorship from professionals in your field
or desired industry.
• Conduct research on best practices for your industry.
• Improve your subject-matter knowledge, which is essential
to faster problem-solving.
• Take on leadership roles that require the use of critical
analytical skills
Analytical Thinking Skills
 Inductive Reasoning Skill

• Beginning with specific observations and

measures,
• Detect patterns and regularities,
• Formulate some tentative hypotheses that
we can explore,
• Finally end up developing some general
conclusions or theories.
Inductive Reasoning Skill
 How to improve
your inductive skills?

• Ask the students and discuss.

 Deductive Reasoning Skill
• It starts from the more general to the more
specific.
• We might begin with thinking up a theory about
our topic of interest.
• We then narrow that down into more
specific hypotheses that we can test.
• We narrow down even further when we
collect observations to address the hypotheses.
• This leads us to be able to test the hypotheses with
specific data – a confirmation (or not) of our
original theories.
Deductive Reasoning Skill
 How to improve
your deductive skills?

• Ask the students and discuss.

 Inference Skill
• Inference: A conclusion made based on
observation/evidence and reasoning.
Evidence + Reasoning = Inference.

We use reason/logic to form inferences:

conclusions drawn from assumptions that are
supposed to be true.
 What is the Inference Skill?
• An inference is the process of reasoning from
what we think is true to what else is true.

• Example:
• If there were 5 chairs originally in room A,
and only three used in this room, and the two
remaining chairs were put into room B, then
we know that there are two chairs in room
B.
 Inference

• The assumption is that room B was empty.

• Logic is not always equal to truth.

 How to improve your
inference skill?
• Homework
 What is the Evaluation Skill?
• To evaluate, or ‘critically’ evaluate is to
reach a conclusion, through a process of
critical thinking, about the value, or
‘soundness’ of an argument.
• Critical analysis is a key activity in
evaluation.
• Evaluation is about weighing up the
strengths and weaknesses of an argument in
order to decide its value.
• Acceptable or not acceptable !
 How to improve
critical thinking?
• According to Brian Oshiro (educator and
teacher trainer), CC might be developed by
the following steps:
1. Go beyond “what?” — and ask “how?”
and “why?”

2. Follow it up with asking “How do you

know this?”
 continue

3. Prompt the students to think about how

their perspective may differ from other
people’s perspective.

4. Finally, ask the students how to solve a

problem critically and creatively.
Make sure referring to: “Creative problem
solving”.
 Brain Storming Technique
• State the problem.
• Generate as many solutions as possible.
• Wild/strange ideas are encouraged
(Divergent thinking).
• No criticism is allowed.
• No one best solution/no laughing !!
• Judgement/evaluation is deferred until later.
• Chose the best answer/answers/solutions.
• Implement the best answer(s)/solution(s).
 Brain Storming Methods

• There are many brain storming methods:

• Verbal Brain Storming: The artist Mindset.

• Written Brain Storming

• Delphi technique
 Brain Storming
• Exercise:

• In small groups formulate a real problem,

and try to find as much as solutions to it.
 Barriers to Critical Thinking
• 1. Egocentric Thinking
• 2. Groupthink
• 3. Drone Mentality
• 4. Social Conditioning
• 5. Biased Experiences
• 6. Schedule Pressures
• 7. Arrogance and Intolerance
• 8. Using Emotions Instead of Logic
 Egocentric Thinking

• Egocentric thinking refers to an inability

of a person to see a situation or event from
another person's point of view.
• Example: In groups’ discussions, people
tend to exaggerate their own importance.
Each person sees themselves as having
more impact on the opinions of others than
is the case.
 Drone Mentality
• A pattern of not paying attention to the
world, people or surroundings.
• Symptoms include:
• • Working through daily tasks without
thinking,
• Shying away from new challenges or
problems. Without a conscious effort it is
easy to loose critical thinking skills.
 Social Conditioning

• The sociological process of training

individuals in a society to act or respond in
a manner generally approved by the society in
general and peer groups . (A la Mode) !

• Example: The behaviors of children, as they

imitate family members, friends, famous figures
and even television characters.
 Biased Experiences

• Experience bias may occur when we forget

that our truth is not always the only option.
It might happened during a time of instant
and constant collaboration, ...
• It hinders objective solutions or decisions.
 Schedule Pressures
• It refers to the shortness of working time
that was originally allocated to a schedule to
perform some work.

• It signifies a situation when assigned

employees have to perform the same
amount of work over a shortened period of
time caused by time pressure.
• We have to finish it now or today !!
Arrogance and Intolerance
 Using Emotions Instead of
Logic
• I like you but I fail you in the exam !!
• The story of my student…
 Continue
• 9. Fear of Failure or Change

• 10. Assumptions without evidence

• 11. Not Knowing What’s Fact and

• Opinion

• 12. Popularity fallacy

 How to overcome
critical thinking barriers?

• Homework?
• Provide examples from you culture and
environment for critical thinking barriers,
and how to solve them.
Overcoming Mental Barriers to

Creative Thinking

94
 Mental Blocks
❖ False assumptions:
a) “An intelligent mind is a good thinker”.

b) “Play is frivolous” (No serious value).

 c) “Creativity cannot be taught or

 learned”.
- d) Humor: Humor reduces tension,
stress and monotony.

95
 How to Cure False
Assumptions?
❖ Get facts.

Use quadrant A thinking: Critical & Analytical.

Learn to play with ideas.

❖ Practice quadrant D thinking.

- What-if by playing with possibilities.
- What if by using computer.
❖ Implement creativity and Whole-Brain thinking into
your life.
 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking

• Habits: Example
•

Mental block 1: There is only one right

answer to a question.
Example: 4 + 4 = ?
Mental block 2: Looking at a problem
in isolation.
 Attitudes/Emotions/Feelings
Attitudes and emotions can be serious
barriers to creative thinking because they
are difficult to deal with and to change.

Negative attitudes are obstacle to

creativity.

✓Negative emotions may hinder creativity.

✓Negative feelings may become obstacles.

Solution: Improvements in quadrant C

thinking are required.
 Other Blocks

➢ Mental block 1: “Negative thinking”.

➢ Mental block 2: “Risk avoidance or fear of

failure”.
 Continue

➢Mental block 3: “Discomfort with

ambiguity”.

➢Culture & Uncertainty avoidance

 Other blocks

• Stress: Burn out

• Cultural barriers: religion, language,
traditions….
• Proverbs: Mental short cut.
• Fanatic beliefs.