comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking

1

Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer)

The goal of problem-solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works, it’s a good solution. Other people may think up solutions that differ from yours, but that doesn’t make your solution wrong or unimportant. What is the solution to “putting words on paper?” Fountain pen, ballpoint, pencil, marker, typewriter, printer, printing press, word-processing… all are valid solutions!

2

The best answer, solution, or method has already been discovered

Look at the history of any solution and you’ll see that improvements, new solutions, and new right answers are always being found. What is the solution to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the train, the car, the airplane, the jet, the space shuttle? What is the best and last?

3

Creative answers are technologically complex

Only a few problems require complex technological solutions. Most problems you’ll encounter need only a thoughtful solution involving personal action and perhaps a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require technology can be addressed in other ways.

4

Ideas either come or they don’t. Nothing will help— certainly not structure.

There are many successful techniques for generating ideas. One important technique is to include structure. Create guidelines, limiting parameters, and concrete goals for yourself that stimulate and shape your creativity. This strategy can help you get past the intimidation of “the blank page.” For example, if you want to write a story about a person who gained insight through experience, you can stoke your creativity by limiting or narrowing your theme to “a young girl in Cambodia who escaped the Khmer Rouge to find a new life as a nurse in France.” Apply this specificity and structure to any creative endeavor.

Critical and creative thinking complement each other when it comes to problem-solving. The process of alternatively focusing and expanding your thinking can generate more creative, innovative, and effective outcomes.

Problem-Solving Action Checklist

Problem-solving can be an efficient and rewarding process, especially if you are organized and mindful of critical steps and strategies. Remember to assume the attributes of a good critical thinker: if you are curious, reflective, knowledge-seeking, open to change, probing, organized, and ethical, your challenge or problem will be less of a hurdle, and you’ll be in a good position to find intelligent solutions. The steps outlined in this checklist will help you adhere to these qualities in your approach to any problem:

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Critical thinking is logical and reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do.
• Critical thinking involves questioning and evaluating information.
• Evaluating information is a complex, but essential, process. You can use the SIFT method to help determine if sources and information are reliable.
• Creative thinking is both a natural aspect of childhood and a re-learnable skill as an adult.
• Creative thinking is as essential a skill as critical thinking and integrating them can contribute to  innovative and rewarding experiences in life.
• Critical and creative thinking both contribute to our ability to solve problems in a variety of contexts.
• You can take specific actions to develop and strengthen your critical and creative thinking skills.

LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS

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• Critical and Creative Thinking  Authored by : Laura Lucas, Tobin Quereau, and Heather Syrett.  Provided by : Austin Community College.  License :  CC BY-NC-SA-4.0

CC LICENSED CONTENT, SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTION

• Chapter cover image.  Authored by : Hans-Peter Gauster.  Provided by : Unsplash.  Located at :  https://unsplash.com/photos/3y1zF4hIPCg .  License :  CC0: No Rights Reserved
• Creative Thinking Skills  in College Success.  Authored by : Linda Bruce.  Provided by : Lumen Learning.  Located at :  https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/creative-thinking-skills/ .  License :  CC BY 4.0
• Critical Thinking Skills  in College Success.   Authored by : Linda Bruce.  Provided by : Lumen Learning.  Located at :  https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/critical-thinking-skills/ .  License :  CC BY 4.0
• Evaluate: Assessing Your Research Process and Findings  in Information Literacy.  Authored by : Bernnard, Bobish, Hecker, Holden, Hosier, Jacobsen, Loney, Bullis.  Provided by : Lumen Learning.  Located at :  https://courses.lumenlearning.com/informationliteracy/chapter/evaluate-assessing-your-research-process-and-findings/ .  License :  CC BY-NC-SA-4.0
• The SIFT Method in Introduction to College Research . Authored by:  Walter D. Butler; Aloha Sargent; and Kelsey Smith. Provided by: Pressbooks. Located at : https://oer.pressbooks.pub/collegeresearch/chapter/the-sift-method/ . License: CC BY 4.0
• Why Fact-Checking in Introduction to College Research . Authored by:  Walter D. Butler; Aloha Sargent; and Kelsey Smith. Provided by: Pressbooks. Located at : https://oer.pressbooks.pub/collegeresearch/chapter/why-fact-checking/ . License: CC BY 4.0

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED CONTENT

Where Good Ideas Come From.  Authored by : Steven Johnson. Provided by: Riverhead Books.  Located at :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU .  License :  All Rights Reserved .  License Terms : Standard YouTube License

How to Stimulate the Creative Process.  Provided by : Howcast.  Located at :  https://youtu.be/kPC8e-Jk5uw .  License :  All Rights Reserved .  License Terms : Standard YouTube License

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Creative Thinking vs. Critical Thinking: Unlocking the Power of the Mind

Anindita Roy

The human mind is a marvel, a sophisticated machine capable of both boundless imagination and sharp analysis. Two of its most celebrated feats are creative thinking and critical thinking. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they represent distinct mental processes that serve different purposes. To harness the true potential of our minds, it’s essential to understand and appreciate both.

Creative Thinking: The Art of Possibility

Definition: Creative thinking is the process of generating new, original ideas and solutions. It involves stepping outside conventional boundaries, taking risks, and embracing uncertainty.

Characteristics of Creative Thinkers:

• Open-mindedness: They remain receptive to different viewpoints and unfamiliar concepts.
• Risk-taking: They are willing to challenge the status quo and explore uncharted territories.
• Flexibility: They adapt and pivot when faced with obstacles or new information.

Applications: Creative thinking can be observed in artistic ventures, brainstorming sessions, problem-solving where the usual solutions don’t apply, and in innovative scientific discoveries.

Critical Thinking: The Science of Reason

Definition: Critical thinking involves evaluating information objectively and making judgments based on evidence. It’s an analytical process, grounded in logic and rationality.

Characteristics of Critical Thinkers:

• Analytical: They systematically break down information to understand its nuances.
• Objective: They base judgments on facts, not emotions or biases.
• Reflective: They continually assess their own thought processes to ensure clarity and accuracy.

Applications: Critical thinking is crucial in decision-making processes, research, evaluating the credibility of sources, and any situation requiring a reasoned conclusion.

Symbiosis: How Creative and Critical Thinking Interplay

While they might seem opposing, these two modes of thinking are most powerful when used in tandem. For instance:

• Innovation: The creation of a groundbreaking product might start with a creative spark but requires critical thinking to evaluate its feasibility, potential pitfalls, and market fit.
• Problem-Solving: While creative thinking can generate various solutions, critical thinking helps evaluate which one is the most effective.
• Artistic Expression: Even the most abstract art forms require some degree of critical thinking in execution, planning, and presentation.

