Concepts of Creativity and Critical Thinking

Concepts of Creativity and Critical Thinking Thinking Creatively, Thinking Critically (Group 3) Abstracts These days, people often use the phase of â€Å"Think out of the box†. Hence it related to term â€Å"creative thinking† and â€Å"critical thinking†. So, what are those term means? Why it is important to have these thinking skills? How does those kind of thinking fit in modern education benefit and does it benefit students especially? This paper will introduce to the creative and critical thinking not as definite, but to give an idea on what is it about. Next, apply it in Hong Kong context. 1.0  Introduction Its not easy to give an exact definition of creativity and critical thinking. Both aspects have varying of elements which have effects on the flow of the thinking. For creative thinking, lots of researchers came out with their own definition based on their findings. Gardner (1993) defines creativity as ‘the ability to solve problems and fashion new products and to raise new questions’. However, this definition does not cover the whole term of â€Å"creative†; creative is much more than that, but yes, it is a gist for others to branch out more on the term. Thus Gruber Wallace (1999) say that a creative idea ‘must be new and must be given value by some external criteria’ followed by Robinson (2001) describes creativity as ‘imaginative processes with outcomes that are original and of value’. Once the creative thinking has taken place, hence it leads to the next part which is critical thinking. When someone has use their creative thinking, critical thinking comes in and evaluates ideas to narrow down the focus made by creative thinking and pick idea where it is the most relevant and or have potential to succeed (Ruggiero, 1999). Encouraging students to think critically involves, among other things, helping them to distinguish opinions from facts, to evaluate evidence, and to avoid shallow and illogical thinking. This approach is very important in helping to avoid (by recognizing) manipulation, which in turn can allow intellectual independence and creativity to flourish (Browne Keely, 1993; Mayfield, 1997; Paul, 1995). According to Meyers (1986), he gives out four elements which are needed in learning environments to encourage the development of critical thinking. First and foremost, the stimulation of students’ interest. It is required for the students to taken li ke in a certain topic for them to study deeper in it. Student’s with interest is much better in developing their critical thinking. Secondly, the creation of meaningful discussion. Based on their liking, the students are more comfortable and confidence to talk about it. Thirdly, the exposure to the thoughts and views of others. In this session, the students will hear various opinions and feedback from others. They will learn how to react and give comments to those who agree or disagree with their opinion. Lastly, the fostering of a supportive and trusting atmosphere. These kind of discussion is giving out positive vibes in student for their development in critical thinking. They can gain more confidence and hence helps their mind to become more mature and open to other perspective and out of their comfort zone. 2.0  Combination of Critical and Creative Thinking The combination between two types of thinking namely critical and creative thinking had been research by many researchers in the world. According to Julie (2008), he stated that in education in order for the student to adapt with a changing world , he or she must change way of thinking different from the past. The benefits of this combination has been point out by many research such as can boots up student to take time to generate many ideas and argument , to ask penetrating questions and recognize the validity of arguments (Julie ,2008). 2.1Difference between Critical and Creative Thinking According to Fisher ( 2002 ) , he has listed possible term to differentiate critical and creative thinking based on figure 1. According to this figure, the tendency for the people to think critical is more on left brain and think creative on right brain. Kendra (n.s) stated that the right brain has more abilities in expressive and creative task while in the left brain is more to asking that involve logic, language and analytical thinking. But , according to Julie ( 2008 ) , in order to encourage the student to think creative and critical , an approach that can combine critical and creative thinking needed to implemented instead just focussing only the distinction. 2.2  Critical and Creative Thinking in Problem Solving Julie (2008) stated that the benefits of critical thinking is it can help student to figure out and evaluate information that can be found via internet and mass media due to function of left hemisphere of the brain that has logical and analytic qualities ( Adam . ns). In addition to, creative thinking also has benefits in which this type of thinking can improve student’s academic performance if the student can identified their creative abilities. In order to combine both creative and critical thinking, one of the approaches that can help student is using problem solving technique. Problem solving technique can be defined as a process in which we perceive and resolve a gap between a present situation and a desired goal, with the path to the goal blocked by known or unknown obstacles (William, n.s).According to King (2014) , to conduct problem solving technique , there are seven step that need to focus such as analyse the problem , imagine the solution , plan solution , apply the solution , evaluate the solution , improve the solution and implement the solution. 2.3  Critical and Creative Thinking in Level of Learning Bloom’s Taxonomy had been develop by Benjamin Bloom in order to increase higher forms of thinking in education, such as analysing and evaluating concepts, processes, procedures, and principles, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning). According to Julie (2008), bloom taxonomy consist of three domain namely affective (feeling, preferences and values) , psychomotor (physical and perceptual activities and skills) and cognitive (thinking , evaluating and synthesizing information). Julie (2008) stated that, bloom taxonomy (figure 3) consist of six categories or level which represented in a triangle. The first level which the largest section at the base in the triangle is called Knowledge. According to bloom, in education level 95 % of test question only test the student to think at this basic level. For example in the classroom setting, the question is more likely to ask â€Å"what is the definition of ..? †. According to Leslie, the verb that related to this level are define recall, memorize and know identify. The second level is known as comprehension which involve interpretation and classification of ideas. In this level, it more focusing on ability to create or interpret meaning from material such as report recognize, describe discuss and differentiate. For example question that related such as ‘which is the best answer..?’ and more like question in multiple choice exam. The third level is application which also can be defined as using l earned material in new situation. In this level, it more focusing to use learned material in new and specific solution.. In the classroom setting, the student will be test on question such as â€Å"how would you show your understanding of ..?†. The fourth level is analysis. Analysis can be defined as ability to differentiate material into component parts and present the relationship between those part. For example, the question that related to this level such as â€Å"what inferences that can you make from†. Synthesis which places in level five can explain by construct the ability to put ideas together to form new ways that unique, innovate and creative. The question such as â€Å"Can you predict the outcome if ..?† can be used in synthesis level. The last level is Evaluation in which the level more focusing on ability to conduct judgement and critique the worth of ideas based on reviewing and evidence. For example in the classroom , the question such as â€Å" Do you agree with the action / outcomes † can be used to understanding of evaluation level. 3.0 Malaysia Education System Generally, Malaysia education system is divided into two; pre-tertiary and tertiary education. Pre-tertiary that includes primary and secondary education is regulated under Ministry of Education (MOE) whereas tertiary education is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). Figure 4 According to Figure 4, primary education begins at age of seven and lasts for six years, referred to Year 1 up until Year 6. Students are promoted to the next year regardless of their academic performances. Furthermore, most students who had completed their primary education are admitted to go to secondary education. As secondary education lasts for five years, referred to as Form 1 to 5. As stated at Figure 4, secondary education are divided into two levels which is from Form 1 to Form 3, are known as Lower Secondary whereas Form 4 and Form 5 are known as Upper Secondary. The government have provides 11 years of primary and secondary education to students. After successful completion of 11 years of study, students are given the option to continue their studies in post-secondary schools to get a pre-university qualification (such as Matriculation programme) or further their study at higher level institution. 3.1  Gifted Education in Hong Kong Figure 5 The three-tier of gifted education framework was adopted in 2000. Based on this figure, the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) stated in Education Commission Report No.4 that Hong Kong should develop a school-based programme in mainstream schools. Hong Kong Academy of Gifted Education (HKAGE) has come up with these policy where they want to develop the potential of gifted students by providing them with opportunities to receive education at appropriate levels. According to Figure 5, here are the explanations; Level 1: A:To immerse the core elements advocated in gifted education i.e. High-order thinking skills, creativity and personal-social competence in the curriculum for ALL students; B:To differentiate teaching through appropriate grouping of students to meet the different needs of the groups with enrichment and extension of curriculum across ALL subjects in regular classrooms. Level 2: C:To conduct pull-out programmes of generic nature outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training for a homogeneous group of students (e.g. Creativity training, leadership training, etc.); D:To conduct pull-out programme in specific areas (e.g. Maths, Arts, etc.) outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training for students with outstanding performance in specific domains. Level 3: E:The HKAGE collaborates with tertiary institutions and other educational organizations / bodies to provide a wide and increasing range of programmes for exceptionally gifted students To cater the educational needs of gifted students, they advocate the following guiding principles: Nurturing multiple intelligences is a requirement of basic education for all students and should be part of the mission for all schools The needs of gifted children are best met within their own schools though it is recognized that opportunities to learn with similarly gifted students are important. Schools have an obligation to provide stimulating and challenging learning opportunities for their students The identification of gifted students should recognize the breadth of multiple intelligences Schools should ensure that the social and emotional, as well as the intellectual, needs of gifted children are recognized and met. 4.0  Conclusion The students must be given the motivation to think, the time to develop ideas, and the collaboration and support to encourage creative and critical thinking. Connecting ideas, seeing the similarities and differences, and the most important, be flexible and curious in thinking are the important aspects that education needs in teachers and students. References 1. Huitt, W. (1992). Problem solving and decision making: Consideration of individual differences using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Psychological Type, 24,33-44.Retrievedfrom http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/prbsmbti.html 2. Sicinski, A. Visual Thinking Magic The Evolution of Extraordinary Intelligence :Creativity: Merging the Left Right Brain  http://www.visualthinkingmagic.com/creativity-left-right-brain 3. King. Thoughtful Learning Blog :Teaching Innovation and Problem Solving  http://thoughtfullearning.com/blogpost/teaching-innovation-and-problem-solving (Accessed 2014-04-22 ) 4. Forrrester , J.C. 2008. ThinkingCreatively;Thinking Critically. Asian Social Science 5.  https://www.justlanded.com/english/Malaysia/Malaysia-Guide/Education/Introduction 6. http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/major-level-of-edu/gifted/hong-kong-development/introduction.html

