The Journalism Lab:Brewing Creative Minds

Through the Introduction of

Creative Learning Processes

Sheila Jones, CJEJEA National Convention

Denver, ColoradoApril 2015

The Journalism Lab:

Sheila Jones, CJE

tosheilajones@msn.com

To view this and previous years’ presentations,see SlideShare link at end of this

slideshow and/or pick up a card from mewith SlideShare URL

Journalism CreativityTOGETHER?!?

Principal John Doe

OMG – Are those journalismkids making things up?

Journalism & Creativity Do Coexist

“Is Print Journalism Creative?”

Janet Fulton, University of Newcastle, Australia

http://ejournalist.com.au/v11n2/Fulton.pdf

[P]rint journalists are creative when they understand the rules and procedures from the domain, understand the preferences of the field and use this knowledge to produce an article that is novel and appropriate.

Significant Voices….

Sir Ken RobinsonOut of Our Minds:Learning to be Creative

Daniel PinkA Whole New Mind:How Right-brainers will Rule the World

Jonah LehrerImagine:How Creativity Works

Images: SirKenRobinson.com, DanielPink.com, JonahLehrer.com, Amazon.com

Donald J. Treffinger, Ph.D.with Patricia Schoonover and Edwin SelbyEducating for Creativity & Innovation.

Additional voices 2014 and 2015….

Working definition of Creativity

“Creativity is the production of something original and useful…. There is never one right answer. To be creative requires divergent thinking (generating many unique ideas) and then convergent thinking (combining those ideas into the best result).”

– Bronson and Merryman, The Creativity Crisis

A Difference in Opinion

Stacey Khadaroo.“Schools Tap 21st

Century Skills,” Christian ScienceMonitor, Jan. 8,,2009.

IBM 2010 Global CEO Study

https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/31670.wss

Other corporate voices“Smart creatives thrive on interacting with each other. The mixture you get when you cram them together is combustible, so a top priority must be to keep them crowded.”

Eric Schmidt, 2015

“It is the focus on people —their work habits, their talents, their values —that is absolutely central to any creative venture.” And “[W]orking with change is what creativity is about. ”

Ed Catmull, Creativity, Inc, 2014

IQ vs CQ

The Good News!Kids are getting smarterThe Flynn Effect: In the U.S., with each passing generation, IQ scores areincreasing by about 10 points!

The Bad News!CQ is both more durable and decliningUsing 50 years of data from the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, recent studies show:

• “The correlation to lifetime creative accomplishment was more than 3 times stronger for childhood creativity than childhood IQ.” – Jonathan Plucker, Indiana University.

• Creativity scores increased with intelligence scores until 1990. After 1990, creativity scores have consistently gone down. – Kyung Hee Kim, College of William and Mary.

Source: Bronson and Merryman, “The Creativity Crisis.” Newsweek.http://www.newsweek.com/creativity-crisis-74665

From the Industrial Age to the Information Ageto the Innovation Age – Where we are today

MYTHBUSTING for students

Myth #4: Creativity can’t be controlled.It’s “magical, mysterious, mystical.”

Myth #1: Creativity erupts spontaneously

Myth #2: Creativity is easy, quick, and error-free

Myth #3: Creativity is a solitary effort

From the Industrial Age to the Information Ageto the Innovation Age – Where we are today

MYTHBUSTING for students

Myth #4: Creativity can’t be controlled.It’s “magical, mysterious, mystical.”

Myth #1: Creativity erupts spontaneously

Myth #2: Creativity is easy, quick, and error-free

Myth #3: Creativity is a solitary effort

From the Industrial Age to the Information Ageto the Innovation Age – Where we are today

MYTHBUSTING for students

Reality:Creativity, or Innovation, can be managedusing tools and processes.

Myth #1: Creativity erupts spontaneously

Myth #2: Creativity is easy, quick, and error-free

Myth #3: Creativity is a solitary effort

Clarifying Terminology

CriticalThinking

Reasoning

Evaluating

Problem Solving

DecisionMaking

Analyzing CreativeThinking

Evolution

Synthesis

RevolutionReapplication

ChangingDirection

Left-brained Right-brained

http://www.liaconferences.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Convergent_and_Divergent_Thinking-Sonny-S.pdf

Clarifying Terminology

ConvergentThinking

Reasoning

Evaluating

Problem Solving

DecisionMaking

Analyzing DivergentThinking

Evolution

Synthesis

RevolutionReapplication

ChangingDirection

Left-brained Right-brainedWhole-brained

CriticalThinking

CreativeThinking

Convergent & Divergent Thinking

Solution

Convergent Thinking

FACT

FACTFACT

FACT Stimulus

Divergent Thinking

IDEA

IDEAIDEA

IDEA

Whole-brained

http://www.liaconferences.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Convergent_and_Divergent_Thinking-Sonny-S.pdf

No Excuses!