Developing Both Forms of Thinking

To cultivate both creative and critical thinking:

• Embrace Challenges: Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can stimulate both creativity and critical analysis.
• Stay Curious: Regularly expose yourself to new information, experiences, and perspectives.
• Practice Reflection: Dedicate time to introspection. Review your thought processes, decisions, and their outcomes.
• Engage in Diverse Conversations: Speaking with people from various backgrounds can offer fresh perspectives and challenge your beliefs.

In Conclusion

Creative thinking and critical thinking are not just innate abilities; they are skills that can be honed with deliberate effort and practice. By understanding the distinctions and the powerful synergy between them, we can leverage their strengths in both personal and professional spheres. Remember, the brilliance of the human mind lies not just in dreaming up fantastical ideas but also in scrutinizing them with a discerning eye.

Written by Anindita Roy

"Self-Taught UX Researcher and Digital Product Designer with a Passion for User-Centered Design"

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Critical and Creative Thinking: What is Which and What are the Advantages

Russell Heisler · March 8, 2018 · Leave a Comment

When dealing with problems, there are two ways to approach them. One might find solutions by applying critical thinking, while someone might find it more suitable to use creative thinking. Critical and creative thinking are essential during the learning process, which requires students to resort to different methods. They can use reason and logic when acquiring their knowledge, or be innovative and use imagination when finding solutions.

What is creative thinking?

Creative thinking is a form of innovation which seeks to find new answers and allow new perspectives on a problem. The outcome of this process should be original and unique. Through it, people might find unexpected solutions and increase productivity.

Through creative thinking, one starts by putting up lists of possibilities on a quest for ideas. Any unconventional proposition is welcome as, in the end, the product consists of various theories on the same issue. To come up with ideas, people can use both structured and unstructured methods.

Brainstorming vs. lateral thinking

Brainstorming is the unstructured type of process. It consists of a free discussion, where everyone contributes with ideas and suggestions. Those who are part of a brainstorming process are encouraged to voice all their ideas. Sometimes, they might have some unorthodox propositions, but this is all for the better.

Lateral thinking is the structured alternative to achieving creative thinking. It might seem a little too critical as, in the end, it reaches logical conclusions. However, the thinking process does not follow the classic line, and the ideas produced are attained from many points of view. In fact, the purpose of creative thinking is to supply some ideas which are then filtered through critical thinking.

Skills related to creative thinking

People who use this process have to be open-minded and flexible to outlandish ideas. Also, they need the imagination to produce the original ideas, and the creativity to make them unique. To produce alternatives and make them possible, it’s necessary to elaborate on a basis and even take some risks.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking makes use of logic, reason, and analyzing to reach a conclusion. The subjects first have to observe and have a certain experience with the elements of the problem. Then, they closely ponder all possibilities and analyze the reality. The final judgment is empirical and educated.

In critical thinking, people learn how to question everything. They do this by using logic to filter through all the alternatives. For the results to be the best, they also have to remain objective and thoroughly analyze everything that’s given to them.

What to use critical thinking for?

This process is best in debates, when people are trying to build up arguments to support their convictions. Also, some questions require a single answer, but more alternatives are offered. This is the best method of sorting the real one out. As mentioned above, critical and creative thinking are related as the former is used to sift through the variety given by the latter. Cortactors CRM. Best crm for construction companies .

Critical and creative thinking – main differences

Critical and creative thinking both seek to find answers and promote learning, but they use opposing principles and techniques. First of all, creative thinking is all about innovation. It wants to come up with new theories, while critical thinking explores the already existing options and the truth present in them.

Also, creative thinking seeks to generate. The main purpose of critical thinking is to be purely analytical and explore everything that is given. This is offered by the widely accepted principles which are closely followed in critical thinking. In the other variant, they are disregarded and challenged.

In the end, the main purpose of critical thinking is to reach one single answer. Therefore, all the methods are convergent, and carefully remove the options one by one, until the best is left. Creative thinking is clashing, divergent, and encourages diversity.

How do critical and creative thinking work together?

When solving problems, one may opt for one alternative or the other. However, in the context of learning, the two processes are not mutually exclusive. Both are essential for the development of thinking abilities. If students develop both their logic and imagination skills, they will later be able to choose their preferred strategy. Also, they will spontaneously use whatever suits the situation.

Critical and creative thinking in learning

To make kids develop critical and creative thinking, they first have to learn a few investigation techniques. Working in teams teaches them to listen to others’ opinions and thus develop a set of theories. On the other hand, working individually enhances their logical skills, and encourages them to ponder each result.

Critical and creative thinking are good for developing the inquiry skills of the kids. Both of them make the students ask more questions and be more curious about the options they have. Also, they get to compare all the information and be more attentive to where it comes from.

The two processes increase both the creativity and pragmatism of a child

Of course, these techniques increase the creativity of a child. By knowing how to come up with ideas and then judge them, students can then identify common points and find out how they are related. By connecting them, they might even find new solutions, or establish on the best strategy to apply.

These processes are essential for the development of a child into an adult endowed with reason. They teach them how to apply reason and logical concepts, and then reach conclusions. These skills are what it takes to help kids take decisions on their own, as they become capable of analyzing the consequences of their actions.

Drawing to a Close

Critical and creative thinking are two opposed methods to rationalize, which can often complete each other. Although one seeks to generate ideas and the other wants to sort out the existent options, they can both train the brain to be more creative and find solutions quickly. It also develops one’s logical skills, thus improving decision making and the analysis of consequences.

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Part Two: You are the President and CEO of You

Thinking Critically and Creatively

Dr. andrew robert baker.

Critical and creative thinking skills are perhaps the most fundamental skills involved in making judgments and solving problems. They are some of the most important skills I have ever developed. I use them everyday and continue to work to improve them both.

The ability to think critically about a matter—to analyze a question, situation, or problem down to its most basic parts—is what helps us evaluate the accuracy and truthfulness of statements, claims, and information we read and hear. It is the sharp knife that, when honed, separates fact from fiction, honesty from lies, and the accurate from the misleading. We all use this skill to one degree or another almost every day. For example, we use critical thinking every day as we consider the latest consumer products and why one particular product is the best among its peers. Is it a quality product because a celebrity endorses it? Because a lot of other people may have used it? Because it is made by one company versus another? Or perhaps because it is made in one country or another? These are questions representative of critical thinking.

