ag smaoineamh taobh amuigh den bhosca: enhancing creative and critical thinking skills for...

Ag Smaoineamh Taobh Amuigh Den Bhosca: Enhancing Creative And Critical Thinking Skills For

Undergraduate Final Year Projects

Damian Gordon

Overview

• Students undertaking their final year on the Dublin Institute of Technology's BSc in Computer Science (DT228) are required to undertake a large capstone final year project.

• The aim of the project is to ensure that the student can either successfully complete a large-scale software system or

• that they can deeply research an area of Computing.

Software Development

• Analysis,

• Design,

• Development,

• Implementation,

• Integration,

• Documentation and

• Maintenance.

Research Project

• the correct use of the Scientific Method; • using a well designed, defined and identified

research method • (qualitative, quantitative or a mixture of both);• well-designed data collection and analysis• critical analysis of their research process.

Also requires

…CREATIVE THINKING…

…CRITICAL THINKING…

Creative Thinking

• The etymology of “creative thinking” goes back to the Latin word Creatio (for creating), the art of making. Creative thinking is the process by which something new is thought up. Creative thinking comes very naturally to some people, whereas most people who thinking creatively employ a particular technique, there are a range of techniques in existence.

Critical Thinking

• The etymology of “critical thinking” goes back to the Greek word Kritike (for critic), the art of judgment. Critical thinking is systematic thinking with an eye to improvement through careful examination and monitoring. Critical thinking nonetheless strives for a common understanding based on supportable theses grounded in data. Clarity, accuracy, relevance, depth, breadth, and logical structure characterize critical thinking.

Creativity/Criticality Approaches

• Six Thinking Hats

• CoRT Techniques

• Random Word Generation

• Hero Quotes

• Mindmaps

Edward de Bono

Edward de Bono has written 56 books with translations in 34 languages. He has been invited to work in 52 countries.He was born in Malta and graduated from the University of Malta. He proceeded as a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford and has held appointments at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, London and Harvard.

Dr de Bono is the originator of the term 'lateral thinking' which now has an official entry in the Oxford English Dictionary. He is regarded as the leading international authority in conceptual and creative thinking, and also the direct teaching of thinking as a skill.

Six-Hats Technique

Six-Hats Technique

…CREATIVE THINKING…

…CRITICAL THINKING…

CoRT Techniques

Plus Minus Interesting PMI

• THE TREATMENT OF IDEAS

• Instead of just deciding whether or not you like an idea, make an effort to find – the good points (P=Plus)– the bad points (M=Minus) – the interesting points (I=lnteresting)

Plus Minus Interesting PMI

• P = Plus – The good things about an idea - why you

like it

• M = Minus – The bad things about an idea - why you

don't like it

• I = Interest– What you find interesting about an idea

PMI - Example• Windows should be made of transparent plastic instead

of glass• P:

– They wouldn’t break as easily– They would not be as dangerous when broken

• M:– Plastic would be more expensive than glass– Plastic would get scratched very easily

• I:– Perhaps windows could be of all colours if plastic– Perhaps we take it for granted that glass is best since we are

used to it

PMI - Exercise

• Seats should be taken out of buses

• Time

– 3 mins• Plus - 1 min • Minus - 1 min • Interesting - 1 min

PMI

…CRITICAL THINKING…

Consider All Factors CAF

• Related to – Action– Decision– Planning– Judgement– Conclusion

• Consider– the factors affecting oneself – the factors affecting other people – the factors affecting society in general.

CAF - Exercise

• Your Haircut

• Time

– CAF - 4 mins

CAF

…CREATIVE THINKING…

Other Peoples Views OPV

• The process of looking at other people s viewpoints so that the process can be used consciously and deliberately

• Consider the views of all stakeholders

• Can be employed in conjunction with other techniques

OPV - Exercise

• Teacher expels student

• Time

– 3 mins

OPV

…CREATIVE THINKING…

Random Word

Focus

Random Word

Random Word

…CREATIVE THINKING…

Hero Quotes

• “Ruling a big country is like cooking a small fish” – Lao Tzu

• “There are two ways to spread the light, be a candle or the mirror that reflects it” – Edith Warton

• “The exercise of vital powers along the lines of excellence in a life affording them scope” – Aristotle

• “The perfection of art is to conceal art” – Quintilian

• “And I must find every changing shape, to find expression” T.S. Elliot

• “Form ever follows function” L.H. Sullivan

• “To boldly go where no one has gone before” – Starfleet motto

• “When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth” – A.C. Doyle

• “I must go down to the seas again, the lonely seas and the sky, and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by” – John Masefield

Hero Quotes

…CREATIVE THINKING…

Mindmaps

Mindmaps

…CREATIVE THINKING…

…CRITICAL THINKING…

Results

Conclusions

• Students look beyond the obvious

• Students express ideas critically

• Allow student and supervisor to communication visually

Questions

? ? ?