Module 18:

PROBLEM
SOLVING and
CREATIVITY
 Organizer Problem
Solving/ Creativity

Torrance’s Creativity Creative Problem

Framework Solving (CPS)

Fluency
Six Stage of CPS

Flexibility

Elaboration

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 arguably for
quantifying creativity and created
the platform for 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 here to fore was only conceptual -
namely that creative levels can be
scaled and then increased through
practice.
 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:
• 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?
• List 15 things that are commonly red and
contain red.
• List 15 things that 1. Apple
are commonly red. 2. Cherry
3. Raspberry
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
⬅ BACK TO PANEL
15. Christmas Sock
• 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)
• 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’x 2’ 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
Sensitize yourself (scan, search) for issues
(concerns, challenge, opportunities etc.) that
need to be tackled.

2. DATA FINDING
gather information about the problem.

3. PROBLEM FINDING
convert fuzzy statement of the problem into a
broad statement more suitable for idea finding.
4. IDEA FIINDING
generate as many ideas as possible
5. SOLUTION FINDING
Generate and select obvious evaluation
criteria (using an expansion/contraction).
6. ACCEPTANCE FINDING
develop a plan of action to implement the
solution you’ve settled on as the best choice.
⬅ BACK TO PANEL
QUESTION:
HOW DO YOU
PUT A GIRAFEE
INTO
REFRIGERATOR?
Answer :
open the refrigerator put in the giraffe and
close the door.
 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.
Thank you!