The academic setting demands more of us in terms of critical thinking than everyday life. It demands that we evaluate information and analyze a myriad of issues. It is the environment where our critical thinking skills can be the difference between success and failure. In this environment we must consider information in an analytical, critical manner. We must ask questions—What is the source of this information? Is this source an expert one and what makes it so? Are there multiple perspectives to consider on an issue? Do multiple sources agree or disagree on an issue? Does quality research substantiate information or opinion? Do I have any personal biases that may affect my consideration of this information? It is only through purposeful, frequent, intentional questioning such as this that we can sharpen our critical thinking skills and improve as students, learners, and researchers. Developing my critical thinking skills over a twenty year period as a student in higher education enabled me to complete a quantitative dissertation, including analyzing research and completing statistical analysis, and earning my Ph.D. in 2014.

While critical thinking analyzes information and roots out the true nature and facets of problems, it is creative thinking that drives progress forward when it comes to solving these problems. Exceptional creative thinkers are people that invent new solutions to existing problems that do not rely on past or current solutions. They are the ones who invent solution C when everyone else is still arguing between A and B. Creative thinking skills involve using strategies to clear the mind so that our thoughts and ideas can transcend the current limitations of a problem and allow us to see beyond barriers that prevent new solutions from being found.

Brainstorming is the simplest example of intentional creative thinking that most people have tried at least once. With the quick generation of many ideas at once we can block-out our brain’s natural tendency to limit our solution-generating abilities so we can access and combine many possible solutions/thoughts and invent new ones. It is sort of like sprinting through a race’s finish line only to find there is new track on the other side and we can keep going, if we choose. As with critical thinking, higher education both demands creative thinking from us and is the perfect place to practice and develop the skill. Everything from word problems in a math class, to opinion or persuasive speeches and papers, call upon our creative thinking skills to generate new solutions and perspectives in response to our professor’s demands. Creative thinking skills ask questions such as—What if? Why not? What else is out there? Can I combine perspectives/solutions? What is something no one else has brought-up? What is being forgotten/ignored? What about ______? It is the opening of doors and options that follows problem-identification.

Consider an assignment that required you to compare two different authors on the topic of education and select and defend one as better. Now add to this scenario that your professor clearly prefers one author over the other. While critical thinking can get you as far as identifying the similarities and differences between these authors and evaluating their merits, it is creative thinking that you must use if you wish to challenge your professor’s opinion and invent new perspectives on the authors that have not previously been considered.

So, what can we do to develop our critical and creative thinking skills? Although many students may dislike it, group work is an excellent way to develop our thinking skills. Many times I have heard from students their disdain for working in groups based on scheduling, varied levels of commitment to the group or project, and personality conflicts too, of course. True—it’s not always easy, but that is why it is so effective. When we work collaboratively on a project or problem we bring many brains to bear on a subject. These different brains will naturally develop varied ways of solving or explaining problems and examining information. To the observant individual we see that this places us in a constant state of back and forth critical/creative thinking modes.

For example, in group work we are simultaneously analyzing information and generating solutions on our own, while challenging other’s analyses/ideas and responding to challenges to our own analyses/ideas. This is part of why students tend to avoid group work—it challenges us as thinkers and forces us to analyze others while defending ourselves, which is not something we are used to or comfortable with as most of our educational experiences involve solo work. Your professors know this—that’s why we assign it—to help you grow as students, learners, and thinkers!

Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom Copyright © 2015 by Thomas Priester is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking Skills

Following Calvin Taylor's Model

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The Calvin Taylor creative thinking model describes the talent areas as productive thinking, communication, planning, decision making, and forecasting. This model is best known as Talents Unlimited, a program of the National Diffusion Network of the U.S. Department of Education. The Taylor model incorporates both the critical and creative elements of thinking.

Rather than a taxonomy, this is a thinking skills model that describes the essential elements of thinking, beginning with the academic talent and then incorporating the other talent areas, as described in more detail below.

Productive Thinking

Productivity promotes creative thinking in the Calvin Taylor model. It suggests critical and creative thinking of many ideas, varied ideas, unusual ideas, and adding to those ideas.

Communication

Communication has six elements which include:

• Give many, varied, single words to describe something.
• Give many, varied, single words to describe feelings.
• Think of many, varied things that are like another thing in a special way.
• Let others know that you understand how they feel.
• Make a network of ideas using many, varied and complete thoughts.
• Tell your feelings and needs without using words.

Planning requires that students learn to tell what they are going to plan:

• The materials that they will need.
• The steps that they will need to accomplish the task.
• The problems that might occur.

Decision Making

Decision making teaches the student to:

• Think of the many, varied things that could be done.
• Think more carefully about each alternative.
• Choose one alternative that they think is best.
• Give many, varied reasons for the choice.

Forecasting

Forecasting is the last of the five talents and requires students to make many, varied predictions about a situation, examining cause and effect relationships. Every element of the Calvin Taylor model is used when a child invents.

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• The Colorful History of Comic Books and Newspaper Cartoon Strips
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Finding Balance: Critical Thinking vs. Creative Thinking

Annie Walls

Finding balance between critical thinking and creative thinking is essential in today's fast-paced and complex world. While critical thinking helps us analyze and evaluate information to make informed decisions, creative thinking allows us to generate innovative ideas and solutions. In this article, we will explore the definitions, importance, and development of critical thinking, as well as the benefits and nurturing of creative thinking. We will also examine the relationship between these two types of thinking and how they enhance each other. Finally, we will discuss how critical and creative thinking can be applied in everyday life, specifically in problem-solving, decision-making, and fostering innovation and adaptability.

Key Takeaways

• Critical thinking and creative thinking are both valuable skills that complement each other.
• Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information to make informed decisions.
• Creative thinking allows us to generate innovative ideas and solutions.
• Developing critical thinking skills involves questioning assumptions and biases.
• Nurturing creativity involves embracing curiosity and taking risks.

Understanding Critical Thinking

The Definition of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information objectively, without letting personal biases or emotions influence the process. It involves actively questioning and examining ideas, arguments, and evidence to determine their validity and reliability. Analyzing and evaluating are key keywords in critical thinking.

To better understand critical thinking, it can be helpful to compare it to other types of thinking. For example, critical thinking is different from creative thinking , which involves generating new ideas and solutions. While creative thinking is important, critical thinking provides a necessary balance by ensuring that these ideas are thoroughly examined and tested for their soundness.

In practical terms, critical thinking can be applied in various situations. It can be used to assess the credibility of sources, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments, and make informed decisions based on evidence. By developing critical thinking skills, individuals can become more effective problem solvers and decision makers.

