University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision

Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
COURSE SCHEDULE
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00-3:20PM, 106B6 Engineering Hall

Education is learning to think, and a few good things to think about. (Anonymous)

Date / TOPICS DUE

wk #
8-25 / 1 Creativity: what, why, how, and assertions
8-27 Juxtaposition activity; the getting of ideas Interests
9-1 / 2 Problem finding, dreaming, and visioning Berkun, pre-WIE
6
9-3 Lotus Blossom technique
9-8 / 3 Enhancing C, pre-WIE feedback, your
reflections on C (LS, 45m)
9-10 Three models of C, Dreaming revisited, good
presentations (LS)
9-15 /4 What I Envision proposals to class
9-17 What I Envision proposals to class WIE
9-22 /5 Seeing what others do not see KCPA
9-24 Creative dreaming (Octavio)
9-29 /6 Seeing Art activity KAM
10-1 You Teach Us #1 to small groups YTU1
10-6 /7 You Teach Us #1 to class
10-8 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and styles of PCA
creativity; YTU1, cont
10-13 / Biocreativity
8
10-15 Biocreativity archives pre-V2R
10-20 / Biocreativity BioC
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10-22 You Teach Us #2 to small groups YTU2
10-27 / You Teach Us #2 to class
10
10-29 You Teach Us #2 to class
11-3 / Biocreativity revisited,
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11-5 Assessing your creativity
11-10 / Imagining what others do not imagine via Spurlock
12 scaffold swinging
11-12 You Teach Us #3 small groups YTU3
11-17 / You Teach Us #3 to class
13
11-19 Videoconference lecture (11:30AM), You
Teach Us #3 to class
 Fall Break
12-1 / Fairy Tale Endings
14
12-3 Fairy Tale Endings reports KCPA FTE
12-8 / Assessment results, PCA fair, course synopsis PCA
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Reading Day, Thursday, 12-10; final exams Friday, 12-11 through 12-18
Final Exam Period: Vision to Reality final presentations V2R
12-16 7:00-10:00 PM, Wednesday, December 16

PCA = Personal Creativity Archive YTU = You Teach Us about

Creativity
WIE = What I Envision V2R = Vision to Reality project

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

COURSE SYLLABUS
Lect/Disc: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00-3:20 PM, 106B6 Engineering Hall
Credit: 4 credit hours
The course question
How do I enhance my creativity?
Course Objectives: The purpose of this course is to enhance your
creativity, innovation, and vision. Upon completion of this course, you
should be able to:

1. understand and use techniques to generate ideas – master a set

of tools for creativity,
2. apply creativity to life, both in individual and group settings,
3. foster an environment for creativity, including dealing with
obstacles to creativity,
4. evaluate or critique your own ideas and those of others,
5. understand and use theories of creativity and models for
problem solving,
6. lead others in creative processes,
7. communicate ideas effectively and creatively to bring about
change in your domain/field.

This course is about enhancing your personal creativity: seeing what others
do not see, thinking what others do not think; accomplishing what others do
not accomplish.

I expect that we will become a community of scholars engaged in a collective

process of enhancing our creativity, individually and collectively. I also
expect that we will create some really great stuff!

You may have other, personal objectives for this course. I encourage you to
develop those objectives and share them with me, so I can help you be
successful.

The course activities

What will we do to accomplish the objectives?
Course Outline: Enhancing your creativity involves learning some “tools” for
creativity, developing a mindset and lifestyle for creativity, understanding
how creativity happens – a bit of practical theory, and practicing creativity so
you can develop confidence and refine your personal approaches to being
creative. Some of the major topics are:
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 How creativity works: knowing theory, styles, techniques, and developing
a database of ideas
What you envision: learning to find problems and envision the future
From vision to reality: moving from creative to critical thinking and
implementation

Resources:
We will explore a variety of recourses including books (see Book List, below),
articles (see e-Reserve List), nature (e.g., Biocreativity unit) and creative
individuals. You may submit a request to read a different book, study an
alternative journal article, or utilize other resources not on the list.

Instructor: Bruce Elliott-Litchfield, 206 Engineering Hall, 333-2280, b-

litch@illinois.edu

Office Hours: I have an open door policy; you are welcome at any time, M-F,
8:30-4:30, but scheduled appointments have priority. I will especially try to
be available after each class.

