Adventures in Creative Problem Solving, Part 2

The next story I have to share about adventures in creative problem solving takes back way in 2008 when I was a high school senior. Among the myriad of "what am I doing with the rest of my life" problems that I was having, I was also about to graduate.

For some reason, when I always imagined graduating from high school, I never envisioned the part where I would have to pay some third-party vendor an arm and a leg to BUY my cap and gown just so I could (mostly) sit and (barely) walk through a two hour ceremony. I don't remember the exact price of everything, but it was something in the realm of like $70-150 for a plastic bag dyed teal (my school had unique colors). I was in no financial place to spend this type of money, even if it was for my graduation, and I felt the situation too ridiculous to ask my parents. Only my grandfather was working at the time, and I would never ask my grandfather for anything unless it was literally a matter of life or death. So, I resigned to the fact that I was going to have to sell some of my possessions and give up something expensive (and that I loved) so that I could unfairly pay a ridiculous amount to participate in this ceremony. Shouldn't graduation be cheaper, or, free? Did I not give years of my life, hours of my sweat and tears into that 4.3 GPA?!?

similar to this, but not nearly as shiny 

Problem: Needing to buy a cap and gown.  Needing a cap and gown
Other factors: No money, little time, general stress
Process: IDing problem(s), IDing time restraints, gathering resources (friends, family, desire to graduate, etc.), brainstorming solutions, picking one, and testing solution.

I soon realized that my problem wasn't actually needing the money to BUY a cap and gown, but simply that I needed to be dressed to participate in the ceremony. It's not like the outfits were incredibly flattering, or that my family would be able to see how nice and new I looked from far away. I realized that I just needed to procure a cap and gown (in my school's colors), not to buy one.

My older man-friend at that time had graduated from my school about two years earlier. Luckily, the school had not changed color schemes in that time and that these things are pretty gender neutral. With some Febreez-ing and some quick non-permanent alterations (he's 6'1', I'm 5'2), I had something to wear and was able to save the money for things that were more important to me, like my plane ticket to actually get to college.

A financial restriction is often my catalyst for creativity.

picture retrieved from: http://www.graduationproduct.com/teal-graduation-cap-gown-tassel.html

Differences and Similarities

Now that we know what critical thinking and creative problem solving are, what is the difference between them? These terms are often used interchangeably, but it is important to understand the nuances.

After reading Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 of Understanding Creativity: The Interplay of Biological, Psychological, and Social Factors, I've come up with my personal list.

Differences:

1. Creative problem solving usually resolves in something considered new or unusual as a solution

2. Critical thinking does not necessary result into a definite solution

3. Critical thinking sometimes is implemented so that multiple, many solutions are created

Similarities:

1. Both require elevated processes of thinking and a choice/ability to think harder or 'outside of the box'

2. Both require a base of knowledge and practice to develop

3. Both are influenced from outside sources (environment, various institutions, family, etc.) 

Dacey, J., & Lennon, K. (1998). Understanding creativity: The interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

Picture retrieved from: http://hiscitech.blogspot.com/2012/04/of-nine-ill-start-with-two.html

Adventures in Creative Problem Solving, Part 1

A lot of my most creative problem solving moments happen as result of one or both of these problems:

1. lack of money
2. lack of time

I blame this on being a poor student who has not so cheap hobbies and aspirations. Also, I have a thing for not paying for things that I think are unfair (more about that later).

That time I went to a major competition and didn't have my eyelashes.

Let me preface this by saying that the world of competitive ballroom dancing is intense and confusing to some who are a part of it but definitely all who are outside of it. A big part of it is costuming since you have to obviously look awesome when you're dancing and have to stand out enough to be seen by judges as well as audience members who are sitting far away. I would describe ballroom makeup as very similar to stage makeup, except more contemporary and more beauty-queen influenced. Fake eyelashes are a must.

Normally I have a few lying around just because I've buy them when they go on sale, and I tend to not throw out the ones I've used only once. (They're expensive!) SOMEHOW, I end up in the middle of Columbus, Ohio before I dance the National Collegiate Championships with ONE false eyelash. I dug through my giant makeup bag (literally, it's about 15 pounds) and could not find any of these aforementioned 'backup' eyelashes that should have been floating around.

I was due to dance in only a couple of hours, and I had no time to leave the convention center to find lashes and make it back in time to change and warm up. Oh, and definitely could not walk out on the floor (and be photographed by strangers) with ONE giant eyelash.