The Importance of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills are universal and crucial for the economy. They are essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation. According to the University of the People in California, having critical thinking skills is important because they are universal, meaning they can be applied to any situation or field. These skills are crucial for the economy as they contribute to the development of innovative solutions and help organizations adapt to changing circumstances. Critical thinking skills enable individuals to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and make informed decisions. They are highly valued by employers as they enhance problem-solving abilities and promote creativity and innovation.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Developing critical thinking skills is essential for navigating complex problems and making informed decisions. It involves the ability to analyze information objectively, evaluate arguments and evidence, and think logically and systematically. By honing these skills , individuals can become more effective problem solvers and decision makers in both personal and professional settings.

To develop critical thinking skills, individuals can engage in various activities and practices. Some strategies include:

• Questioning assumptions : Challenging preconceived notions and beliefs can help individuals gain a deeper understanding of a topic and consider alternative perspectives.
• Seeking diverse viewpoints : Actively seeking out different opinions and perspectives can broaden one's understanding and challenge biases.
• Evaluating evidence : Learning to critically evaluate evidence and sources can help individuals distinguish between reliable information and misinformation.

In addition, it can be helpful to engage in reflective thinking and problem-solving exercises to enhance critical thinking skills. By regularly practicing these strategies, individuals can develop a more analytical and discerning mindset, enabling them to approach challenges with clarity and confidence.

Exploring Creative Thinking

Defining creative thinking.

Creative thinking is the ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas and solutions. It involves breaking free from conventional thinking patterns and exploring new possibilities. Creativity is a key driver of innovation and is essential for problem-solving and adapting to change.

To better understand creative thinking, let's take a look at a comparison table:

As seen in the table, creative thinking involves a more imaginative and intuitive approach, while critical thinking focuses on analysis and objectivity. Both types of thinking are valuable and can complement each other in various situations.

Here are some key points to remember about creative thinking:

• It encourages exploration and experimentation.
• It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty.
• It values originality and uniqueness.

In the words of a famous creative thinker:

"Creativity is intelligence having fun."

The Benefits of Creative Thinking

Creative thinking offers numerous benefits that can enhance personal and professional growth. By embracing creativity, individuals can unlock their innovative potential and generate new ideas to drive sales and identify new opportunities. Creative thinking also fosters a more innovative and creative culture at work, leading to increased productivity and success.

To develop creative thinking skills, individuals can follow a five-step process that involves generating and developing innovative ideas. Techniques such as brainstorming and mind mapping can be used to stimulate creativity and explore different perspectives. Additionally, evaluating new ideas using creative thinking skills can help individuals make informed decisions and identify the most promising opportunities.

In today's rapidly changing world, creativity is becoming an essential job skill. According to the World Economic Forum, creativity is projected to be the third most important skill required by 2020. However, only 39% of people in the workforce consider themselves to be creative. Therefore, it is crucial to nurture and cultivate creativity in individuals and teams.

As keynote speaker James Taylor M.B.A. F.R.S.A. emphasizes, unlocking the creative potential in people and teams is vital for success. With his extensive experience in managing high-profile rock stars and his expertise in creativity, Taylor is a sought-after speaker who inspires individuals and organizations to embrace creativity and unleash their innovative capabilities.

Nurturing Creativity

Nurturing creativity is essential for fostering innovation and originality. It involves creating an environment that encourages curiosity, exploration, and experimentation. By providing opportunities for individuals to think outside the box and explore new ideas, creativity can flourish. Encouraging collaboration and diverse perspectives can also spark creativity by exposing individuals to different ways of thinking and problem-solving.

To nurture creativity, it is important to provide time and space for individuals to engage in activities that inspire them. This could include artistic pursuits , such as painting or writing, or exploring nature and the outdoors. Unstructured play and free thinking can also stimulate creativity by allowing the mind to wander and make unexpected connections.

Additionally, supportive feedback and recognition of creative efforts can motivate individuals to continue exploring their creative potential. By celebrating and valuing creativity, individuals are more likely to feel empowered to take risks and think outside the box.

In summary, nurturing creativity involves creating an environment that fosters curiosity, provides opportunities for exploration, and celebrates diverse perspectives. By doing so, individuals can unlock their creative potential and contribute to innovative solutions and ideas.

The Relationship Between Critical and Creative Thinking

Complementary or contradictory.

The relationship between critical thinking and creative thinking is often seen as complementary rather than contradictory. While critical thinking focuses on analyzing and evaluating information to make logical and rational decisions, creative thinking emphasizes generating new ideas and solutions. These two thinking styles can work together to enhance problem-solving and decision-making processes.

One way to understand the relationship between critical and creative thinking is to consider them as two sides of the same coin. Critical thinking provides the framework and structure for evaluating and assessing ideas, while creative thinking brings innovation and originality to the table. By combining critical and creative thinking, individuals can approach challenges from multiple perspectives and come up with unique and effective solutions.

In practical terms, applying critical and creative thinking in everyday life can lead to improved problem-solving skills, better decision-making, and increased innovation and adaptability. Whether it's analyzing data to identify patterns and trends, brainstorming ideas for a new project, or finding creative solutions to complex problems, the integration of critical and creative thinking can lead to more successful outcomes.

It's important to note that critical and creative thinking are not mutually exclusive. They can coexist and complement each other, allowing individuals to leverage both analytical and imaginative skills to navigate the complexities of the modern world.

How Critical Thinking Enhances Creative Thinking

Critical thinking plays a crucial role in enhancing creative thinking. By critically analyzing and evaluating ideas, critical thinkers are able to identify strengths and weaknesses , potential obstacles, and alternative perspectives. This process of critical examination allows for a deeper understanding of the problem or situation at hand, which in turn fuels the creative thinking process.

Critical thinking also helps to refine and shape creative ideas. By questioning assumptions, challenging existing beliefs, and seeking evidence and logical reasoning, critical thinkers can refine and improve their creative ideas. This critical evaluation ensures that creative ideas are well-founded and have a solid foundation.

Furthermore, critical thinking encourages open-mindedness and flexibility, which are essential qualities for creative thinking. Critical thinkers are willing to consider different viewpoints, explore unconventional approaches, and embrace ambiguity. This openness to new ideas and perspectives allows for the generation of innovative and original solutions.

In summary, critical thinking enhances creative thinking by providing a framework for analysis and evaluation, refining creative ideas, and fostering open-mindedness and flexibility.

