Critical and Creative Thinking - American Society of … Rodgers, Defining Reflection: Another Look...
Transcript of Critical and Creative Thinking - American Society of … Rodgers, Defining Reflection: Another Look...
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Critical and Creative Thinking
LTC Timothy Boulay
Main Teaching Points: Organizational leaders must think critically to solve
problems effectively Critical thinking follows a formal, patterned process and
can be learned Creative thinking provides multiple options for solving
problems Experience and judgment can shorten the decision
making cycle 2
Big Idea: Mastering the elements of effective critical thinking and developing creative thinking skills will improve your ability to make effective decisions and solve problems
Concrete Experience
Critical thinking Creative thinking Decision-making Problem solving Leadership
Come up with a drawing that illustrates
the relationship between the terms 4/25/2016 Integrity - Service - Innovation 3
Terms
How do you define creative thinking?
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The ability to develop something new and useful. The ability to stimulate new ideas and thoughts or divergent thinking. Creative thinking involves creating something new or original.
How do you define problem-solving
How do you define decision-making?
A systemic approach to resolving a situation that prevents you from achieving your end-state.
The cognitive process of making choices to reach a conclusion to apply to a problem.
Terms
What is the difference between critical thinking and reflection?
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Reflection is an important element of critical thinking. However, reflection can be retrospective or forward thinking.
Reflection or reflective thinking is a process of analyzing and making judgments about what has happened.
Learners control their thinking by actively participating in reflective thinking by assessing: what they know; what they need to know; and how to bridge the gap between the two.
What is Critical Thinking?
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“Critical thinking is purposeful and reflective judgment about what to believe or what to do in response to observations, experience, verbal or written expressions, or arguments.” (ARMY DOCTRINE and TRAINING PUBLICATIONS 5-0,
para. 1-40)
What is Reflection?
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Reflection means looking back at some activity or a decision and providing meaning for the leader. It is a sense making activity. Reflection assists the leader in connecting experiences and achieving a deeper understanding of the relationships between each experience and other ideas. This connection achieved through reflection, makes learning and improving possible. Without reflecting on past experiences it is difficult for leaders to improve. Carol Rodgers, Defining Reflection: Another Look at John Dewey and Reflective Thinking.
Adapted from : “Defining Reflection: Another Look at John Dewey and Reflective Thinking”, by Carol Rodgers
Is a systemic, rigorous, disciplined way of thinking with roots in scientific inquiry
Needs community and interaction with others—collaborative
Requires attitudes that value the personal and intellectual growth of oneself and others--Lifelong learning
Four criteria of John Dewey's Concept of Reflection
What do you think?
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“It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an
argument.”
Williams Gibb McAdoo
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to answer a question or
solve a problem.
we draw inferences and conclusions;
which are based on assumptions
from a point of view.
Elements of
Reasoning
Taking thinking apart . . .
after Richard Paul
We use information;
we examine concepts and theories
having implications and consequences
We reason for a purpose
Paradigms Generally accepted models or patterns that define how we see the world working. They have repeated validation and are accepted as “conventional wisdom.” They may be rooted in doctrine or tradition and are often reinforced by ideology and dogmatic belief systems. Many paradigms are rooted in cultural background and are not visible to the owner of the paradigm. They are normally only re-examined after a significant emotional event.
Adopted from Thomas Kuhn The Structure of Scientific Revolution, 1962.
A mental model is 16
Mental models are deeply ingrained images, pictures or assumptions of how we see the world and how we take action. They affect how we see our world, influence our viewpoint and inform the actions we take in response to the information we bring in. Often individuals are not aware of mental models and how the model affect their actions.
(Senge ,The Fifth Discipline, Page 8)
Mental Models
Models Models are concrete representations of abstract ideas and often serve as formulas or prescriptions for problem solving or decision-making. We use models to simplify complex realities. We use models to conceptualize ideas, identify relationships, test hypothesis and assumptions and to promote understanding. However, models can have a downside. Models can inhibit critical thinking. Models might be too simplistic for the problem at hand or not be appropriate for the problem you are trying to solve.
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Intellectual Standards
Testing the quality of
your thinking. . .
after Richard Paul
- Clarity - Accuracy - Precision - Relevance - Depth - Breadth - Logic - Significance - Fairness
A good start…
What
standards might you
add for your discipline?
We reason for a purpose
and from a point of view
which is based on assumptions
having implications and consequences.
We use information;
we draw inferences and conclusions;
to answer a question
or solve a problem.
we examine
concepts and
theories
Elements of Thought
Paul & Elder
- Clarity - Accuracy - Precision - Relevance - Depth - Breadth - Logic - Significance - Fairness
Intellectual Standards
Testing the quality of your thinking. . .
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Intellectual Traits or Virtues
Fair-mindedness Paul and Elder
“Hypocrisy”
“Arrogance”
“Distrust of Reason”
“Laziness”
“Unfairness”
“Cowardice”
“Narrow- mindedness”
“Conformity”
Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Process
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Intellectual Standards
Clarity Breadth Accuracy Logic Precision Significance Relevance Fairness Depth
Purpose Conclusions Questions Concepts Points of View Implications Information Assumptions
Elements of Thought
Intellectual Traits
Humility Perseverance Autonomy Empathy Fair Mindedness Integrity Courage Confidence in Reasoning
Must be applied to
To Develop
The Quality of our
thinking
The Thoroughness
of our thinking
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Creative Questioning
The mere formulation of a problem is far more often essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks real advances in science.
-- Albert Einstein
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Understand cognitive differences in your
team
“Putting your Whole Company’s Brain to Work”
Depersonalize conflict
“Putting your Whole Companies' Brain to Work” by Leonard and Strauss
Lead and capitalize on creative abrasion
Understand yourself
Forget the golden rule
Look for the ugly duckling
Manage the Creative process
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The hard work of
creativity
…creativity is not magic and there is no such thing as the creative type
“How Creativity Works” by Jonah Lehrer
Connecting things
The moment of insight
The epiphany from relaxation
Setting the conditions through climate
The role of experience
Social network diversity
Technical transfers through experience
Setting the conditions through physical
structure
Where Good Ideas Come From
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU
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Dum Dum Lollipops
Company was invented/ founded 1924 Dum Dums was purchased by Spangler Candy in 1953.
There were 7 original flavors: lemon, lime, orange, coconut-pineapple, cherry, grape, and butterscotch.
Dum Dums are made in sixteen flavors with new flavors rotating into the mix every so often. The Mystery Flavor continuously changes and according to Spangler Candy Company, the mystery flavor is not limited to the current Dum Dums flavor mix.
2001 Mystery Flavor added
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Building a Mystery
Some Dum Dums have wrappers with question marks where the flavor is normally printed. This was a marketing idea that made the production process run more smoothly and made eating Dum Dums more fun.
The Mystery Flavor pop is a mixture of two flavors that come together when the end of one batch of candy meets the beginning of the next batch.
Rather than shutting down to clean out the candy equipment between flavors, Spangler turned lemons into lemonade and made pops out of the combination of flavors – the tail end of the old, and the beginning of the new. The candy lines keep running continuously, and the Mystery Flavor pops are a surprise treat every time.
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Questions?
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