Course Philosophy: Learning is an active process from the teacher's and

from the learner's points of view. Teachers and students have a strong
responsibility to one another. My obligations as a teacher include (a) being
knowledgeable and current on the subject matter, (b) planning and providing
good learning experiences, (c) evaluating work fairly and promptly, and (d)
assisting you to meet the course objectives and to fulfill your own needs.
Student obligations include (a) preparing and completing assignments, (b)
participating actively and positively in the learning process, and (c)
expressing needs to the teacher.

Socrates and his friends bound themselves by discussion principles known as

“koinonia,” which means spirit of fellowship. Koinonia principles were
advanced to establish dialog, be collegial, clarify thinking, and promote
honesty (Michael Michalko, Thinkertoys, 294). We will aspire to those same
principles.

Accommodations for Disabilities: To obtain disability-related

accommodations for this class, students with disabilities are advised to
contact the course instructor and the Division of Disability Resources and
Educational Services (DRES) as soon as possible. Please contact the
instructor after class, during regularly posted office hours, by phone, or by
email to discuss your needs. To contact DRES you may visit 1207 S. Oak St.,

4
Champaign, call 333-4603 (V/TDD), or e-mail a message to
disability@uiuc.edu.

Appreciation for and utilization of Diversity: We value the diversity

represented by the participants in this course. Our diversity is a primary
source of ideas and perspectives, and you work in project teams in this
course to practice the use of that diversity.

Ethics and Integrity: We expect you to uphold the highest ethical standards,
be honest, and practice academic integrity. This includes doing original work
and citing sources, including the work of students.

The course products

How will we know if it worked (aka, Grading)?
Assignment Points
What I Envision (WIE), individual proposal 100
Vision to Reality (V2R), semester team project
200
You Teach Us About Creativity (YTU)
200
Personal Creativity Archive (PCA) 200
Other assignments and class participation (5~10 pts/class session)
300
Total 1000

Scale: 97-100%=A+; 93-97%=A; 90-93%=A-; 87-90%=B+; 83-87%=B; 80-83%=B-;

77-80%=C+; etc.
(Assignments are due at 12:00 midnight of the stated due date. Late assignments
will be reduced 10%/day up to a maximum of 50% off.)

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

What I Envision
Individual Proposals for Semester Projects
The creative process starts with a sense that there is a puzzle somewhere, or
a task to be accomplished. Perhaps something is not right, somewhere there
is a conflict, a tension, a need to be satisfied. (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi,
Creativity)

vi sion 4. a) the ability to perceive something not actually visible, as

through mental acuteness or keen foresight [a project made possible by one
person’s vision] b) force or power of imagination [a visionary scheme ]
(Webster’s)

Objectives: As a result of this project, you will

1. conceive, develop, and articulate a personal vision, an idea, or a problem in
need of a vision,
2. present your vision to the class with a goal of persuading classmates of the
value and potential of your vision,
3. evaluate the WIE presentations of others, and
4. select / preference a topic from among the presentations to be your Vision to
Reality (V2R) semester project.

Assignment:
1. Identify a personal vision or a problem in need of a vision. Use good creative process
techniques. Document the creative processes you used to generate the vision (e.g.,
generate lots of ideas, diverging; select one, converging). Where did the idea originate?
How did it come to you? What was the “need to be satisfied” (above) or the
“itch”(Hurson)? Is it novel; has it been done; what else is like it? What is your niche; how
is your vision different? 2. Submit a written proposal of your vision. Include (a) a working
title, (b) abstract or executive summary – your brief pitch about what you envision and
why it should be done (suggestion: include the key elements of each of the following
sections and write the abstract last), (c) background – the justification for the project and
the creative process you used to develop the vision, (d) specific objective(s) Audience:
Bruce and TAs. DUE: Preliminary proposal (items a-d), 9/1
2. Present your proposal to the class. You might think of this as the verbal version of your
written abstract, section (b) above. Be effective and persuasive; convince your
classmates of the value of what you envision and try to convince them to select your
proposal as their topic for the Vision to Reality semester project. You will have 3-4
minutes including time for questions (5 minute cycle). Audience: Classmates. (3 points)
DUE: 9/15 or 9/17
3. Evaluate your presentation and the presentations of your classmates. Submit
preferences for V2R. DUE: 9/18
4. Archive several of the proposed WIE ideas in your PCA.