Convergent + Divergent = Journalism

Solution

Convergent Thinking

FACT

FACTFACT

FACT Stimulus

Divergent Thinking

IDEA

IDEAIDEA

IDEA

Alternating between divergentand convergent thinking, students arrive at originaland useful ideas = Creativity

http://www.liaconferences.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Convergent_and_Divergent_Thinking-Sonny-S.pdf

Integration builds student success

“A recent study (Dekker, Lee, Howard-Jones, & Jolles, 2012) found that 91% of teachers surveyedin the UK believed the left brain/right brain theory.However, the left brain/right brain theory is incorrect and considered a myth (Alferink &Farmer-Dougan, 2010; Dekker, Lee, Howard-Jones,& Jolles, 2012; Gazzaniga, 1985, 2002; Lilienfeld et al., 2010; Lindell & Kidd, 2011; Willingham, 2010), as one hemisphere is not exclusively associated with specific tasks –for example, creativity is not limited to the righthemisphere of the brain (Dietrich & Kanso, 2010). Unfortunately, the left brain/right brain theory is commonly believed in education, but given the evidence, it should not be used and considered invalid.”

Indiana Wesleyan University: Center forLearning and Innovation.

http://www.indwes.edu/cli/research/meta-analysis-summary---left-brain-vs-right-brain/

Three Training Processes• Creative Problem Solving Process

– The Center for Creative Learning

– Creativelearning.com

• Design Thinking

– Notosh: Learning, Digital, Design Thinking

– Notosh.com

• DeGraff’s 5 Levels of Creativity– JEFF: The Dean of Innovation

– Jeffdegraff.com [go to the blog page]

Preparation

• Research

• Curiosity

• Focusing the problem

Incubation

• Let ideas stew

• 90% of good work is good

thinking

Insight

• The “Aha!” moment

• Inspiration occurs

Evaluation

• Judging quality

• Deciding whether to

continue

Elaboration

• Translating thoughts into

actions or product

#1 Creative Problem Solving Process

• Creativitytoday.net• Creativelearning.com• Creativeproblemsolving.com• Mindwerx.com

Pre-para-tion

Incuba-tion

In-sight

Evalua-tion

•

Elabor-ation

Preparation• Curiosity• Research• Focusing the problem

http://www.slideshare.net/ramonvullings/27-creativity-innovation-tools-final

Pre-para-tion

Incuba-tion

In-sight

Evalua-tion

•

Elabor-ation

Preparation• Curiosity• Research• Focusing the problem

Journalistsresource.org

Procon.org

Factcheck.org

#2 – Design Thinking Process

• 2005 – Stanford University introduces Design Thinking in its engineering school, called the D-School.

• The Process

visual.ly/what-design-thinking

Useful Design Thinking tools for the journalist—from notosh.com

To access these pdfs

Notosh.com

The Lab

Design Tools: Tools to makeThinking Visible

From a recent NoTosh Facebook post: When we're applying design thinking in a classroom, it's more than simply saying that we're in a part of the process: "I'm doing my immersion"; "my kids are ideating". Frankly, going through the design cycle does not design thinking make.

It's about the mindset that people are putting themselves in, the skillset and toolset they already have and new skills and tools that can be taught afresh.

#3 Jeff DeGraff: Mastering the Five Levels of Creativity

Jeffdegraff.com/blog• Each described in separate blog entries:Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.• Each characterized by type, with examplesof tools that trigger creative thought

Finding the Aha!

Type #1 – Mimetic Creativity• To imitate or mimic. An often overlooked form

of creativity is simply taking an idea from one area or discipline and applying it to another.

• Tools: Going on field trips, making new friends, copying nature.

For improved customer service

Size, maneuverabilityof hummingbird innature

DARPA’s “unseen”drone camera or carrier

#2 Bisociative Creativity“How our conscious mind, when relaxed, can connect rational with intuitive thoughts to produce eureka moments. In the Zen tradition this act of communion is called satori, meaning sudden enlightenment…building on the 3F’s: Fluency, Flexibility, Flow.”