How Creative Thinking Enhances Critical Thinking

Creative thinking enhances critical thinking by encouraging individuals to think outside the box and consider alternative perspectives. When engaging in creative thinking, individuals are encouraged to explore unconventional ideas and solutions, which can challenge their existing beliefs and assumptions. This process of questioning and challenging established norms can help develop a more critical mindset.

Additionally, creative thinking promotes flexibility and adaptability, which are essential components of critical thinking. By embracing creativity, individuals become more open to new possibilities and are better equipped to analyze and evaluate different options. This ability to think creatively and critically allows individuals to approach problems and challenges from multiple angles, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.

In summary, creative thinking enhances critical thinking by fostering a mindset of curiosity, exploration, and flexibility. It encourages individuals to question assumptions, consider alternative perspectives, and approach problems from different angles. By integrating creative thinking into the critical thinking process, individuals can develop a more well-rounded and comprehensive approach to problem-solving and decision-making.

Applying Critical and Creative Thinking in Everyday Life

Problem-solving with critical and creative thinking.

Problem-solving is a crucial skill that can be enhanced by both critical and creative thinking. By combining these two types of thinking, individuals can approach problems from different angles and come up with innovative solutions. Creativity allows for thinking outside the box and generating unique ideas, while critical thinking helps to analyze and evaluate these ideas to determine their feasibility and effectiveness.

To effectively solve problems using critical and creative thinking, it can be helpful to follow a structured approach. One possible method is the IDEAL problem-solving model , which stands for Identify the problem, Define the problem, Explore possible solutions, Act on the best solution, and Look back and learn. This model provides a systematic framework for problem-solving and ensures that all aspects of the problem are considered.

In addition to structured approaches, it is important to foster a collaborative and open-minded environment when engaging in problem-solving. This allows for the exchange of ideas and perspectives, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and potential solutions. It is also beneficial to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, as it encourages experimentation and the exploration of alternative solutions.

In summary, problem-solving with critical and creative thinking involves combining innovative ideas with analytical evaluation. By following a structured approach and fostering a collaborative environment, individuals can effectively solve problems and generate innovative solutions.

Decision-Making with Critical and Creative Thinking

When it comes to decision-making, both critical and creative thinking play crucial roles. Analyzing the available information and evaluating different options are key components of critical thinking in decision-making. On the other hand, creative thinking allows for brainstorming innovative solutions and thinking outside the box .

To effectively apply critical and creative thinking in decision-making, consider the following:

• Identify the problem: Clearly define the issue at hand and understand the desired outcome.
• Gather information: Collect relevant data and consider different perspectives.
• Generate options: Use both critical and creative thinking to come up with a range of possible solutions.
• Evaluate alternatives: Assess the pros and cons of each option based on logical reasoning and innovative ideas.
• Make a decision: Choose the best course of action based on a balanced consideration of critical and creative thinking.

Remember, decision-making is a dynamic process that benefits from the integration of critical and creative thinking approaches.

Innovation and Adaptability

Innovation and adaptability are crucial skills in today's rapidly changing world. Being able to think critically and creatively allows individuals to navigate challenges, find innovative solutions, and adapt to new situations. Here are some ways in which critical and creative thinking can be applied in everyday life:

Applying Critical and Creative Thinking in Everyday Life is essential for personal and professional growth. It allows us to approach problems and challenges with a fresh perspective, finding innovative solutions and making informed decisions. Whether it's brainstorming new ideas, analyzing complex situations, or exploring different possibilities, critical and creative thinking empowers us to think outside the box and unlock our full potential. If you're looking to enhance your critical and creative thinking skills, visit Keynote Speaker James Taylor's website. James Taylor is an inspiring keynote speaker and internationally recognized leader in business creativity and innovation. With his expertise and insights, he can help you unleash your creative potential and achieve success in both your personal and professional life.

In conclusion, finding a balance between critical thinking and creative thinking is essential for success in today's world. While critical thinking allows us to analyze and evaluate information, creative thinking enables us to generate innovative ideas and solutions. Flexibility is the key to achieving this balance, as it allows us to adapt our thinking approach depending on the situation. By combining the strengths of both critical and creative thinking, we can make well-informed decisions while also fostering innovation and growth. So, let us embrace both critical and creative thinking and harness their power to navigate the complexities of the modern world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between critical thinking and creative thinking.

Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information to make reasoned judgments, while creative thinking involves generating new ideas and possibilities.

Can critical thinking and creative thinking be used together?

Yes, critical thinking and creative thinking are complementary and can be used together to enhance problem-solving and decision-making.

How can critical thinking be developed?

Critical thinking can be developed through practice and exposure to diverse perspectives, as well as by actively questioning assumptions and biases.

What are the benefits of creative thinking?

Creative thinking can lead to innovative solutions, increased adaptability, and enhanced problem-solving skills.

How can creativity be nurtured?

Creativity can be nurtured by fostering a supportive and open-minded environment, encouraging curiosity and exploration, and providing opportunities for brainstorming and experimentation.

How do critical thinking and creative thinking enhance each other?

Critical thinking enhances creative thinking by providing a rational framework for evaluating ideas and identifying potential flaws. Creative thinking enhances critical thinking by generating alternative perspectives and challenging assumptions.

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Creative vs. critical thinking.

At Sage Collective, we champion our inspired model of 9 Ways of Vibrant living , and encourage everyone to discover new methods to help better their wellbeing. Today, we’re taking you back to Psych 101 to talk about the key differences between critical and creative thinking, why they’re both important, and ways you can practice both in your life to help you live more vibrantly: 

What Are Creative and Critical Thinking?

Understanding the difference between critical and creative thinking can be broken down simply this way: creative thinking is approaching problems or situations in new ways and with a new perspective, whereas critical thinking is using logic to analyze a situation in order to make an informed decision. Essentially, creative thinking is more subjective (influenced by feelings) whereas critical thinking is more objective (influenced by logic). Both are important when decision-making, so let’s explore some of the reasons why. 

Why Are They Important?

As we’ve discussed in previous blogs , creativity – particularly for adults – can lead to a happier, healthier lifestyle. The same rings true for thinking creatively! Brainstorming new solutions and exploring new ideas are imperative for older adults because it helps provide a sense of self that is innovative and capable. The goal with creative thinking is to have an open mind and to approach situations with diverse perspectives. As for critical thinking, it’s equally important to approach situations constructively and logically, but it is the synergy of both thinking patterns working together that makes us great problem solvers. 