Figurative Language Essay

Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Figurative language is the use of language to describe something by comparing it to something else. It serves many linguistic purposes. It allows people to express abstract thoughts. It creates tone and communicates emotional content. The ability to use figurative language in writing can make a poem or story more enjoyable for the reader. Figurative language is taking words beyond their literal meaning and can come in many different forms, all to create a vivid picture of the written word. There are many ways to incorporate figurative language into writing, some of which come as naturally as speaking. A Simile uses the words â€Å"like† or â€Å"as† to compare one object or idea with another to suggest they are alike, such as â€Å"busy as a bee†. In Hart Crane’s, â€Å"My Grandmother’s Love Letters† he uses the simile â€Å"â€Å"liable to melt as snow† to describe the fragility of the letters that have been hidden away in the rafters. This use of figurative language helps the reader to visualize paper that may not be able to withstand someone touching it, but could also be used to convey the fact that not only is the paper old and fragile, but so is his grandmother. In writing, a simile would say you are â€Å"like something† whereas a metaphor would say â€Å"you are something†. A metaphor states a fact or draws a verbal picture by the use of comparison without using the words â€Å"like† or â€Å"as†. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Robert Frost uses a walk in the woods as a metaphor for making a decision in life, a situation that readers can easily identify with, therefore making it easier to imagine what they are reading. An implied metaphor is a metaphor that compares two things without being obvious. â€Å"There are no stars tonight, But those of memory† from Hart Crane’s, â€Å"My Grandmother’s Love Letters† is a good example of an implied metaphor. Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are given to an animal or an object and sometimes are difficult to catch in a poem if you are not paying attention as in Robert Frost’s â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, where he uses the description of† the road wanting wear†. In the line â€Å"Loose girdle of soft rain†, from â€Å"My Grandmother’s Love Letters†, the rain is compared to a loose belt, which is a clear example of Personification and much easier to understand. Creating imagery for the reader helps to entertain, provoke thought or help the reader escape to another reality. Sometimes it can even be silly such as the repetition of the same initial letter, sound, or group of sounds in a series of words. This usage of figurative language is called Alliteration and includes tongue twisters such as â€Å"She sells seashells by the seashore†. Many writers will use words that describe or imitate a natural sound or the sound made by an object to create imagery within the writing. This is called Onomatopoeia, and although it is a big word that is hard to pronounce, it is the use of small words such as snap, crackle, pop, buzz and creaked that help bring a story or poem to life. Another form of imagery that is used quite often is Hyperbole. This is the use of statements that are so dramatic and exaggerated that a person would not believe the statement is true. â€Å"I was so hungry that not only did I eat my dinner, I ate the plate and silverware too. † A synecdoche is a form of imagery that substitutes a whole object with one aspect of that object. It may also be used to replace a specific object with something more generalized. In â€Å"My Last Duchess†, Robert Browning uses this form of figurative language when he admits to having his Duchess murdered. Instead of saying he killed her, he makes the statement that â€Å"all of her smiles have stopped†. Figurative language is important when writing poetry, but how the poem is structured and what the theme of the poem is can also add or detract from the imagery the writer is trying to create. Robert Browning’s â€Å"My Last Duchess† is a dramatic monologue pretending to be a conversation, written in iambic pentameter, divided up in pairs of rhymes known as Rhyme Couplets, and with lines that do not employ end-stops. Instead, the writer uses enjambment, which is when of one line of verse carries over to the next line without a pause such as: â€Å"Her husband’s presence only, called that spot Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhaps†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My personal opinion is that the use of enjambment makes it difficult for the reader to understand the ideas and imagery the writer is trying to convey. The theme of this poem is of arrogance, selfishness and jealousy and is lacking any wonderful imagery that could pull the reader in. This is an example of how a structure and theme can make or break the poem. I did not enjoy this poem due to how difficult it was to read, understand and envision. Another part of the structure that sets a poem apart from others is whether there is a rhyming pattern to it or if it doesn’t have a pattern at all. â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is a lyric poem with four stanzas of five lines each. A lyric poem is one that presents the feelings and emotions of the poet rather than telling a story such as the poem â€Å"My Last Duchess†. The structure of â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is a straight forward series of five line stanzas. Each stanza presents us with a single idea. The first sets up the metaphor which is then extended through the rest of the poem. I have found that I enjoy this structure and rhyming pattern making â€Å"The Road Not Taken† my favorite poem of the three that I read and chose to write about. Everyone is different in their ability to understand the written word, with some people needing things simple and full of imagery that brings the poem to life. Other people prefer a more complex poem that is not filled with fanciful images, but makes them think and analyze what they are reading. No matter what your choice of structure, figurative language or imagery is, they are all necessary to create an interesting piece of written work. Due to people and thought processes being unique to each reader, this explains why there are so many different types of poems that evoke different emotions.

