LP Level 4: Creative Problem solving

Creative problem solving is basically the ability to look at a problem from different and new angles and to apply “out of the box” thinking to solve the problem at hand in new ways. This implies that the individual’s mind is free to make or recognize patterns in situation which enables them to make such connections as to resolve problems in new ways.

The characteristics of a creative problem solver:

1.       Curious

Curious people have a need to know what things are and how they work, this usually means that over time they gain a wide range of knowledge.

2.       Address challenges

Creative problem solver view problems as challenges, not obstacles. This also means that they challenge given assumptions, principles and beliefs, things that most people take for granted as being set or stable.

3.       Optimism

They believe that a problem can be resolved, at least in part. There is always something that can be done.

4.       Suspend judgment and criticism

One should never assume that to know the right answer as life is contingent and things may always change. Therefore one should suspend your judgment until it has been proven to be right unequivocally.

5.       View problems as challenges

This simply means that creative problem solvers do not view problems as obstacles, but rather as opportunities for growth, personally or intellectually. As such problems are challenges to achieving greater understanding.

6.       Perseverance

This means that one keeps going even when things seem too difficult. To never give up or surrender, but to keep at it till the problem is no longer.

7.       Originality

This is out of the box thinking, in other words to look at a problem form a new perspective.

8.       Flexibility

Life is changeable and things may change at any time, so too the problems that one try to resolve might also change with time. A creative problem solver is able to be flexible to changes and to new ideas or solutions.

9.       Divergent thinking

This means many directions, i.e. a creative problems solver is able to see more than one solution to a problem.

10.   Hardworking

It is not enough to just be able to think of new solutions, you need to also implement them and this usually requires a fair amount of hard work.  It takes hard work to find new solutions and even harder work to make them function.

11.   In tune with the environment

Creative problem solvers are usually more in tune with others emotions and have a feel for the arts and other creative activities.

Context needed for creativity:

·         Freedom- to think, explore, discover.

·         Belief in own abilities- you must be able to trust you own abilities and thinking otherwise it will be difficult to present them  to others who  might argue against them.

·         Encouragement, support and belief- when you are encouraged by others, even when you have failed attempts it gives a person the energy to persevere.

·         Collaboration and communication with others – One is usually able to get or sharpen ideas by interacting with other people. It helps with divergent thinking.

Enhancing and improving creativity:

Stimulating creativity

As a teacher you should always keep the following in mind:

·         Allow student to partake in open tasks with no set answers.

·         Encourage a culture of asking questions.

·         Let the students have a task which allows them to build something for a specific task.

·         Encourage exploration, discovery, experimentation, observation, testing and communicating on their own.

·         Expose them to as many sensory inputs as possible

·         Encourage learners to find more than one answer.

·         Develop tasks that require students to do it outside the class room in the environment.

