Digital Commons Network^™

Two Identities Two Impostors One Student, Randy Valdez

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Imposter Syndrome is a well-known psychological phenomenon characterized by a persistent feeling of inadequacy despite evidence of competence and success. While current research has identified five types of Impostor Syndrome, This synthesis offers the existence of an additional impostor type. This study aims to investigate the existence of "Impostor Two-Two-One” (ITTO), where college students coming from underrepresented backgrounds develop multiple social identities in which each social identity carries different fears of being exposed as a fraud or impostor. Data was collected in the form of structured interviews with students who identify as a combination of first-generation, low-income, and students of …

A Framework For Introducing And Sustaining Play At Work, Hans A. Helgeson

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper presents a framework for introducing and sustaining play at work, focusing on its impact on creativity, problem solving, team performance, psychological safety, and organizational change. The author explores the concept of playfulness in a work setting and its potential to foster divergent thinking. Drawing on a real-life scenario involving a team of high school students participating in a Destination Imagination challenge, the paper highlights the role of play and risk-taking in problem-solving processes. The study emphasizes the importance of creating an environment that encourages play and experimentation while maintaining a sense of safety and support. The findings suggest …

Greatness Restored: The Development Of An Alternative To Suspension Program, Matthew Jose

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

I have been fortunate enough to work with at-risk children within the youth services and education fields for over 20 years now and through this experience I have learned much about the successes and difficulties that these young people face as they navigate life and work their way toward adulthood. An at-risk youth is a child who, because of various life circumstances, is less likely to transition successfully into adulthood. This success could include in the academic realm, job readiness as well as the ability to become financially independent as an adult. In working directly with these students and their …

Reimagining Information Literacy Instruction Through Faculty Development, Erin Mccoy

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper explores a unique approach to information literacy instruction by designing a curriculum map that provides consistent opportunities for faculty to engage with ideas surrounding critical thinking, metacognition, scaffolding instruction, and implementing information literacy teaching tools within their classroom. This map outlines a comprehensive approach to faculty development that addresses the dissatisfaction in information literacy instruction among academic librarians, particularly with the one-shot model and the lack of assessment opportunities of students’ information literacy skills. Using action research, the author explores the reason for this dissatisfaction and how it be addressed. Through interviews with other campus departments like online …

Building Constructive Interpersonal Communication Skills In Military Professionals: Generating A Culture Of Trust, April L. Baptiste Robertson

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Trust and open communication are interdependent and as a post 9/11 career Army leader, I have witnessed what appears to be the erosion of both within the military ranks. Military quality of life and mental health issues are on the rise, with compliance and prevention programs appearing to be less than impactful solutions. The resulting effects of which is a loss of trust and confidence in leadership. The research and findings presented within this synthesis strongly indicate that targeted training on interpersonal communication skills and counseling would simultaneously foster leader development and underpin a culture of trust and open communication. …

Systems Thinking: The Organisation As A Living System, Kate Mills

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Systems thinking is a paradigm that challenges the dominant paradigm of linear, or mechanistic thinking. It is a paradigm based on the perspective that everything in a system is inter-connected and interrelated and that the interplay of components in the system creates an emergent quality with its own behaviour and characteristics. Systems thinking as such is suited to be used for analysis of organisations, as organisations can be seen as a system where the interplay of its components create emergent qualities such as the culture of the organisation. Within systems thinking there are living and non-living systems. Living systems, such …

Growing Together: Personal Reflection And Understanding Can Foster Team Development, Rachael Layne

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper describes my journey through the CCT program and how it impacted me as an individual, as an officer in the Air Force, as well as those with whom I interact on a regular basis. I explore the concepts of creative problem-solving, dialogue processes, reflective practices, and research and engagement and how they enabled me to be a better leader. These topics oscillate between introspective ideas and self-development to focusing on how a better understanding of one’s self will allow for a better understanding of group and team dynamics. The final portion of the paper describes the culmination of …

Applying Critical Thinking Skills For Successful Pilot Projects, Shawna Flaherty

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Piloting is an approach that can be used when introducing a desired change. It allows for smaller scale trial and leaves room for modification prior to full implementation. When applicable, this approach can be a proactive way to avoiding any potential issues or conflicts relating to the change. As a graduate student in the Critical and Creative Thinking program at UMass Boston, I have explored the concept of pilot projects for three years, planning and implementing, and revising 3 pilot projects. These pilot projects include: Meeting of the Mind’s, a space in which members of the community are invited to …

Real World Application Of Cct Tools: How Reflection, Dialogue Processes And Action Research Were Used To Promote Organizational Change And Student Success In Re-Engagement Work, Kayla D. Faust

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

I started the CCT program while also beginning a new role as a Dropout Recovery Specialist, working in partnership with a local school district. I work with students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out explore alternative options to finish their high school diploma or an equivalent. As the newest member of the center, the transition into a new organization created an internal struggle in finding my place. I was also seeing opportunities to improve current routines and practices as demands from district partners were increasing. Overwhelmed by the challenges before me, I was struggling to …

Developing A New College Course: A Journey Using Applied Critical And Creative Thinking Towards Philosophy, Decision Making, And Possibilities, Myra W. Mcwethy

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

In recent years, certain events made me question the lack of training and preparation that many young adults have as they unsteadily exit high school (and even college) unable, and sometimes unwilling, to make real life/real world decisions.