The Importance Of Sex Education - 987 Words

Sex Education As a young adult, I feel that sex education should be taught in school by a qualified adult.In a perfect world, sex education should be taught in the home; however, with the rise of teenage pregnancy, it is evident that it is not being taught in the home. It is because of this alarming trend that I feel that it needs to be taught in school.Sex education provides many different benefits to the students. It can prevent unwanted pregnancies, reduce sexually transmitted diseases, and improve the self-esteem of the younger generation.It has a lot of effects and dangerous outcomes. Some people believe we should not discuss it in school because it may make us wonder but I believe we should discuss it.Sex †Jeffrey Moran uses†¦show more content†¦When teenagers put their self in that predicament of having an abortion they have to think about money cost and you have to live with that emotional sickness forever. In sex education, they will discuss all the harmful things that may happen while being on that table and also most importantly what you can do to avoid that situation. There are monetary expenses associated with sexually transmitted disease.’’total estimated burden of nine million new cases of these STDs that occurred among 15-24-years-old in 2000 was $6.5 billion ( in years 2000 dollars)Viral STDs accounted for 94% of the total burden ($6.2 billion), and non-viral STDs accounted for 6% of the total burden($0.4 billion). HIV and HPV were by far the most costly STDs in terms of total estimated direct medical cost, accounting for 90% of the total burden ($5.9 billion)’’.(Chesson, Blandford, Gift, Tao, Irwin).Some STDs are treatable and can be cured others such as Herpes and HIV cannot be cured. ‘’Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through intimate contact.’’(Information about Health). Sex Education there are opportunities where youShow M oreRelatedThe Importance Of Sex Education788 Words   |  4 Pagesdistricts of Texas. The total number of participants will consist of three groups, all from the 2016-2017 school year. The first group did not participate in neither sex education program offered by the school, the second group participated in abstinence-only sex education, and the third group participated in a comprehensive sex education program. The research team make sure that boys and girls and each school grade are represented equally. All schools are located in urban areas. The representativeRead MoreThe Importance Of Sex Education1340 Words   |  6 PagesSex education is one of the most debated problems in education, which has been floating on educational agendas for ages. There has been a constant dialogue about the role that sex education should play in curriculum of K-12 education. As breathing human beings, we all know that sex is a large part of our lives, however, how young is too young to know and tal k about sex? With the increase of sexually transmitted diseases, commonly known as â€Å"STD’s†, among young people, many schools have added sex educationRead MoreThe Importance of Sex Education1217 Words   |  5 PagesWith sex being a sensitive subject for parents to discuss with their children, they believe it is not appropriate to discuss these types of delicate subjects at any age. It is not because they don’t want to inform them, but because they want to protect them. Even though they don’t know that be keeping it from them, their children are far from safety every day. However, with today’s high birth rates at early ages, the question is no longer â€Å"should sex education be taught?† but â€Å"how sex education shouldRead MoreEssay on Importance of Sex Education648 Words   |  3 PagesPROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ADEQUATE SEX EDUCATION BECAUSE IGNORANCE CAN BE HARMFUL/b/centerbrbrThe largest gulf of understanding still remains bet ween the parents and the youth especially in the area of sexuality. Sex is a natural part of life, and when questions arise, they can be discussed in a matured way without condoning certain behavior. Relying to that, we realize that sex education is important to be inserted in a persons life. Therefore, sex education in high schools is very necessaryRead MoreThe Importance of Sex Education528 Words   |  2 PagesSex education is something that should taken into consideration teaching lower class how to prevent themselves for having more children. Lot of the young adults have no idea of the usage of birth controls or condoms in every high school they should have sex education programs. Birth control and condoms should be handed out in public places for the lower class could get a hold of it also budgeting skills should be given to teach lower class how to save and manage their spending. The cost of livingRead MoreThe Importance of Sex Education Essay1209 Words   |  5 PagesWhen are children first exposed to sex? It is hard to control what a child is exposed to with the growing trend of sexual imagery in advertising, television, movies, and in the general public. An article, Children Learn Best by Observing Behavior of Adults, written by Jodie Michalak states â€Å"While children will always have their own personality and emotions, they are constantly influenced by their