Techniques for improving creativity

A.      Brainstorming

B.      Humor

C.      Puzzles

D.      Mind maps

E.       Dream journal

F.       Music

G.     Writing with your non-dominant hand

H.      Thinking randomly 

Rough Zulu translation:
Creative ukuxazulula inkinga ngokuyisisekelo ikhono ukubheka inkinga kusuka ema-engele ezahlukene kanye ezintsha futhi sisebenzise 'siphuma ebhokisini' ecabanga ukuxazulula inkinga enibhekene ngezindlela ezintsha. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ingqondo yomuntu ukhululekile ukuba enze noma aqaphele amaphetheni in isimo esenza ukuba enze lenethiwekhi njengokuthi ukuxazulula izinkinga ngezindlela ezintsha.
Izimfanelo a wokudala inkinga solver:
1. Ukwazi
Abantu Eziyinqaba babe isidingo ukwazi ukuthi izinto nendlela lezi zinto ezisebenza, lokhu kuvame kusho ukuthi phezu kwesikhathi bazuze ezahlukahlukene kolwazi.
2. Ikheli izinselele
Creative inkinga solver view izinkinga njengoba izinselele, hhayi izithiyo. Lokhu kusho ukuthi inselelo ezizathwini ezinikezwe, izimiso kanye nezinkolelo, izinto abantu abaningi balithatha kalula njengoba kokuba isethwe noma uzinze.
3. Ukuqiniseka
Bakholelwa ukuthi inkinga zingaxazululeka, okungenani ngokwengxenye. Kukhona njalo into okungenziwa.
4. Alime ukwahlulela nokugxeka
Omunye Akufanele sicabange ukuthi ukwazi impendulo enembile njengoba kuphila itshelekwe nezinto zingase zishintshe njalo. Ngakho-ke umuntu kufanele ukumisa okwesikhashana ukwahlulela kwakho kuze siye kungase kutholakale ukuthi ilungile ngokungananazi.
5. Babheke njengabantu izinkinga izinselele
Lokhu kumane nje kusho ukuthi zokudala inkinga solvers musa ukubuka izinkinga njengoba izithiyo, kodwa kunalokho njengoba amathuba okukhula, noma engqondweni. Njengoba izinkinga enjalo izinselele sokuthola ukuqonda xaxa.
6. Ukuphikelela
Lokhu kusho ukuthi ngelinye oqhubeka ehamba nalapho izinto kubonakale kunzima kakhulu. Ukuze ungalokothi give up noma nginikela, kodwa ukugcina kulo kuze kube inkinga ayisekho.
7. Okwakhe
Lokhu evela ebhokisini ukucabanga, ngamanye amazwi ukubheka inkinga yakha ngelinye iso.
8. Ukuvumelana nezimo
Ukuphila kuba shintshekayo nezinto ingase ishintshe noma nini, ngakho kakhulu izinkinga eyodwa zama ukuxazulula bangase bashintshe nge kwesikhathi. A wokudala Inkinga solver uyakwazi nezimo ukuze ushintsho futhi imibono emisha noma amakhambi.
9. Ukucabanga Divergent
Lokhu kusho tinkhombandlela eziningi, okungukuthi yokudala izinkinga solver uyakwazi ukubona isixazululo ezingaphezu kwesisodwa ukuze inkinga.
10. Ozikhandlayo
Akwanele ukuba kube nje akwazi ukucabanga izixazululo ezintsha, kudingeka wabuye eyisebenzisa futhi lokhu ngokuvamile kudinga imali kahle umsebenzi onzima. Kuwumsebenzi onzima ukuthola izixazululo ezintsha kanye nomsebenzi ngisho nzima ukuze abenze umsebenzi.
11. Uvumelane nge imvelo
Creative inkinga solvers ngokuvamile more uvumelane nabanye imizwelo futhi babe bazizwa for kwezobuciko nezinye imisebenzi zokudala.
Umongo adingekayo ngobuciko:
· Inkululeko-ukucabanga, ukuhlola, thola.
· Ukukholelwa siqu emakhonweni-wena kufanele ukwazi ukwethemba ungumnikazi amakhono nokucabanga ngaphandle kwalokho kuzoba nzima ukwethula ukuba abanye abangase baphikise ngokumelene nabo.
· Isikhuthazo, ukwesekwa kanye inkolelo-lapho bakhuthazwa ngabanye, ngisho nalapho uhlulekile imizamo it kunikeza umuntu amandla ukuze siphikelele.
· Ukubambisana nokuxhumana nabanye - One ngokuvamile uyakwazi uthole noma uthuthukise imibono nge usebenzelana nabanye abantu. Kuyasiza ne nokucabanga divergent.
Ngcono futhi ngcono nobuciko:
inkanuko lokusungula
Njengoba uthisha kufanele njalo ugcine okulandelayo engqondweni:
· Vumela umfundi ukuba badle in imisebenzi lutho akukho set izimpendulo.
· Khuthaza isiko imibuzo.
· Vumela abafundi babe umsebenzi ebavumela ukuba bakhe okuthile umsebenzi othize.
· Khuthaza ukuhlola izwe ukutholakala, zokucwaninga, akubona, ukuvivinya kanye ukukhuluma bodwa.
· Bachayeke imibono abaningi sezinzwa ngangokunokwenzeka
· Khuthaza abafundi ukuthola kuka eyodwa impendulo.
· Ukuthuthukisa imisebenzi edinga abafundi ukukwenza ngaphandle ikamelo ikilasi in imvelo.
Amasu zokuthuthukisa lokusungula
A. kuhlanganisa umcondvo
B. Nginamancoko
C. puzzle
D. emabalavengcondvo
E. Dream iphephabhuku
F. Music
G. Ukubhala ngesandla sakho non-ephezulu
H. Ecabanga ngezikhathi