Suggested are ways to stimulate imagination, creativity, and imagery in children. Recommended for developing imagination are the thinking strategies of breaking away from the usual and commonplace, restructuring familiar elements, and synthesizing elements. Discussed are the production of creative analogies (such as personal, direct, symbolic, and…

The purpose of this field test was to see if young children are capable of producing operationalizations using the "Operationalization of Fuzzy Concepts" procedure. The fuzzy concept used was "having fun in school," and the procedure was conducted with four children aged 7-8. The procedure involved the following five steps: (a)…

This book is a study of developments in the field of creativity. The major topics include: (1) creativity as related to intelligence and personality; (2) the structure of intellect; (3) research into convergent and divergent thinking; (4) educational factors in creativity; (5) creativity and environment; and (6) current trends in creativity…

Discusses the need for teaching creativity in engineering education and ways to develop and encourage creative thinking. (MLH)

Encourages teachers to foster students' metaphoric thought. (DD)

Presents brief case histories of two hospitalized children who participated in a recreational program designed to provide art and creative writing experiences in the pediatric wards. Illustrations of the children's writing, art and conversation are included. (BR)

Describes the vision that prompted the author to place the characters of her prize-winning novel in a small West Virginia town--a place where love has no conditions on it. Thanks readers for sharing her vision. (ARH)

Measured clustering effect found during idea-generation phase of nominal grouping. Graduate students (N=23) used nominal grouping procedure to generate new ideas for market strategy program for new product, using five-step, two-vote procedure. Panel of three judges evaluated each idea on creativity and quality. Results support notion that nominal…

The introduction from a soon-to-be published book on the concept of visioneering -- engineering a vision into reality -- is printed here. The article discusses the creative process, its historical and research background, the use of creative problem solving in approaching challenges and making decisions, and the current language of creativity.…

Factors for assessing classroom material for creative thinking are presented as a series of questions. Does it: (1) make associations or analogies? (2) blend thought with feeling?; (3) promote flexible thinking? (4) have visual or semantic imagery? (5) provide structure? (6) provide opportunities to extend, embellish, transfer, or transform?. (VW)

The Northeast Consortium, consisting of representatives of 25 school districts in northeast Massachusetts, was established to improve staff development by providing multi-district graduate-credit programs. Faculty from the University of Massachusetts program in Critical and Creative Thinking taught a course on teaching thinking. Outcomes are…

Examines problem-solving in selected software, considering what packages really teach and how useful they are in classrooms. Includes a table listing 21 packages with information in such categories as: suggested ages; solving standard logic puzzles; trial/error or predicting outcomes; breaking tasks into smaller parts; drawing conclusions; and…

Elements of creative thinking and methods for nurturing them in small children are described. Encouraging divergent, convergent, and evaluative thinking sets the stage for optimum development in later schooling and adult life. (MT)

The article examines reasons why some teachers and parents may feel threatened by gifted children and why some exceptional pupils deliberately under-achieve. Discussion of the meaning of Creativity in terms of defensive, productive, adaptive, elaborative and developmental thinkers is followed by suggestions drawn from followup studies of…

Magic can stimulate children to think creatively and retain what they learn. This article offers tips and step-by-step instructions to bring magic into the classroom. Children learn scientific principles, are required to read and follow sequential instructions, and are encouraged to stand in front of the class. (MT)