environment† (2013). What and how children learn is a very significant part of how healthy our societyRead MoreThe Importance of Sex Education Essays701 Words   |  3 PagesSex education should be increased in schools. Nearly one million women under the age of 20 get pregnant each year. That means 2800 women get pregnant each day. If students are educated about the effects sex has on their lives, it lessens their chance of having children at an early age. Knowledge about sex can also lessen the chance of kids receiving STDS. First of all, the main reason children have sex prematurely is because they are curious. Students lack knowledge about sex because they haven’tRead MoreEssay on The Importance of Sex Education 1296 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinguish right from wrong based on their previous knowledge. The education they receive plays a major role in the way they make decisions. Sex is a controversial topic brought up frequently throughout a childs life. Based on the way it is taught, the child makes decisions that may forever change his or her life. (Sex Education That 3) Although it is often opposed, the two most essential ways children learn about sex today is the education they receive at home and at school. The relationship andRead MoreThe Importance Of Proper Sexual Education On Sex1015 Words   |  5 PagesRay English 1301.3 20 November 2015 The Importance of Proper Sexual Education In life, high school especially, sexual education is very important and can truly impact a person’s life. Improper education on sex can lead to many life-changing mistakes. These blunders can be avoided with proper knowledge. Although students should be encouraged to remain abstinent, they should still be taught about contraception and practicing safe sex. With proper sexual education, abstinence rates will increase and theRead MorePersuasive Essay On The Importance Of Sex Education850 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Albert Einstein once said, ‘Education is not the learning of facts, It’s rather the training of the mind to think.’† Once the person learns about abstinence and the cons of sex, the mind will start to adapt to the fact that it is not good to do things. Sex education and learning about abstinence is a very important key to life because it can help reduce pregnancy rates and much more. It could lower the chances of catching a sexually transmit ted disease. Having sex education in classrooms can help kids

The Adoption Papers by Jackie Kay. - 1566 Words

The Adoption Papers The story of Jackie Kays life is as fascinating and complex as her literary works. The comparison is significant because several of Kays pieces spring from her biography and they are all concerned with the intricate nature of identity. Kays father was a black Nigerian visiting Edinburgh when he met Kays white Scottish mother. After he returned to Nigeria, the mother discovered she was pregnant and decided to give up the child. Kay was then adopted by a white Glaswegian couple with a strong commitment to radical politics. As Kay grew up she also began to identify herself as lesbian. Kays writings reject easy platitudes and challenge readers to reject normative ideas of racial, sexual, and national identity.†¦show more content†¦The birth mother has also experienced racism and talks of it with experience and ease shown through the flowing poetic imagery used to describe it. At the same time, the daughter conveys the questioning of self undergone by the adopted. The poem emphasizes the idea that the birth tie is not a condition of authenticity and that all this umbilical knot business is nonsense. The use of multiple voices in The Adoption Papers produces a powerful effect, generating empathy for all the characters even as, or because their identities are shown to be uncertain, constantly changing, and often dependent upon the perspectives of others. For example, the adoptive mother is anxious to hide signs of her radicalism, her Marxism, and work for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, lest the adopting agency regard them as the marks of unfit parents. Meanwhile the birth mother wrestles with her thoughts about giving away the child. Most prominent are the ruminations of the daughter and adoptive mother as they ponder what counts as a real mammy. As the daughter experiences doubts about who she is, the mother must wonder if the process of adoption can identify her as a true mother. As the title of the poem, The Adoption Papers indicates, identity can largely be a matter of paperwork, of what is found on paper not in the flesh. The birth mother signs away her role as mother - my name signed on a dotted line - and theShow MoreRelatedExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 PagesHealth released its latest forecast, predicting pharmaceutical market growth at a 10-year low. IMS counselled that the industry was facing a new economic reality, one in which growth is shifting from mature markets to emerging ones; new product adoption is not keeping pace with the loss of patent protection . . . specialty and niche products are playing a larger role; and regulators, payers and consumers are more carefully weighing the risk/beneï ¬ t factors of pharmaceuticals.1 This case explores