• Tools to improve bisociative creativity Random Words SCAMPER 6 Thinking Hats

#3 Analogical Creativity

• “We use analogies to transfer information that we believe we understand in one domain, the source, to help resolve a challenge in an unfamiliar area, the target.”

• Involves use of similes, metaphors, analogies, and archetypes

• Tools: Adaptive Reasoning, Imaginary Friends

Dyson changes vacuuming with its idea of a “cyclone” chamber.

#4 Narrative Creativity• From ancient times, stories have had power to

persuade and to inform. The strength comes from voice and from the way the story is told.

• Tools: Storyboarding, Morphologies, Scenario making.

Creating characters and stories

What if…?

#5 Intuitive Creativity

• This is the most challenging form. “When we speak of intuition, dreams or signs it suggests that we may be receiving ideas as much as we are generating them…We all have moments of insight that seem to spring from someplace just beyond the limits of our rational thinking. These can be deep wells of flowing creativity or a bottomless abyss of superstition and delusion.”

• Tools: Creative visualization, free writing, dream interpretation.

Takeaways for the Journalist!• Random sudden “Aha!” moments are rare and unique.

• Therefore, just as we teach critical thinking processes and tools, we also need to teach creative thinking processes and tools.

• Resources for creative thinking are plentiful and growing, and come from the professional and artistic professions our students are preparing for.

• Consider using the terms convergent and divergent to promote students’ whole brain development [avoiding the overused, and frequently misunderstood, terms critical and creative].

• Pick the processes that best address your students’ needs. Add divergent/convergent thinking tools that your students can use immediately to charge their creativity.

To revisit this presentation:

“Does this kind of microdetail matter? I believe it does. There’s something about knowing your subject and your setting inside and out – a confidence – that seeps into every frame in your film. It’s a hidden engine, an unspoken contract with the viewer that says: We are striving to tell you something impactful and true. When attempting to make good on that promise, no detail is too small.”

– Ed Catmull, Creativity, Inc.

Big thoughts are fun to romanticize, but it's many small insights coming together that bring big ideas into the world.”

– Scott Berkun, The Myths of Innovation

slideshare.net/tosheilajones/creativity-presentation-2014

ReferencesBronson, Po and Ashley Merriman. “The Creativity Crisis.” Newsweek. 7/10/2010. Web. http://www.newsweek.com/creativity-crisis-74665

Catmull, Ed. Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration. New York, Random House. 2014. Print.

Center for Learning and Innovation. ”Meta Analysis Summary: Left Brain vs. Right Brain.” Indian Wesleyan University. http://www.indwes.edu/cli/research/meta-analysis-summary---left-brain-vs-right-brain/

“Convergent Thinking and Divergent Thinking and their Application in the Classroom.” 2011. Web. http://www.liaconferences.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Convergent_and_Divergent_Thinking-Sonny-S.pdf

“Creative Tools.” n.d. Web. http://Creatingminds.org

DeGraff, Jeff. “Mastering the Five Levels of Creativity.” Parts 1-5. jeffdegraff.com/blog.

“Design Thinking: Tools to make thinking visible.” n.d. Web. Notosh.com/lab.

Fulton, Janet. “Is Print Journalism Creative?” University of Newcastle, Australia. http://ejournalist.com.au/v11n2/Fulton.pdf.

Lehrer, Jonah. Imagine: How Creativity Works. New York, Houghton-Mifflin. 2012. Print.

Pink, Daniel. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers will Rule the Future. New York, Riverhead. 2006. Print.

Treffinger, Donald, Patricia Schoonover, and Edwin Selby. Educating for Creativity and Innovation. Waco, Texas, Prufrock Press. 2013. Print. And related website: creativelearning.org.

Turak, August. “Can Creativity Be Taught?” Forbes 22/5/2011.Web. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/augustturak/2011/05/22/can-creativity-be-taught/>.

Vullings, Ramon and Mark Heleven. “27 Creativity and Innovative Techniques Explained.” April 12, 2013. Web. http://www.slideshare.net/ramonvullings/27-creativity-innovation-tools-final.

Wagner, Tony. The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need--and What We Can Do About It. New York, Basic Books. 2008. Print.

“What does Creativity Mean to You, Your Boss, Your Clients? Creativity Land. 2010. Web. http://wwwcreativityland.ca/2010/what-does-creativity-mean-to-you-your-boss-your-clients/.

“What is Design Thinking?” visual.ly/what-design-thinking

.