Luckily, with my brain, and a dash of luck, I came up with the understanding that my eyelashes serve the purpose of making my eyes look bigger. How could i make my eyes look bigger? I remembered that most people only look to the edge of the eyes when determining how long lashes are, so I took that one eyelash (which you're supposed to trim anyways), borrowed some random girl's sewing kit/scissors, and cut that one lash in half. I glued it into the edges of my eyes, added a ton of eyeliner, mascara, and some eyeshadow, and suddenly the world was alright.

not completely done up, but you get the idea.

Creative Problem Solving for the Win!

Adventures in Critical Thinking, Part 1

So, as part of this blog, I am going to recap some of my personal experiences in the world of critical thinking and creative problem solving to demonstrate just how prevalent these processes are in day-to-day life. We study these in the context of "how to analyze" our entire academic lives, but how does it translate IRL (in real life)?

I've just bought my first car. Buying a car is a super stressful and difficult process that definitely involves some higher level cognition. My set of data/previously acquired knowledge:

1. Cars are expensive

2. Car dealerships are scary.

After defining my problem (I NEED A CAR ASAP), I started to research like crazy. I needed to widen my base of knowledge in order to have greater data to consider and better identify obstacles that stood in my way. I needed information about buying versus leasing, new vs. used, credit information, loans, etc. I eventually became overwhelmed with information from various sources, including the internet and friends and family, and I needed to edit all of my data.

In order to analyze and sort my data I asked myself various questions. What was relevant to my situation? What sources were the most reputable? What options could I afford? 

Other examples of elevated thinking: I had to clear and coordinate my schedule over the course of a week, I needed to prepare my bank account, gather insurance quotes and actually become insured, and what seemed like a million other things. I could have easily given up and said "Nope, I'm just going to suck it up and take the bus."

There were so many factors that needed to be organized chronologically and strategically so that I could get this car, least of which was picking the actual car. Logistically, negotiating and doing the paperwork was another chore that required me to crunch numbers, think about my future, and literally fork over the most amount of money I have ever paid for anything. But, if I hadn't gone through this process, I would have just walked into the dealership with no experience, even more added stress and naivete and have been at a disadvantage. There's a small chance that I would have gotten a car, but it may have left me a) looking like an idiot and b) getting scammed. But luckily, do to some perseverance and critical thinking, I was able to get a brand new 2013 Ford Fiesta with an amazing lease deal with monthly payments I could easily afford.

SUCCESS!  

Defining Creative Problem Solving

What is the definition of creative problem solving?

Creative problem solving is a mental process that results in a new, unique solution to a problem. It includes all steps up to and including the ability to arrive at that solution. Creative problem solvers recognize that traditional or previously accepted solutions may not be the be-all end-all and reject the notion that all answers that can be found have been found.

For example, if you suddenly and tragically end up out of jelly for your afternoon PB&J sandwich, a creative solution would NOT be taking a trip to the store to get some. A creative solution would be to use your father's new juicer that he's explicitly forbidden you to touch along with some plump concord grapes and MAKE yourself some delicious and free jelly. (Cosby Show reference anyone?)

for the record, this did not end well. 

photo retrieved from:
http://sharetv.org/shows/the_cosby_show/episodes/159735

Defining Critical Thought

What is the definition of critical thinking?

The Critical Thinking Company (yes, there is such a thing) defines it as "the identification and evaluation of evidence to guide decision making. A critical thinker uses broad in-depth analysis of evidence to make decisions and communicate his/her beliefs clearly and accurately" (The Critical Thinking Co., 2005).   

I personally define critical thinking as the ability to analyze presented data or facts to solve a larger problem. It is having the skill set (and motivation)  to solve problem(s) that is/are not explicitly stated or one(s) that do(es) not have one easy answer.

For example, I am not interested in whether you can tell me if Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights is a Byronic Hero. You know that because your English teacher took the time to tell you that he was. I am interested in thoughts about how Healthcliff differs from Mr. Darcy (also considered a Byronic Hero to some) in Pride and Prejudice. Obviously, Mr. Darcy is 1000x better, but I want to know WHY you think so. 

 Mr. Rochester v. Mr. Darcy is a more fair match up.

References:

The Critical Thinking Co. (2005). What is critical thinking?. Retrieved from https://www.criticalthinking.com/company/articles/critical-thinking-definition.jsp

picture retrieved from: http://lauracrook.com/mr-darcy-vs-mr-rochester-a-highly-scientific-moderately-objective-analysis/