This paper explores my journey through a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts - Boston in Critical and Creative Thinking, ending with a fully realized template for a brand new college 100/200 level course, tentatively titled: Philosophy: Making Better Decisions.

I start with the specific impetus that set me on my path: a “rotten decision” made by three co-workers that collided …

Sharing Wondrous Stories Of This Place: A Garrison School Website For The Wider Community, Jill Corson Lake

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This thesis project, composed of a product and a paper, addresses the 185-acre Garrison School Forest owned by the Garrison School, a public K-8 school in Garrison, New York. The Hudson Highlands Land Trust (HHLT) proposes to purchase conservation rights from the school district to preserve the school forest in perpetuity. The HHLT proposal includes a gift of 100 acres of adjacent land that affords easier, safer access to the school forest. The thesis product is www.gufsee.org, a 52-page environmental education website created to provide teachers with resources to help them teach in the school forest on Forest Fridays. …

Managing From The Middle, Lisa Williams

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

How can middle managers successfully improve work conditions and performance of their staff as part of becoming a better manager? This synthesis reviews relevant literature to develop five key principles in my argument: Motivation is the key, the change process begins with me, change is an ongoing and fluid process, middle managers have a need for team and middle managers play different roles during team building. I have also developed a handy booklet for the middle manager to use in changing their management style, which is included as Appendix. The booklet first briefly explains the principles. It then discusses four …

Building A Learning Community For Dental Hygiene Faculty, Nancy Baccari

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Have you ever felt isolated in your work environment that left you feeling perplexed and stuck only to find out that colleagues felt the same way you did but had no idea to work around it? Through this practioner’s narrative, I journey through my struggle of teacher isolation to my action plan to make it better. Finding a way to identify my feelings, strengths and weaknesses and move towards change to improve my own work environment describes my experience in the Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) graduate program. This new awareness changed the way I see myself as a leader …

Creative Consciousness: Becoming A Reflective Designer, Renessa Ciampa Brewer

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

As a graphic designer, I was drawn to the CCT Program in part because I desired to strengthen my thinking skills as a creative professional. Through being reflective, I aimed to “get more in touch” with my process to better understand it and see how I might improve my approaches. Scholarship on reflective practice in design education and design practice is a growing body of literature, which inspired this synthesis project. This paper looks at Schön’s theories of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action, models for reflection in the design process provided by Ellmers, Brown, and Bennett, and Reymen, and various reflective practice …

Using Critical & Creative Thinking To Enhance Productivity In Integrated Marketing Communications Meetings And Procedures, Ashley N. Smith

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper provides a teaching model for how to effectively incorporate Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) methods into a business setting to initiate organizational change. I developed a workshop on workplace meetings based on the imperfections of the marketing team at “ICS.” The workshop touches on CCT methods that are needed in order for organizations to change. I also integrated CCT methods into the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Procedure to enhance productivity and produce results. Integrated marketing is made up of many pieces of the media field, but often the participants in IMC are searching for the same end result. …

Promoting Rapid, Sustainable Operational Change In Business Organizations, Michael Lihon

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

The dual purpose of this position paper is to communicate both the kinds of thinking needed to make rapid operational changes in business organizations and the kinds of thinking needed to sustain these while further changes are being incorporated. Promoting sustainable change in business operations is a process of adaptation characterized by strategic steps taken by an organization to stay competitive in the global business environment. Specifically, this paper focuses on industries that involve complex manufacturing or production operations that need improvement. It is directed to managers, supervisors and technicians who wish to incorporate efficient sustainable change in production. It …

Original Curriculum For Encouraging Meaningful Community Service In High School Students, Elizabeth H. Naylor

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

In this paper I have explored the importance of community service experiences and ultimately created a guide for implementing a high quality and meaningful community service program at the high school level. This paper begins with an initial discussion of my personal experiences in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, when I discovered firsthand the importance of personal reflection and sharing. I have defined community as a group of people with common place and common interest. Community service is an action within the community that betters the community in some way. The reader will find examples of communities coming together to …

