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Many practitioners and researchers argue that intuition is becoming more important in management and that management educators should realise this fact and develop programs that not only focus on rationality, but enhance creativity and intuition.

In a recent conference I argued that it is important for educators and students alike to learn about different cognitive styles and learn about their own cognitive style, so that they can see their own strengths in processing information and they can see the diversity of information processing styles that others have. During the question and answer period I got a response which argued "we do not need to assume cognitive styles are stable, we can use techniques like those advocated by DeBono to teach students who have analytic/rational cognitive styles to become more intuitive/creative." I attempted to argue that that is not changing the cognitive style but developing a cognitive strategy.

I wanted to see how the educators with invaluable experience on this listserv would respond to the question of teaching people to become more creative.

Dr. Cem TANOVA
ctanova@management.emu.edu.tr

PS.: Today one of my Executive MBA students informed me that he heard more and more companies are using tools to asses creativity during their selection processes.

Dr. Tanova,

In assessing candidates for technical sales, marketing and development, I
have always looked at what activities the person has taken outside his/her
normal career path. My experiences from the 1950s to the 1980s showed that
creative people are always busy from their high school years on creating
something. outside their normal duties and requirements.

It never seemed to matter what the activities were or whether they were
successful. The act of undertaking such activities seemed to be the best
criteria.

Dick Montgomery, 20th Century Cooperative
Our Mission is to help you increase your sales.
E-mail us if you would like to receive our monthly newsletter
www.chemmgrs.com


From: "Cem Tanova" <ctanova@MANAGEMENT.EMU.EDU.TR>
To: <MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2000 9:57 AM
Subject: Can creativity be developed in the classroom?


Many practitioners and researchers argue that intuition is becoming more
important in management and that management educators should realise this
fact and develop programs that not only focus on rationality, but enhance
creativity and intuition.

In a recent conference I argued that it is important for educators and
students alike to learn about different cognitive styles and learn about
their own cognitive style, so that they can see their own strengths in
processing information and they can see the diversity of information
processing styles that others have. During the question and answer period I
got a response which argued "we do not need to assume cognitive styles are
stable, we can use techniques like those advocated by DeBono to teach
students who have analytic/rational cognitive styles to become more
intuitive/creative." I attempted to argue that that is not changing the
cognitive style but developing a cognitive strategy.

I wanted to see how the educators with invaluable experience on this
listserv would respond to the question of teaching people to become more
creative.

Dr. Cem TANOVA
ctanova@management.emu.edu.tr

PS.: Today one of my Executive MBA students informed me that he heard more
and more companies are using tools to asses creativity during their
selection processes.

Dick,

Very good point. I try to impress on my students the importance of going
beyond class work and the grade; that much of what they accomplish at work is
due to their creativity rather than merely completing assignments (and
coloring between the lines). Indeed, the world needs both types of workers,
but it's usually the former that become entrepreneurs/owners and employers.

I think the problem with teaching and encouraging creativity is that higher
education focus so much on giving grades and certifying students (i.e.,
checking off a list of completed courses), that they lose the whole point of
an educational experience. Thus, if a grade is not attached to an activity,
students are not motivated. It's very hard to grade creativity.

Clive Muir, PhD
Coordinator, Workplace Communication Program

P.S. The problem also lies in the number of "tests" that students have to
take even in elementary school. They spend more time prepping for
Pre-Pre-SAT, Pre-SAT, and SAT, that teachers just teach for these exams. And
the multiple choice practice books don't help either.

On 4/10/00 10:13:40 PM EDT, rmonty@CHEMMGRS.COM writes:
> In assessing candidates for technical sales, marketing and development, I
> have always looked at what activities the person has taken outside his/her
> normal career path. My experiences from the 1950s to the 1980s showed that
> creative people are always busy from their high school years on creating
> something. Outside their normal duties and requirements.
>
> It never seemed to matter what the activities were or whether they were
> successful. The act of undertaking such activities seemed to be the best
criteria.
>
> Dick Montgomery, 20th Century Cooperative
> Our Mission is to help you increase your sales.
> E-mail us if you would like to receive our monthly newsletter
> www.chemmgrs.com
>

Cem Tanova asked about "the question of teaching people to become more
creative"

Cem,

You might want to try the online information resource at the Buffalo
State -- Center for Studies in Creativity.
http://www.buffalostate.edu/~cbir/

Luke

Luke Novelli, Jr., Ph.D.
Principal & Chief of Intellectual Capital
Innovation Resources Group
2618 Battleground Avenue, Suite 307
Greensboro, NC 27408
Phone & Fax 336-218-0093

Clive,
In 1948 when I was in college, I went to the Dean of Students and told him
that I would be missing a number of late labs during the spring because I
was starting and coaching a Lacrosse team at the college. He was most
supportive and kept me out of trouble with my Professors.

