COMM 105 - Creative Thinking

3 Credits: (3 lecture)

Course Description
This course will enable students to develop their creative and critical thinking ability. Through creative activities students will learn to think analytically, identify relationships, spot faulty reasonings, develop creative solutions to problems, improve their memories and set goals.

Text
Von Oech, Rodger. Whack on the side of the head. 3rd ed. Hachette Book Group, 1998. Print.

Objectives
The student will be able to: 

A. Identify the various techniques and proper sequences used to achieve the creative thought process. 

B. Identify the various techniques and proper sequences used to achieve critical thinking processes.    

C. Demonstrate and explain the basic fundamentals of their own personal creative and critical thinking process through class and individual problem solving projects. 

D. Demonstrate the ability to successfully develop alternative creative solutions. 

E. Identify a selection of creative geniuses from history. 

 

Content
The content of this course will include, but not be confined to, lectures, discussion, student group work, verbal and visual presentations, and visual and auditory aids.  

Student Evaluation
Evaluation may be based upon  

A. Tests, when applicable. 

B. Student presentations. 

C. Creative projects when applicable.  

D. A term paper or special project may be assigned. 

Bibliography
Amabile, Teresa. Growing Up Creative. New York: Crown, 1989. 

Ayan, Jordan.  Aha!  New York:  Three Rivers Press, 1997. 

Bransford, John. The Ideal Problem Solver. New York:  W. H. Freeman, 1984. 

De Bono, Edward.  Serious Creativity.  New York:  Harper Business (Harper Collins Publishers), 1992. 

Gardner, Howard.  Extraordinary Minds.  New York:  Basic Books, 1997. 

Grudin, Robert. The Grace of Great Things; Creativity and Innovation. New York: Ticknor and Fields, 1990. 

Parnes, Sidney A., Ed. Source Book for Creative Problem-Solving: a 50-Year Digest of Proven Innovative Processes. Buffalo, NY: Creative Education Foundation, 1992. 

Sankowsky, Daniel. Unlocking: A Guide to Creative Living. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1987. 

Wallace, D.B. & Gruber, H.B., Ed. Creative People at Work.  New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. 

LIBRARY RESEARCH BOOKS ON HAND AS OF SPRING, 1998 

Amabile, Teresa. Growing Up Creative. New York: Crown, 1989. 

Bransford, John. The Ideal Problem Solver. New York: W. H. Freeman, 1984.  

Csikszentimihalyi, Mihaly. Creativity. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1996.  

Gardner, Howard. Creating Minds. New York: Basic Books, 1993.  

Grudin, Robert. The Grace of Great Things: Creativity and Innovation. New York: Ticknor and Fields, 1990. 

Parnes, Sidney J., (Ed.) Source Book for Creative Problem-Solving. Buffalo: Creative Education Foundation Press, 1992.  

Sandowsky, Daniel. Unlocking: A Guide to Creative Living. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 1987.  

Wallace, Doris B. & Howard E. Gruer., (Eds.). Creative People at Work. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. 

Weber, Robert J. and David N. Perkins. (Eds.). Inventive Minds. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.  

Wilde, Richard. Visual Literacy: A Conceptual Approach to Solving Graphic Problems. Lakewood, NJ: Watson-Guptill, 1991.