From Humor In The Workplace To Humor As A Means Of Healing From Loss, Sheryl Savage

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

The role of humor in promoting a climate of creativity in organizations has been the focus of this synthesis. Developing a program to add humor to an organization's culture can open up and encourage people's creativity. In this environment of creativity, effective problem solving can occur and thus lead to needed positive change. This paper explores lay and scholarly research findings on the role of humor in the workplace. There exists both anecdotal and empirical evidence to support the theory of humor's ability to be a tool for creative problem solving and stress reduction, as well as humor's positive effect …

Next Steps In The Journey Toward Self-Fulfillment Through Critical And Creative Thinking, Charles Rauscher

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This work addresses the need for organizational change in the workplace. Too often businesses and companies ignore the advantages of critical and creative thinking. This project first explores some of my thinking patterns relative to designing a synthesis project. What are my interests and what effect do these have in determining a direction for this synthesis paper? Next, I discuss the concepts and ideas surrounding critical and creative thinking from both an individual and organization point of view. Theories and ideas are presented from key critical and creative thinking researchers. My introspection of what I deem to be important aspects …

Personal Evolution: Reflections On A Journey To Self-Understanding, Michelle K. Morgan

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This synthesis is a reflective narrative scaffolded by three years of living and learning in a culture of thinking. I designed it to function as a record of my personal thinking evolution that I can refer back when I need inspiration months or years from now, as it defines where I was when I arrived, includes salient highlights from my three years in the program and ends with future directions. I came to CCT as a discouraged teacher confused about my future in education and frustrated with the rigorous demands of preparing students for high stakes testing. Learning to employ …

The Use Of Dialogue In Education: Research, Implementation And Personal/Professional Evaluation, Jane Kenefick

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

As I reflect back on my learning through the Program in Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT), The Dialogue Process course (CCT 616) has been the pivotal experience for my current research and future career direction. Research and observations I have made in my work show that dialogue practice in elementary classrooms leads to overall learning through community building in the classroom, and to more effective student thinking and meta-cognitive strategies. Although I believe in the importance of dialogue in education, I have struggled with implementing it into my own teaching. The struggle itself has stimulated a deeper examination of the …

A Case For Implementing An Electronic Document Managament System (Edms), Scott D. Seiler

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

We live in a world where documentation and record keeping are considered not only necessary but also essential. This documentation produces and unprecedented amount of paperwork. Keeping track of this volume of paper is a task of monumental proportions. Faced with this task, I sought to sell the idea of an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) to the senior staff of the governmental agency that employs me. Participation in the Creative Critical Thinking Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston, has afforded me the opportunity to formulate an implementation scheme to accomplish this. Included in my synthesis project are the …

Team Leadership Approaches For Corporate Project Managers, Christopher Gralton

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

The study of Critical and Creative Thinking (C&CT) methods introduced me to a number of new approaches and tools that have vital and practical applications for today’s corporate team leaders. The primary purpose of my paper and the Genuity Inc. case example, is to demonstrate how these C&CT approaches and tools can be used by corporate team leaders to motivate, direct and lead their teams. Towards this end I have organized my paper into two major sections: 1) In the first, I lay the groundwork by defining the challenges facing today’s project managers and the cross-functional teams they lead. 2) …

A Structured Approach To Training And Development Programs For Business And Organizational Leaders, Thomas M. Burns

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper addresses and integrates two issues. Its first premise is that training and development programs in most organizations are often poorly planned or randomly implemented, a condition which undermines much of the potential benefit these programs may offer. Secondly, the paper argues that the development and application of critical and creative thinking skills, traditionally applied only in educational settings, can also serve businesses in very important ways. Towards the integration of these two issues, a six-stage model is presented that can serve to coordinate the process of personnel development in organizations. It is highlighted by the identification and application …

Critical Thinking In The Workplace, Gloria Asselta Cairns

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Richard Paul, a leading figure in the critical thinkng movement, and Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration report that the need for applying critical thinking skills in the workplace is essential, if America is to remain competitive in the global economy. The degree to which employees think insightfully and are able to resolve complex problems will determine how competitive a business remains. In the past two decades, an unprecedented number of American businesses have been bought out, merged with another, or downsized.

Developing Generative Leadership Through Emergent Learning, Justin Sherman

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This thesis is the current synthesis of a deep exploration of the foundations of collaborative, transformational learning within organizations. I begin with a basic assumption which informs all the thinking that unfolds throughout this thesis: the sustainability of our organizations, and quite possibly the survival of our species, is dependent not on the leadership and the development of a chosen few, but on our collective ability to deeply listen for and sense what most needs to happen within a given group of people and then to act on this. We live our lives with deeply entrenched, mostly tacit beliefs about …