And+Creativity+for+All

**[[image:creativity 2.jpg width="560" height="312" align="right" caption="Word Cloud Created at http://www.wordle.net"]]Defining Creativity**
For this presentation, creativity will generally be defined as a complex, mental process employing numerous areas in the brain that produces a product, often thought to be novel in nature. Four creative processes that are often used to discuss the creative idea are:
 * fluency
 * flexibility
 * originality
 * elaboration (Torrance, 1974)

Fluency

 * Generating as many ideas as possible within a category or idea
 * Not all of the words need to fit perfectly inside each category, but you should try to create ideas that stretch your thinking.
 * Example
 * Think of as many types of time as you can.

Flexibility

 * Creative thinking involves looking at something from a variety of points of view.
 * Examples
 * Think of the different people that might use quarters. How might each person use them
 * Think of as many different uses for a fork as you can.

Originality

 * Originality operates within each of the aspects of creativity.
 * Original responses represent a statistically significant different idea as compared to all other generated ideas.
 * Example
 * When asked the different types of wind, a "gale" or "gust" is less original than "windbreaker" or "window."

Elaboration

 * Elaboration involves adding details to given ideas to create a new idea.
 * Example
 * When given juggler + school safety, an elaboration to generate a new idea = a juggler can come to school to promote school safety.
 * juggler + school safety = juggling your books carefully can create a safer hallway

For additional activities related to these creativity processes, see our presentation on Enhancing Student Creativity and Vocabulary Acquisition through Technology.