How to Improve Creative and Critical Thinking Skills:

To improve critical thinking skills, when you’re problem-solving, make a list of facts and then cause and effects. This will help you logically analyze outcomes, and come to a decision that way. To think more creatively, try asking yourself: what other considerations are there in this situation? What perspective could I be missing? An easy way to practice this is by brainstorming with another person– hearing a different perspective may inspire you to think of others as well, and is great practice for when you’re alone.

Creativity and Critical Thinking

• First Online: 31 January 2022

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The twenty-first century has seen a rapid growth of curriculum initiatives that consider the development of cross-curriculum competencies as a core issue, and significant for every discipline area. Both because of such cross-curriculum developments and because of the nature of STEM itself, the integration of the particular core competencies of ‘creativity’ and ‘critical thinking’ across the STEM disciplines has also grown rapidly in educational importance. Creativity and critical thinking in education are best viewed from the perspectives of both learner development and teacher expertise, with the attributes specific to each concept appropriately seen as increasing in sophistication or complexity over time. A broad examination of each of the two concepts and their interrelatedness, and the consequent implications for educational practice concerned with developing them, creates a lens through which to view the application of creativity and critical thinking across the complexity and diversity of the STEM disciplines and their integrated forms.

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• F-10 curriculum
• General capabilities
• Critical and Creative Thinking

Critical and Creative Thinking (Version 8.4)

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems. Critical and creative thinking involves students thinking broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.

Thinking that is productive, purposeful and intentional is at the centre of effective learning. By applying a sequence of thinking skills, students develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the processes they can use whenever they encounter problems, unfamiliar information and new ideas. In addition, the progressive development of knowledge about thinking and the practice of using thinking strategies can increase students’ motivation for, and management of, their own learning. They become more confident and autonomous problem-solvers and thinkers.

Responding to the challenges of the twenty-first century – with its complex environmental, social and economic pressures – requires young people to be creative, innovative, enterprising and adaptable, with the motivation, confidence and skills to use critical and creative thinking purposefully.

This capability combines two types of thinking: critical thinking and creative thinking. Though the two are not interchangeable, they are strongly linked, bringing complementary dimensions to thinking and learning.

Critical thinking is at the core of most intellectual activity that involves students learning to recognise or develop an argument, use evidence in support of that argument, draw reasoned conclusions, and use information to solve problems. Examples of critical thinking skills are interpreting, analysing, evaluating, explaining, sequencing, reasoning, comparing, questioning, inferring, hypothesising, appraising, testing and generalising.

Creative thinking involves students learning to generate and apply new ideas in specific contexts, seeing existing situations in a new way, identifying alternative explanations, and seeing or making new links that generate a positive outcome. This includes combining parts to form something original, sifting and refining ideas to discover possibilities, constructing theories and objects, and acting on intuition. The products of creative endeavour can involve complex representations and images, investigations and performances, digital and computer-generated output, or occur as virtual reality.

Concept formation is the mental activity that helps us compare, contrast and classify ideas, objects, and events. Concept learning can be concrete or abstract and is closely allied with metacognition. What has been learnt can be applied to future examples. It underpins the organising elements.

Dispositions such as inquisitiveness, reasonableness, intellectual flexibility, open- and fair-mindedness, a readiness to try new ways of doing things and consider alternatives, and persistence promote and are enhanced by critical and creative thinking.

The key ideas for Critical and Creative Thinking are organised into four interrelated elements in the learning continuum, as shown in the figure below.

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas

Organising elements for Critical and Creative Thinking 

The elements are not a taxonomy of thinking. Rather, each makes its own contribution to learning and needs to be explicitly and simultaneously developed.

This element involves students developing inquiry skills.

Students pose questions and identify and clarify information and ideas, and then organise and process information. They use questioning to investigate and analyse ideas and issues, make sense of and assess information and ideas, and collect, compare and evaluate information from a range of sources. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:

• pose questions
• identify and clarify information and ideas
• organise and process information.

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions

This element involves students creating ideas and actions, and considering and expanding on known actions and ideas.

Students imagine possibilities and connect ideas through considering alternatives, seeking solutions and putting ideas into action. They explore situations and generate alternatives to guide actions and experiment with and assess options and actions when seeking solutions. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:

• imagine possibilities and connect ideas
• consider alternatives
• seek solutions and put ideas into action.

Reflecting on thinking and processes

This element involves students reflecting on, adjusting and explaining their thinking and identifying the thinking behind choices, strategies and actions taken.

Students think about thinking (metacognition), reflect on actions and processes, and transfer knowledge into new contexts to create alternatives or open up possibilities. They apply knowledge gained in one context to clarify another. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:

• think about thinking (metacognition)
• reflect on processes
• transfer knowledge into new contexts.

Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures

This element involves students analysing, synthesising and evaluating the reasoning and procedures used to find solutions, evaluate and justify results or inform courses of action.

Students identify, consider and assess the logic and reasoning behind choices. They differentiate components of decisions made and actions taken and assess ideas, methods and outcomes against criteria. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:

• apply logic and reasoning
• draw conclusions and design a course of action
• evaluate procedures and outcomes.

Critical and Creative Thinking in the learning areas

The imparting of knowledge (content) and the development of thinking skills are accepted today as primary purposes of education. The explicit teaching and embedding of critical and creative thinking throughout the learning areas encourages students to engage in higher order thinking. By using logic and imagination, and by reflecting on how they best tackle issues, tasks and challenges, students are increasingly able to select from a range of thinking strategies and use them selectively and spontaneously in an increasing range of learning contexts.

Activities that foster critical and creative thinking should include both independent and collaborative tasks, and entail some sort of transition or tension between ways of thinking. They should be challenging and engaging, and contain approaches that are within the ability range of the learners, but also challenge them to think logically, reason, be open-minded, seek alternatives, tolerate ambiguity, inquire into possibilities, be innovative risk-takers and use their imagination.

Critical and creative thinking can be encouraged simultaneously through activities that integrate reason, logic, imagination and innovation; for example, focusing on a topic in a logical, analytical way for some time, sorting out conflicting claims, weighing evidence, thinking through possible solutions, and then, following reflection and perhaps a burst of creative energy, coming up with innovative and considered responses. Critical and creative thinking are communicative processes that develop flexibility and precision. Communication is integral to each of the thinking processes. By sharing thinking, visualisation and innovation, and by giving and receiving effective feedback, students learn to value the diversity of learning and communication styles.

The learning area or subject with the highest proportion of content descriptions tagged with Critical and Creative Thinking is placed first in the list.