When I went out to find a job, the company that hired me was more interested
in this than it was in marks.

Incidentally, that eventually, became a varsity sport and I received a thank
you note from the athletic director and the dean long after I had left
college.

May I send you and your students our monthly newsletter. Its only two pages
and a fast read. And it definitely supports original thinking.
Dick Montgomery, 20th Century Cooperative
Our Mission is to help you increase your sales.
E-mail us if you would like to receive our monthly newsletter
www.chemmgrs.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Clive Muir" <DrCMuir@AOL.COM>
To: <MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2000 6:13 AM
Subject: Re: Can creativity be developed in the classroom?


> Dick,
>
> Very good point. I try to impress on my students the importance of going
> beyond class work and the grade; that much of what they accomplish at work
is
> due to their creativity rather than merely completing assignments (and
> coloring between the lines). Indeed, the world needs both types of
workers,
> but it's usually the former that become entrepreneurs/owners and
employers.
>
> I think the problem with teaching and encouraging creativity is that
higher
> education focus so much on giving grades and certifying students (i.e.,
> checking off a list of completed courses), that they lose the whole point
of
> an educational experience. Thus, if a grade is not attached to an
activity,
> students are not motivated. It's very hard to grade creativity.
>
> Clive Muir, PhD
> Coordinator, Workplace Communication Program
>
> P.S. The problem also lies in the number of "tests" that students have to
> take even in elementary school. They spend more time prepping for
> Pre-Pre-SAT, Pre-SAT, and SAT, that teachers just teach for these exams.
And
> the multiple choice practice books don't help either.
>
> On 4/10/00 10:13:40 PM EDT, rmonty@CHEMMGRS.COM writes:
> > In assessing candidates for technical sales, marketing and development,
I
> > have always looked at what activities the person has taken outside
his/her
> > normal career path. My experiences from the 1950s to the 1980s showed
that
> > creative people are always busy from their high school years on
creating
> > something. Outside their normal duties and requirements.
> >
> > It never seemed to matter what the activities were or whether they were
> > successful. The act of undertaking such activities seemed to be the
best
> criteria.
> >
> > Dick Montgomery, 20th Century Cooperative
> > Our Mission is to help you increase your sales.
> > E-mail us if you would like to receive our monthly newsletter
> > www.chemmgrs.com
> >
>

On Tue, 11 Apr 2000, Clive Muir wrote:
> I think the problem with teaching and encouraging creativity is that higher
> education focus so much on giving grades and certifying students (i.e.,
> checking off a list of completed courses), that they lose the whole point of
> an educational experience. Thus, if a grade is not attached to an activity,
> students are not motivated. It's very hard to grade creativity.

Clive, et al,

I find it relatively easy to grade creativity in the area I teach of
instructional media (a 30 hour credit course). It is different than the
competency with the media that I also grade. I actually grade on product,
process, and progress and give both written and verbal feedback (sometimes
colour and image feedback). I am looking for the most "Authentic
Assessments" possible. They only written test I give this group is a
crossword puzzle and even that is one of several options of demonstrating
understanding in the particular area of theory. Other assessments focus on
products where creativity can be clearly observed (or not ...)

With creativity I make it clear that I am looking for surprises and
attention grabbers that are aimed at their intended audience (in some
other area it might be a different criteria). The participants apply the
principles that they have learned but they add their own twists and turns.
They receive feedback from myself and all of the other members of the
group as to how successful they have been. They are encouraged to get
feedback from other sources pertinant to the material as well and to
incorporate the feedback into their product.

Hope there is something here that you can use,

best regards

alice

*****************************************************************
* Alice Macpherson, TQ, ID phone: (604) 599-2426 vm 9954 *
* Kwantlen University College email: alicemac@kwantlen.bc.ca *
* 12666-72nd Ave, Surrey, BC, Canada, V3W 2M8 *
* "Life Long Learning includes Everyone, All the Time" *
*****************************************************************

Yes, creativity can be created in the classroom. See the de Bono Lateral
Thinking Course or his book titled "Serious Creativity", as well as
attending the American Creativity Association conference May 3-6. in St.
Charles IL.

Don Scott

At 07:15 AM 4/11/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Cem Tanova asked about "the question of teaching people to become more
>creative"
>
>Cem,
>
>You might want to try the online information resource at the Buffalo
>State -- Center for Studies in Creativity.
>http://www.buffalostate.edu/~cbir/
>
>Luke
>
>Luke Novelli, Jr., Ph.D.
>Principal & Chief of Intellectual Capital
>Innovation Resources Group
>2618 Battleground Avenue, Suite 307
>Greensboro, NC 27408
>Phone & Fax 336-218-0093
>