PROBLEM SOLVING

and CREATIVITY

Presented By: Fenete, Clarito, Malutao, E. Silverio

 Learning Outcomes
Explain the
four criteria of
creativity by
Torrance Practice
creative
thinking

Apply problem
solving skills
What is Problem Solving?
A state of desire for reaching a definite ‘goal’
from a present condition that either is not
directly moving toward the goal, is far from it, or
needs more complex logic for finding a missing
description of conditions or steps toward the
goal. S. Ian Robertson, Problem solving, Psychology Press, 2001

What is Creativity?
Creativity is a distinguishing
characteristic of human excellence in
every area of behavior.
E. Paul Torrance
 Creative Problem Solving is a method for approaching a
problem or a challenge in an imaginative and innovative way.

 It is a special form of problem solving in which the solution is

independently created than learned with assistance.
 Creative problem solving always involve creativity.
 Creative problem solving is a part of overall problem solving.

Creativity
 Creativity includes the generations of idea,
alternatives and possibility (Smith 1998)
 Creativity in psychology focusing in individual
differences in personality, cognitive abilities and
problem solving styles.
 Van Gundy (1988’s) CPS Model
Fluency
Mess
Flexibility
Finding

Acceptance Fact
Torrance Finding Finding
Framework Creative
for Creative Problem
Thinking Solving
Solution Problem
Finding Finding

Elaboration Idea
Finding
Originality
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 invented
the benchmark method for
quantifying creativity and
arguably created the platform fro
all research on the subjects
since.
• The "Torrance Tests of Creative
Thinking" helped shatter the theory
that IQ tests alone were sufficient to
gauge real intelligence. The tests
solidified what heretofore was only
conceptual - namely that creative
levels can be scaled and then
increased through practice.
Activity: Remove 8 matches to make two squares.
Answer:
Torrance Framework for Creative
Thinking
• Fluency – refers to the production of
a great number of ideas or alternate
solutions to a problem. It 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
1. Apple
• List 15 things that 2. Cherry
3. Raspberry
are commonly red. 4. Tail light
5. Exit sign
6. Tomato
7. Fire Alarm
8. Fire Truck
9. Wagon
10. Caboose
11. Tricycle
12. Stop sign
13. Heart
14. Blood
15. Christmas Sock
• 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?
• Flexibility – refers to the production of
ideas that show a variety of possibilities
or realm of thought. It involves the
ability to see things from different
points of view, to use many different
approaches and strategies.
Key words:
Change, demonstration, employ, predict,
interpret
Application Ideas (flexibility)
• What would happen if… there were no
automobiles?
• How would a… dog look to a flea?
• 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.
 Flexibility

Red Fruit Red Safety features Red Vehicles

apple Exit sign caboose

cherry Fire alarm Fire truck

raspberry Stop sign tricycle

tomato Tail lights wagon

• Elaboration is the process of enhancing
ideas by providing more detail.
Additional detail and clarity improves
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 family
last trip using as many detail as
possible.
• What can you add to _______ to
improve its quality or performance?
• Describe all possible characteristics of
the red quality in wagon.
Example: Shade, finish, texture,
uniformity.
• 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 you have
• Write an unusual title for the ideas about
red.
Example: Revolutionary “Red” Representation
Creative Problem
Solving (CPS)
• Is an intentional process for solving
problems and discussing opportunities.
• It espouse the use of creativity in the 1950’s
Alex Osborn described this process in his
book, Applied Imagination.
• Osborn opened the process in the public
domain which mean anyone can use it.
• Over the years countless people have
utilized the CPS in various field and
endeavors.
• Osborn’s Checklist, the origin of the
Classical Brainstorming is the root of
creative problem solving (CPS).

• There are variety of general structures:

define problem, generate possible
solutions, select and implement the best
which can be found extensively, in
several different academic tradition.
• The following, based on Van Gundy (1988’s)
description, is a very brief skeleton of a very
rich process, showing its in full 6’x2’ stage
form:

Stage 1: Mess finding

Stage 2: Data finding
Stage 3: Problem finding
Stage 4: Idea Finding
Stage 5: Solution finding
Stage 6: Acceptance finding
1. Mess Finding: Sensitise yourself (scan, search) for
issues (concerns, challenge, 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

hotspot (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. Data Finding: gather information about the
problem.

• Divergent techniques include Five W’s 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, list
possible sources of answers; then follow these up
and for each source, list what you found.

• Convergent techniques again include: identifying

hotspot (highlighting); Mind –mapping to sort and
classify the information gathered; and also restating
the problem in the light of your richer understanding
of it.
3. Problem Finding: convert fuzzy statement of
the problem into a broad statement more suitable for
idea finding.

• Divergent techniques includes asking ‘Why?’ etc –

the repeatable questions and five W’s and H.

• 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. Idea Finding : generate as many ideas as
possible

• Divergence using any of a very wide range of idea-

generating techniques. The general rules of
classical brainstorming (such as deferring
judgment) are likely to under-pin all of these.

• Convergence can gain 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. Solution Finding:
Generate and select obvious evaluation
criteria ( using an expansion/contraction
cycle) and develop (which may include
combining) the short-listed ideas from the
Idea Finding as much as you can in the light of
these criteria. Then the opt for the best of
these improved ideas (e.g. using comparison
tables)
6. Acceptance Finding: develop a plan of
action to implement the solution you’ve settled
on as the best choice.

Possible techniques include – Five W’s and H,

Implementation Checklist, Consensus Mapping,
Potential-Problem Analysis.
Other Model for Problem Solving:

Branford’s IDEAL Model

• Identify the problem.
• Define the problem through thinking about it
and sorting out the relevant information.
• Explore solutions through looking at
alternatives, brainstorming, and checking out
different points of view.
• Act on the strategies.
• Look back and evaluate the effects of your
activity.
• References:

Lucas, Maria Rita, et. Al (2007)

Facilitating Learning: A Metacognitive Process.
Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing Inc. P167-172
Thank you!