F-6/7 Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

In the F–6/7 Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences, students develop critical and creative thinking capability as they learn how to build discipline-specific knowledge about history, geography, civics and citizenship, and economics and business. Students learn and practise critical and creative thinking as they pose questions, research, analyse, evaluate and communicate information, concepts and ideas.

Students identify, explore and determine questions to clarify social issues and events, and apply reasoning, interpretation and analytical skills to data and information. Critical thinking is essential to the historical inquiry process because it requires the ability to question sources, interpret the past from incomplete documentation, assess reliability when selecting information from resources, and develop an argument using evidence. Students develop critical thinking through geographical investigations that help them think logically when evaluating and using evidence, testing explanations, analysing arguments and making decisions, and when thinking deeply about questions that do not have straightforward answers. Students learn to critically evaluate texts about people, places, events, processes and issues, including consumer and financial, for shades of meaning, feeling and opinion, by identifying subjective language, bias, fact and opinion, and how language and images can be used to manipulate meaning. They develop civic knowledge by considering multiple perspectives and alternatives, and reflecting on actions, values and attitudes, thus informing their decision-making and the strategies they choose to negotiate and resolve differences.

Students develop creative thinking through the examination of social, political, legal, civic, environmental and economic issues, past and present, that that are contested, do not have obvious or straightforward answers, and that require problem-solving and innovative solutions. Creative thinking is important in developing creative questions, speculation and interpretations during inquiry. Students are encouraged to be curious and imaginative in investigations and fieldwork, and to explore relevant imaginative texts.

Critical and creative thinking is essential for imagining probable, possible and preferred futures in relation to social, environmental, economic and civic sustainability and issues. Students think creatively about appropriate courses of action and develop plans for personal and collective action. They develop enterprising behaviours and capabilities to imagine possibilities, consider alternatives, test hypotheses, and seek and create innovative solutions, and think creatively about the impact of issues on their own lives and the lives of others.

7-10 History

In the Australian Curriculum: History, critical thinking is essential to the historical inquiry process because it requires the ability to question sources, interpret the past from incomplete documentation, develop an argument using evidence, and assess reliability when selecting information from resources. Creative thinking is important in developing new interpretations to explain aspects of the past that are contested or not well understood.

7-10 Geography

In the Australian Curriculum: Geography, students develop critical and creative thinking as they investigate geographical information, concepts and ideas through inquiry-based learning. They develop and practise critical and creative thinking by using strategies that help them think logically when evaluating and using evidence, testing explanations, analysing arguments and making decisions, and when thinking deeply about questions that do not have straightforward answers. Students learn the value and process of developing creative questions and the importance of speculation. Students are encouraged to be curious and imaginative in investigations and fieldwork. The geography curriculum also stimulates students to think creatively about the ways that the places and spaces they use might be better designed, and about possible, probable and preferable futures.

7-10 Civics and Citizenship

In the Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship, students develop critical thinking skills in their investigation of Australia’s democratic system of government. They learn to apply decision-making processes and use strategies to negotiate and resolve differences. Students develop critical and creative thinking through the examination of political, legal and social issues that do not have obvious or straightforward answers and that require problem-solving and innovative solutions. Students consider multiple perspectives and alternatives, think creatively about appropriate courses of action and develop plans for action. The Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship stimulates students to think creatively about the impact of civic issues on their own lives and the lives of others, and to consider how these issues might be addressed.

7-10 Economics and Business

In the Australian Curriculum: Economics and Business, students develop their critical and creative thinking as they identify, explore and determine questions to clarify economics and business issues and/or events and apply reasoning, interpretation and analytical skills to data and/or information. They develop enterprising behaviours and capabilities to imagine possibilities, consider alternatives, test hypotheses, and seek and create innovative solutions to economics and business issues and/or events.

In the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, critical and creative thinking is integral to making and responding to artworks. In creating artworks, students draw on their curiosity, imagination and thinking skills to pose questions and explore ideas, spaces, materials and technologies. They consider possibilities and make choices that assist them to take risks and express their ideas, concepts, thoughts and feelings creatively. They consider and analyse the motivations, intentions and possible influencing factors and biases that may be evident in artworks they make to which they respond. They offer and receive effective feedback about past and present artworks and performances, and communicate and share their thinking, visualisation and innovations to a variety of audiences.

Technologies 

In the Australian Curriculum: Technologies, students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they imagine, generate, develop and critically evaluate ideas. They develop reasoning and the capacity for abstraction through challenging problems that do not have straightforward solutions. Students analyse problems, refine concepts and reflect on the decision-making process by engaging in systems, design and computational thinking. They identify, explore and clarify technologies information and use that knowledge in a range of situations.

Students think critically and creatively about possible, probable and preferred futures. They consider how data, information, systems, materials, tools and equipment (past and present) impact on our lives, and how these elements might be better designed and managed. Experimenting, drawing, modelling, designing and working with digital tools, equipment and software helps students to build their visual and spatial thinking and to create solutions, products, services and environments.

Health and Physical Education 

In the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (HPE), students develop their ability to think logically, critically and creatively in response to a range of health and physical education issues, ideas and challenges. They learn how to critically evaluate evidence related to the learning area and the broad range of associated media and other messages to creatively generate and explore original alternatives and possibilities. In the HPE curriculum, students’ critical and creative thinking skills are developed through learning experiences that encourage them to pose questions and seek solutions to health issues by exploring and designing appropriate strategies to promote and advocate personal, social and community health and wellbeing. Students also use critical thinking to examine their own beliefs and challenge societal factors that negatively influence their own and others’ identity, health and wellbeing.

The Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education also provides learning opportunities that support creative thinking through dance making, games creation and technique refinement. Students develop understanding of the processes associated with creating movement and reflect on their body’s responses and their feelings about these movement experiences. Including a critical inquiry approach is one of the five propositions that have shaped the HPE curriculum.

Critical and creative thinking are essential to developing analytical and evaluative skills and understandings in the Australian Curriculum: English. Students use critical and creative thinking through listening to, reading, viewing, creating and presenting texts, interacting with others, and when they recreate and experiment with literature, and discuss the aesthetic or social value of texts. Through close analysis of text and through reading, viewing and listening, students critically analyse the opinions, points of view and unstated assumptions embedded in texts. In discussion, students develop critical thinking as they share personal responses and express preferences for specific texts, state and justify their points of view and respond to the views of others.

In creating their own written, visual and multimodal texts, students also explore the influence or impact of subjective language, feeling and opinion on the interpretation of text. Students also use and develop their creative thinking capability when they consider the innovations made by authors, imagine possibilities, plan, explore and create ideas for imaginative texts based on real or imagined events. Students explore the creative possibilities of the English language to represent novel ideas.

