The course topic looks familiar, I know. But this course, hosted on edX rather than Coursera, is more focused on the cerebral, as far as I can tell, which is good. I started going through this one yesterday and it really interests me. A big part of ‘why,’ I’d wager, has to do with the seeming enthusiasm of the instructor. He seems REALLY into sharing this information and having us all take it for a spin.
Course Title: Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
Here are my notes thus far:
Unit 1: Creativity’s Role in Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
1.1 Curiosity
- Curiosity is at the core of creative thinking
- Creative Thinking + Critical Thinking = the best problem-solving capabilities
- Good problem solvers have 2 Key Skills:
- Critical Thinking:
- more analytical in nature
- done by the part of the brain that thinks about things through the lens of what’s already known
- asks straightforward questions like ‘what?‘, ‘why?‘, or ‘how?‘
- Creative Thinking:
- more about the brain connecting bits of information (‘dots’) in new and interesting ways
- asks questions like ‘what if?‘ or ‘why not?‘
- the ‘dots’ are the things we’ve seen and learned over the course of our lives
- curiosity leads to more dots
- how do we stay curious and build up our dots?
- there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ method
- two tips/suggestions are:
- always challenge what you see and hear (to some extent)
- ask people, not Google
- discussing something with a person makes it more relatable, giving you a better chance of making connections between what you did and didn’t know
- Critical Thinking:
- Curiosity has other potential benefits:
- it keeps your mind in an active state (instead of passive)
- it keeps you open to new ideas and expands mental horizons (opportunities)
- it makes life more interesting
- if you are continually curious about the world around you, then you will never be bored
The presenter offers “Mike’s 10 Ways to Stay Curious”:
- Always challenge what you see and hear (within reason)
- Focus on what fascinates you
- Try something new
- Learn how to ask good questions
- Ask people, not Google
- Become perceptually curious
- Vanquish boredom
- Be conscientious
- Get some exercise
- Stay vigilant
1.2 Creativity
“The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, and patterns, and to create meaningful new ideas.”
- Creating something new that is of value to you and/or your organization
- Creative thinking is a skill, not just a matter of individual talent
“… a simple way to get motivated and spark creativity is just to stop and look.”
-Edward de Bono
- Creative thinking is divergent
- that same divergent thinking ultimately improves our critical thinking
- Most companies believe there is a strong connection between creativity and business success
- “One very important aspect of motivation is the willingness to stop and look at things that no one else has bothered to look at. This simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity.” – de Bono
Thoughts:
One of the ways I know I stumble when it comes to critical and creative thinking is in the questions I ask. Oftentimes someone will put forth a question on an issue and I’m immediately kicking myself, thinking ‘that didn’t come to mind at all, but it’s so obvious! How did I miss it?’ I recognize I have blind spots in my critical thinking, so asking better questions is definitely a goal of mine. As such, I’m digging into other resources on the topic, which will probably result in at least one separate blog post, if not more.
Generally speaking, I consider myself to be a rather curious person (in more ways than one, I’m sure you’ll agree). I’m not always great at following my curiosities, though. What am I missing out on by not following at least some of those errant thoughts to fruition?
Do you consider yourself to be a curious and/or creative thinker? Do you tend to see things differently from your counterparts?
-hxrg
Decalcify Your Brain 