About this course: This course deals directly with your ability for creativity which is a critical skill in any field. It focuses on divergent thinking, the ability to develop multiple ideas and concepts to solve problems. Through a series of creativity building exercises, short lectures, and readings, learners develop both an understanding of creativity and increase their own ability. This course will help you understand the role of creativity and innovation in your own work and in other disciplines. It will challenge you to move outside of your existing comfort zone and to recognize the value of that exploration. This course will help you understand the importance of diverse ideas, and to convey that understanding to others. The principal learning activity in the course is a series of "differents" where you are challenged to identify and change your own cultural, habitual, and normal patterns of behavior. Beginning with a prompt, e.g. "eat something different", you will begin to recognize your own = limits and to overcome them. In addition, you are encouraged to understand that creativity is based on societal norms, and that by it's nature, it will differ from and be discouraged by society. In this course, the persistence of the creative person is developed through practice. At the same time, these exercises are constrained by concerns of safety, legality, and economics, which are addressed in their creative process.
Created by: University of Minnesota
Taught by: Brad Hokanson, PhD, Professor
College of Design
Taught by: Jody Lawrence, Instructor
College of Design
| Commitment | 4-6 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Introduction to the Course
Creative problem solving is a skill that can be developed. It requires extensive work by learners, but the lessons, while not conveying traditional content, will change the you in ways you do not foresee, but ways which are cherished. The course is a hybrid; it will involve reading, writing, discussions, as well as specific exercises designed to increase and improve your creative skills. You will do work online as well as in the real world; it is designed to be fun and to change your ability for creativity.
7 videos, 4 readings
- Reading: Introduction - read this first
- Reading: Welcome to the course
- Reading: Do This ---> New Originality Development Engine
- Video: 1.1 Welcome Video
- Video: 1.2 Course Methods: Creative Skill Development
- Video: 1.3 DSD General Introduction
- Video: 1.4 DSD 1 Eat introduction
- Video: 1.5 Doing Peer Evaluations
- Video: 1.6 Shooting Pictures
- Reading: The Creativity Crisis [ published in Newsweek 2010 ]
- Video: 2014 DSD 1 Live Review
Graded: DSD 1: Eat Something Different
WEEK 2
Divergent and Convergent Thinking
In this unit we'll look as some of the ways we can describe creativity and examine the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking. We'll look at generating more ideas, how to critique and make improvements, and continue to practice our development of ideas. Practice and exploration continue as these are the means we will continue to improve our own creativity.
6 videos, 2 readings
- Reading: New: Originality Development Engine
- Video: 2.1 Divergent and Convergent Thinking
- Video: 2.2 Idea Generation: Brick Activity
- Video: 2.3 Critiquing and Making Improvements
- Video: 2.4 DSD 2 Talk introduction
- Video: 2014 DSD3 [talk] Live Review
- Reading: Johnson - Where Good Ideas Come From
- Video: Steven JohnsonTED talk: Where Good Ideas Come From
Graded: #1: Newsweek
Graded: DSD 2: Talk
WEEK 3
Creative Methods
Sometimes, we need external methods to help us touch all the bases in our creative capability. Here, we'll look at a couple of good methods for helping us generate new ideas.There are a wide range of creativity exercises available; these are but a few. Finding and practicing the development of ideas is an important aspect to becoming more creative.
4 videos, 2 readings
- Reading: 3.0 Originality Assessment Engine
- Video: 3.1 Mindmapping
- Video: 3.2 Attribute listing
- Video: 3.3 Beliefs, Habits, Skills and Knowledge
- Video: DSD 3 Smooch Introduction
- Reading: DSD 3 The Smooch Project
Graded: DSD 3: Smooch
WEEK 4
Creativity and Observation
A lot of the time, creativity can be spurred by something in the environment, triggering connections with new ideas. We react to things we have seen and our experiences; that is from where we build our new ideas.
7 videos
- Video: 4.1 Creativity and Observation
- Video: 4.2 Attribute Listing: Observation and Application
- Video: 4.3 Brush Your Teeth
- Video: 4.4 Creativity and Motivation
- Video: 4.5 Play and Creativity
- Video: 4.6 Bricolage + Exquisite Corpse as Creativity Techniques
- Video: DSD 3 Live Review SPRING version
Graded: #2: Johnson Introduction
WEEK 5
Creativity Models and Theories
There are a lot of different ways to examine the complex concept of creativity; we'll look at some of them and continue to build our own creativity.
5 videos
- Video: 5.1 Divergent and Convergent Thinking: Applying What You've Learned
- Video: 5.2 Creativity Models and Theories
- Video: 5.3 Applying Left and Right Brain Thinking: Truths and Myths
- Video: Quiz #3 Video #3: Liquid Networks
- Video: 5.7 Give Differently Introduction
Graded: Quiz #3: Liquid Networks video, Johnson RSA & TED talk
Graded: DSD 4: Give Differently
WEEK 6
Conclusion
The goal of the course is for you to continue to develop your own creativity, in your own way and in your own life. Here are some ways to move forward.
6 videos, 1 reading
- Video: 6.1 Conclusion
- Video: 6.2 Moving forward
- Video: 6.3 Top Ten Things About Creativity
- Video: 6.4 Reviewing creative techniques
- Video: 6.5 A few last words...
- Video: 2014 DSD 4 Give - Live review
- Reading: Creativity Resources and Tools
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Creators
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation’s most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.
Pricing
| Purchase Course | Audit | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Available | Not available |
| Receive a final grade | Available | Not available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Available | Not available |
Ratings and Reviews
Fun class and liked the project DSD.
That is a great course! The best course of my life untill now. Thank you so much!
Good
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Excellent premise, good suggestions. Some technical issues with repeated videos & lack of experience w/talking to a camera instead of a person, but nothing too distracting.