Learning in the Australian Curriculum: Languages enables students to interact with people and ideas from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, which enhances critical thinking and reflection, and encourages creative, divergent and imaginative thinking. By learning to notice, connect, compare and analyse aspects of the target language, students develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Mathematics

In the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, students develop critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, ideas and possibilities, and use them when seeking solutions. Engaging students in reasoning and thinking about solutions to problems and the strategies needed to find these solutions are core parts of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics.

Students are encouraged to be critical thinkers when justifying their choice of a calculation strategy or identifying relevant questions during a statistical investigation. They are encouraged to look for alternative ways to approach mathematical problems; for example, identifying when a problem is similar to a previous one, drawing diagrams or simplifying a problem to control some variables.

In the Australian Curriculum: Science, students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, ideas and possibilities, and use them when seeking new pathways or solutions. In the science learning area, critical and creative thinking are embedded in the skills of posing questions, making predictions, speculating, solving problems through investigation, making evidence-based decisions, and analysing and evaluating evidence. Students develop understandings of concepts through active inquiry that involves planning and selecting appropriate information, evaluating sources of information to formulate conclusions and to critically reflect on their own and the collective process.

Creative thinking enables the development of ideas that are new to the individual, and this is intrinsic to the development of scientific understanding. Scientific inquiry promotes critical and creative thinking by encouraging flexibility and open-mindedness as students speculate about their observations of the world and the ability to use and design new processes to achieve this. Students’ conceptual understanding becomes more sophisticated as they actively acquire an increasingly scientific view of their world and the ability to examine it from new perspectives.

Work Studies

In the Australian Curriculum: Work Studies, Years 9–10, students develop an ability to think logically, critically and creatively in relation to concepts of work and workplaces contexts. These capabilities are developed through an emphasis on critical thinking processes that encourage students to question assumptions and empower them to create their own understanding of work and personal and workplace learning.

Students’ creative thinking skills are developed and practised through learning opportunities that encourage innovative, entrepreneurial and project-based activities, supporting creative responses to workplace, professional and industrial problems. Students also learn to respond to strategic and problem-based challenges using creative thinking. For example, a student could evaluate possible job scenarios based on local labour market data and personal capabilities.

PDF documents

How to Stimulate Creative Thinking via Comparisons

Looking for similarities accelerates our creativity..

Posted August 26, 2024 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

• Our educational experiences have taught us to be more logical than creative.
• Creative thinking focuses more on similarities than differences.
• A simple strategy, done regularly, has enormous implications for a more creative life.

You may recall lessons in elementary school in which you were asked to note the differences between two items. For example, what is the difference between a horse and a car? Or, which one of the following doesn’t belong: triangle/square/surface/oval ? A lot of our early education was focused on the differences between certain facts. There’s nothing wrong with that, except that when we look for differences, the focus is typically on logical thinking. On the other hand, when we look for similarities, the focus shifts to creative thinking .

Here's an example: What are the similarities between a brick and a rubber band? At first glance, that seems to be an impossible task. “There’s nothing similar between those two items,” you might exclaim. But, dig a little deeper and you will begin to see possibilities. Here are a few similarities for your consideration:

• Both are made from organic materials.
• Both have right angles.
• Both can be used to hold things down.
• Both are inexpensive.
• Both can be obtained in a hardware store.
• Both need the letter “b” to make sense.
• Both come in a variety of colors.

By looking for connections between two very dissimilar objects, you are exercising your creative potential. Instead of looking for the obvious (as you were asked to do in school), with this re-framing you are looking for the less obvious, the less certain, and the less recognizable. This is creativity at its finest.

Exercise #1:

Try some of the following. What are three similarities between:

• An apple and a bulldozer.
• A slipper and a pencil.
• A window pane and a shovel.
• An oak tree and a fan.
• A computer keyboard and a rice patty.
• A driveway and a lighthouse.
• A piece of coal and an email.
• A stapler and a motorcycle.
• A billboard and a diamond ring.
• A fire hydrant and grilled cheese sandwich.

Exercise #2:

Here’s a different approach. Obtain a pack of 5x8 index cards, some cellophane tape, and a tall stack of old magazines. Take a pair of scissors and cut out as many pictures as you can. Don’t look for any particular type of picture or photograph; the only restriction is that it must be less than 5x8 inches. You may want to set a predetermined goal ahead of time; for example, 100 pictures. Afterwards, tape each picture to a card and then turn all the cards face down.

For a quick creativity activity, randomly select two cards (you can’t see the pictures on the other side), turn the cards over, and see if you can determine four to five similarities between the two pictures. For example, I recently turned over an illustration of a mountain gorilla and a photograph of an old-fashioned dial telephone. Here are some of the similarities I generated:

• Both are endangered.
• They both make noise.
• They both are difficult to locate.
• They both have black circles.
• They both have a protruding “belly."
• They both have carbon components.

What else can you come up with?

Exercise #3:

Here are some words/items for your consideration. Randomly select any two. Then, jot down several similarities between the two selections. Remember, there are no “right” or “wrong” responses—the “connections” are entirely up to you.

Basket, fork, river, elevator, camel, bugle, curtain, ditch, sheet, caravan, easel, gutter, bonnet, hose, mesa, garbage, chariot, balloon, tent, flower, carton, orange, quarter, ballot, cork, popcorn, magnet, knife, manuscript, ship, menu, socket, garage, book, mattress, lounge, constable, cereal, orchestra, ham, baseball spoon, yam, jar, razor blade, cemetery, advertisement, mouse , robin, jellyfish, tick, word, puzzle, walrus, coffee, speaker, grass, snow, letter, clip, toaster , pipe, skyscraper, tree, basket.

Consider this random pairing: What are some of the similarities between a mouse (the animal) and a toaster ?

• They both have compartments for food.
• They both have a tail.
• They both come in different colors.
• They both generate heat.
• They both work day and night.

By focusing on similarities (rather than differences), we exercise our minds to look at items in a more creative way. This activity, done every week or so, can help you generate creative possibilities quite often unrelated to mice or toasters (or mountain gorillas and telephones). Try it and you, too, will begin generating creative responses you never knew were possible.

Fredericks, Anthony D. Two-Minute Habits: Small Habits, Dynamic Creativity (Middletown, DE, 2024).

Anthony D. Fredericks, Ed.D. , is Professor Emeritus of Education at York College of Pennsylvania. His latest book is Two-Minute Habits: Small Habits, Dynamic Creativity.

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