Problem Solving and

Module 18 Creativity

INTRODUCTION

The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking is a test of creativity that was created by Ellis Paul Torrance. The
test originally involved simple tests of divergent thinking and other problem-solving skills, which were
scored on four scales: Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, and Elaboration. The third edition of the Torrance
Tests of Creative Thinking in 1984 eliminated the Flexibility scale from the figural test, but added
Resistance to Premature Closure and Abstractness of Titles as two new criterion-referenced scores on the
figural. With the five norm-referenced measures that he now had (fluency, originality, abstractness of
titles, elaboration and resistance to premature closure), he added 13 criterion-referenced measures which
include: emotional expressiveness, story-telling articulateness, movement or actions, expressiveness of
titles, syntheses of incomplete figures, synthesis of lines, of circles, unusual visualization, extending or
breaking boundaries, humor, richness of imagery, colorfulness of imagery, and fantasy. According to
Torrance, the most systematic assessment of creativity in elementary school children has been conducted
by Torrance and his associates, who have developed and administered the Minnesota Tests of Creative
Thinking, which was later renamed as the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, to several thousands of
school children. The tests represent a fairly sharp departure from the factor type tests developed by
Guilford and his associates, and they also differ from the battery developed by Wallach and Kogan, which
contains measures representing creative tendencies that are similar in nature.

OBJECTIVES

In this Module, challenge yourself to attain the following learning outcomes:

 Explain the four Criteria of Creativity by Torrance.

 Practice Creative Thinking.

 Apply these lessons in problem solving skills.

ABSTRACTION
Edward Paul Torrance

Known as the “Father of Creativity” for his nearly 60 years of research that became the framework for
the field of gifted education.

He was professor emeritus of educational psychology

He invited the benchmark method for quantifying creativity.

Torrance Framework for Creative Thinking

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

Fluency

- Fluency refers to the production of a great number of ideas or alternate solutions to a problem.
Fluency implies understanding, not just remembering information that is learned.

Key words

Compare, convert, count, define, describe, explain, identify, label, list, match, name, outline, paraphrase,
predict, summarize.

Application activities

Trace a picture and label the parts.

Outline an article you find on your topic.

How many uses can you think of for a clothes hanger?

List 15 things that are commonly red contain red.

Example: Apple, blood, brick, caboose, cherry, Christmas stocking, exit sign,

fire alarm, flag, heart, red nose reindeer, rose, tomato, wagon.

Flexibility

- Flexibility refers to the production of ideas that show a variety of possibilities or realms of
thought. It involves the ability to see things from different points of view, to use many different
approaches or strategies.
Key words

Change, demonstrate, distinguish, employ, extrapolate, interpolate, interpret, predict.

Application ideas

What would happen if ... there were no automobiles?

How would a ... dog look to a flea?

like

How would you feel if ... you were invisible for a day?

How would you group the ideas about "red" into categories?

Example: Fruit, safety features, vehicles.

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

Elaboration

- Elaboration is the process of enhancing ideas by providing more details. Additional detail and
clarity improve interest in and understanding of the topic.

Key words

Appraise, critique, determine, evaluate, grade, judge, measure, select, test.

Application ideas

Tell your neighbor about your last family trip using as many details as possible

What can you add to improve its quality or performance?

Describe all the possible characteristics of the red quality in a wagon.

Example: Shade, finish, texture, uniformity.

Originality

- Originality involves the production of ideas that are unique or unusual. It involves synthesis or
putting information about a topic back together in a new way.

Key words
Compose, create, design, generate, integrate, modify, rearrange, reconstruct,

reorganize, revise,

Application ideas

Find an original use for

What would be the strangest way to get out of bed?

Design a new

that is better than the one you have.

Write an unusual title for the ideas about red.

Example: Revolutionary "Red" Representation.

creative problem solving (CPS).

Creative Problem Solving

(Overall View of the Report)

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is an intentional process for solving problems and discovering
opportunities. This exposes the of use of creativity in coming up with solutions which are not only novel
but practical.

• Alex Osborn (1950’s) described this process in his book, “Applied Imagination”. He opened the
process in the public domain which meant anyone can use it.

 Osborn’s Checklist, the origin of Classical Brainstorming is the root of creative problem solving.

 It has six stages in its most extended and formalized form, each with a divergent and a
convergent phase.

Brief Skeleton of a Very Rich Process by Van Gundy (1988)

1. Stage 1: Mess finding: Sensitive yourself (scan, search) for issues (concerns, challenges, opportunities,
etc.) that need to be tackled.

• Divergent techniques include ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice If’ (WIBNI) and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Awful If’
(WIBAI) – brainstorming to identify desirable outcomes, and obstacles to be overcome.
• Convergent techniques include the identification of hotspots (Highlighting), expressed as a list of
IWWMs (‘In What Ways Might…’), and selection in terms of ownership criteria (e.g. problem-owner’s
motivation and ability to influence it) and outlook criteria (e.g. urgency, familiarity, stability).

2. Stage 2: Data finding: Gather information about the problem.

o Divergent techniques include Five Ws and H (Who, Why, What, When, Where and How) and
listing of wants, sources and data: List all your information ‘wants’ as a series of question; for each, list
possible sources of answers; then follow these up and for each source, list what you found.

o Convergent techniques again include identifying hotspots; Mind-mapping to sort and classify the
information gathered; and restating the problem in the light of your richer understanding of it.

3. Stage 3: Problem finding: convert a fuzzy statement of the problem into a broad statement more
suitable for idea finding.
o Divergent techniques include asking ‘Why?’ etc. – the repeatable questions and Five W's and H.
o Convergent techniques include Highlighting again, reformulation of problem-statements to meet the
criteria that they contain only one problem and no criteria, and selection of the most promising statement
(but NB that the mental ‘stretching’ that the activity gives to the participants can be as important as the
actual statement chosen).
4. Stage 4: Idea Finding: generate as many ideas as possible
o Divergence using any of a very wide range of idea-generating techniques. The general rules of Classic
Brainstorming (such as deferring judgement) are likely to under-pin all of these.
o Convergence can again involve hotspots or mind-mapping, the combining of different ideas, and the
short-listing of the most promising handful, perhaps with some thought for the more obvious evaluation
criteria, but not over-restrictively.
5. Stage 5: Solution finding: Generate and select obvious evaluation criteria (using an
expansion/contraction cycle) and develop (which may include combining) the short-listed ideas from Idea
Finding as much as you can in the light of these criteria. Then opt for the best of these improved ideas
(e.g. using Comparison tables).

6. Stage 6: Acceptance finding: How can the suggestion you have just selected be made up to standard
and put into practice? Shun negativity and continue to apply deferred judgement – problems are exposed
to be solved, not to dishearten progress. Action plans are better developed in small groups of 2 – 3
rather than in a large group (unless you particularly want commitment by the whole group). Particularly
for ‘people’ problems it is often worth developing several alternative action plans.