Grading: (100 points total)

Written Proposal Pts
Preliminary proposal 10
Full proposal: Complete, includes all section in item #2, above 50
Effective use of creative process to develop idea / vision 20
6
 Writing is error free, accurate, effective use of visuals 10

Oral Proposal
Content is clear, logical, addresses key questions 5
Delivery is persuasive, effective speaking and use of visuals 5
Total points 100

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Vision to Reality

Semester Team Project

Ideas are not solutions; they are the raw material of solutions. (Arthur VanGundy)

Objectives: As a result of this project, you will

1. work as a team on one of the WIE proposals using techniques to define the
problem, find facts, generate alternatives, select from among options, and
take action (i.e., what is, what might be, what should be, what can be, what
will be),
2. present your work as a team to your classmates,
3. evaluate the presentations of other groups, and
4. archive what you learn in your PCA.

Assignment:
1. Work as a team to accomplish objectives 1 and 2 above. Draw upon what
you have learned about creativity; consult with me and others as needed.
2. Write a report, including a title and appropriate headings. The report should
use diagrams and other visuals to your advantage. It may be whatever
length is needed to explain your work; a working guideline is 4-7
pages/person (e.g., a four-person team would generate a 15-25 page final
report). Audience: Bruce and TAs, users of the work, when appropriate, and
follow-on teams in subsequent semesters. (100 points) DUE: at final exam.
3. Present your work to the class. Plan for an average of five (5) minutes of
presentation / person. So a team with four members will have ~20 minutes
of presentation, plus some time for Q&A. Audience: classmates. (100 points)
DUE: final exam date.
4. Evaluate your presentation and the presentations of your classmates. DUE:
final exam.
5. Archive in your PCA.

Grading: (200 points total)

Tentative guidelines:
Presentation (100)
Content: Project is creative (both definition #1 and #2), illustrates cogent use of
process, is persuasive / convincing
Delivery: Effective speaking, delivery, synchronization, and use of visuals

Written Report (100)

Content (same as above)
Writing is error free, accurate, effective use of visuals
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Complete and can be transmitted effectively, e.g., to a follow-on team next semester

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

You Teach Us About Creativity

The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read. It
will be the person who does not know how to learn. (Alvin Toffler)

Synopsis: Learn something to enhance your creativity, and then teach it to

your classmates.

Assignment:
1. Learn about a topic or situation in which creativity has occurred. To do
this you might start by doing one of the following.
a. Read a book or a journal article.
b. Conduct a case study of a creative person, situation, or technique.
c. Learn about how something works.
d. Create something and reflect on the process.
e. Propose your own alternative.
2. Analyze your topic with a particular emphasis on gaining a deeper
understanding of the creative
a. person,
b. product, or
c. process.
3. Teach the key lessons you learned to a small group of your classmates.
a. Prepare a lesson plan with instructional objectives, visual aids,
activities, and assessments. Submit this as your written report. (45
points)
b. Deliver a 20-minute lesson in your small group. (5 point)
4. Repeat steps 1-3 twice, for a total of three lessons. Each time choose a
different emphasis for item #2.
5. Assess your presentations and the presentations of your classmates. (10
points)
6. Choose one of your three lessons to teach to the entire class. (20 points)
7. Reflect on what you learned and the feedback you received, and archive
all in your PCA.

Grading: (200 points total)

Item 3.a. (above), written lesson plan with visuals and sources
Content: sufficient information, material and understanding to clearly
teach the topic 30
Organization and presentation: clear, well-focused plan with strong
visuals 10
Sources: reliable, multiple, and diverse sources; properly cited
5
10
Item 3.b. Clear, engaging delivery of lesson, that connects to audience
5

Item 5. Assess each presentation in your group and post your feedback on
Compass 10
Some examples of feedback you might use include
(a ) content (Did the presentation help you learn about creativity? What did
you learn?)
understands topic selected
○ sufficient knowledge and understanding to clearly explain the topic, able to
answer questions and to provide examples,
○ clear understanding of the primary topic, but lacks mastery, or
○ fuzziness in understanding, misperceptions significantly lower quality of the
presentation

understands link to creativity

○ understands and describes how creativity works and the relationship of
chosen topic to the creative person, product, or process

