Education Commons^™

The Role Of Play In Fostering Creativity And Purpose, Caitlin Quarrington

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

While play is a universal experience that transcends age, discipline, and location, it is often understood to be a juvenile experience and is not intentionally pursued into adulthood. However, play has positive benefits for people of all ages; it can drive intrinsic motivation, increase creativity, and build a sense of meaning and purpose in both individuals and teams. Building on existing understandings of play and creativity, this Synthesis develops a transdisciplinary Play-Flow Intervention Model that leverages play as an intervention at two critical points during the flow cycle to alleviate struggle and expedite movement towards flow. Integrating play during periods …

Smuggling In Creativity: My Process Of Creating Spaces In The Hierarchical School System Of The Republic Of Korea To Stash The Seeds Of Creative Thinking, Ray Symonds

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

I began the CCT program several years into a teaching career in South Korea. My goal at the time was to better understand creativity so as to better support my own students’ creative development. This synthesis discusses some of the challenges I faced in bring CCT into my own classroom and some of the ways I tried to implement what I learned through the program in my own classes. My role as a Guest English Teacher is explored in how it enabled me to use my classroom as a testing ground for CCT concepts. The application of these CCT concepts …

Designing A Social Architecture For Personal Leadership In The 21st Century: The Autonomous Realization Tetrad (Art), Bobby Ricketts

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Rather than summarizing the extent of my learning as a graduate student in the University of Massachusetts Boston Critical and Creative Thinking Master of Arts Program, this work instead illustrates a starting point for how I intend to apply my learning moving forward. Various characteristics in the writing do, however, reflect influences from all CCT courses taken. Primarily using personal narrative, I discuss various personal and professional experiences which have inspired self-developed creative methodologies. The methodologies, and learning derived from using them, are folded into an inquiry regarding Futures Studies, Systems Thinking, Design Thinking, Mastery, and Flow. Inspired by these …

Creative Problem Solving: A High School Curriculum Satisfying The Needs Of 21st Century Learner, Steve Guenin

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Designing Creative Problem Solving (CPS) – A High School Curriculum Designed to Satisfy the Needs of 21st Century Learners is my answer to the driving question: “How do teachers prepare students for an uncertain future?” Several processes influenced the curriculum design:

1) I reflected on the lessons I learned during my time in CCT. I looked back on the importance of having supportive instructors to accompany you on your journey. I realized practical and useful assignments motivate students to produce their best work. I gained a greater appreciation for the power of productive teams.

2) My growth as a stained …

Applied Creativity: Tools Toward Transformation: An Undergraduate Curriculum, Teryl Cartwright

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

The greatest barrier to creative thinking may be the current definition. If creativity is believed to be an unconscious, undefinable process, a competitive and comparative hierarchy or even limited to specific domains, then the pursuit of creativity may be seen as an overwhelming endeavor. I believe everyone is creative, not just a few “out of the box” individuals. We are not limited to sleeping on a problem or getting into a relaxed, happy state in order to enhance creative thinking. I also believe that creative and critical thinking can be applied to teach creativity so I am offering an innovative …

Developing A Creative Thinking Course For Community College Students, Noreen Mcginness Olson

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This project describes the development of an online Creative Thinking course designed specifically for community college students. This interdisciplinary college course will be one component of an entrepreneurial certificate program aimed at business students, but will be open to all students seeking to improve their creative thinking abilities. While developing the course the author engaged in the process described in Cameron’s The Artists Way as a structured reflective practice.

In this writing, selected theories of creativity are described in their connection to course content and approach. The course was informed by traditional western ideas on creativity as well as an …