Creativity and Critical Thinking

Creative thinking is not just for inventors and artists, thinking creatively is about challenging assumptions, and making connections - a synthesis of ideas that often leads to something new. In a recent half-day Pathways session entitled Creativity and Critical Thinking, participants were introduced to a number of activities to help them practice creative and critical thinking.

One of the activities included a challenge to the participants to come up with a strategy to advance one of the four cornerstones presented in Dare to Discover: A Vision for a Great University. Each table group selected two random objects from “Jim & Dale’s Box of Goodies”. The challenge was to use the objects as a catalyst for discussions, and to identify a target audience for their strategy on the assigned D2D theme. And what a lively discussion it was!

It was a fun and challenging exercise that encouraged people to stretch their thinking boundaries. Tools introduced earlier in the session, such as Edward de Bono’s “6 Thinking Hats” were helpful to spark new insights and possibilities. Some of the ideas that our participants came up with included the following:  



Cornerstone; Learning, Discovery, and Citizenship
D2D Theme; CREATE an exceptional and life-changing university experience for students through curricular and extra-curricular offerings that integrate learning, discovery, and citizenship to develop the intellect and the imagination, educate leaders, and enhance a global perspective.  
Strategy; create student practicums and extracurricular activities that reach out and connect to the city’s homeless and others in need of assistance within the scope of health and wellness.

Cornerstone; Transformative Organization and Support 
D2DTheme; BUILD, enhance, and maintain classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and museums, as well as athletic, social, and residential facilities to provide a transformative university experience.
Strategy; students were to be selected from the campus community to capture their “key spaces” on campus with digital photographs. They would mark their spaces in such a way that they could articulate what made these spaces special and meaningful to them. In their documentary they would pay particular attention to how more of these spaces could be created, and what improvements could be made to enhance them in some way.

We hope that in some small way, this Pathways session lives up to something attributed to Albert Einstein; “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.”

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