(b) delivery (Was the presentation clear and audience-friendly? In what way(s)?)
clear
○ well focused, clear, precise diction, error free in spelling, grammar,
punctuation, or usage
○ awkward moments, minor errors, occasionally wordy or vague, some
organizational faults
○ unclear, confusing
aware of audience
○ vocabulary/examples appropriate, terms explained/defined, eye contact
maintained, responds to needs of audience,
○ some lack of connection to audience, some questions missed or disregarded,
or
○ disconnected from audience
subtotal for Items 3a., 3b., and 5 = 60 points/session x 3
sessions = 180

Item 6. Clear, engaging delivery of lesson, that connects to audience

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Total 200

Advice:
Select your topics carefully. Review the course objectives and your own
personal objectives. Avoid the easy route, and choose topics that will
construct the most significant learning for you, resulting in the greatest
enhancement of your creativity. This is an important step in your education
because you are taking responsibility for and control of your own learning.

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You may need to explore several topics, books or portions of books before
settling on the final selection for your report. Attached is a list of books that
might serve as a starting point for your selection, though others are certainly
possible, and you are also encouraged to consider scholarly articles. You
may borrow any of the books on the list from me.

For option 1.c., choose a device, technology, process, biological entity,

natural phenomenon, or something else that you would like to learn about.
In learning, you add to your cognitive database, storing content for future
creativity. Preferably your choice is something that embodies creativity in
some way and that will be engaging for your classmates. Use, or speculate
how you might use, your new knowledge.

Prepare and deliver a high quality lesson/presentation. You undoubtedly

know what it is like to sit through a poor class session; don’t do that to your
classmates. Use diagrams and other visuals to your advantage; be effective
and persuasive; convince your classmates that your topic warrants a place in
their PCAs. Fully cite all sources that you use in your written report and for
your classmates in case they want to learn more, and document when and
how you obtained any of your own ideas.

More about feedback for presenters: When you are not presenting,
participate as a student of creativity. Ask questions, dig deeper, learn, and
archive in your PCA. After the session, write to each presenter noting the
strengths of their lesson, what you learned, and any suggestions for
improvement (see Grading, Item 5, above). Emphasize those things done
well and offer suggestions to improve in the collegial spirit of assidere (to sit
beside) in koinonia (a spirit of fellowship). Post your message to the
Compass folder for your group. DUE: midnight of presentation day.

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Book List
Abbott, Edwin A. (1992) Flatland: a romance of many dimensions. Dover.
Adair, John (2007) The art of creative thinking: how to be innovative and develop great ideas. Kogan
Page.
Adams, James L. (2001) Conceptual blockbusting: a guide to better ideas (4th ed.). Addison-Wesley.
Amabile, Teresa M. (1996) Creativity in context. Westview Press.
Apfel, Robert (2000) The answer is in the question: new paths to a culture of creativity. Unpublished
notes.
Arden, Paul (2003) It's not how good you are, its how good you want to be: the world's best selling
book. Phaidon Press.
Barron, Frank, Montuori, Alfonso, and Barron, Anthea (eds.) (1997) Creators on creating: awaking and
cultivating the imaginative mind. Tarcher/Penguin.
Benyus, Janine M. (2002) Biomimicry: innovation inspired by nature. Perennial.
Benzel, Rick (ed) (2005). Inspiring creativity: an anthology of powerful insights and practical ideas to
guide you to successful creating. Creative Coaching Association Press.
Berkun, Scott (2007) The Myths of Innovation . O’Reilly Media.
Bevan, Rob and Wright, Tim (2005). Unleash your creativity: fresh ideas for having fresh ideas.
Perigee.
Burke, J. (1996). The pinball effect: how Renaissance water gardens made the carburetor possible.
Back Bay.
Cameron, Julia (1992) The artist’s way: a spiritual path to higher creativity. Tarcher/Putnam.
Christensen, Clayton M. (2006) The innovator’s dilemma: the revolutionary book that will change the
way you do business. Collins.
Christensen, Clayton M., Anthony, Scott D. and Roth, Erik A. (2004) Seeing what's next: using theories
of innovation to predict industry change. Harvard Business School Publishing.
Christensen, Clayton M. amd Raynor, Michael E. (2003) The innovator’s solution: creating and
sustaining successful growth. Harvard Business School Press.
Clegg, Brian and Birch, Paul (2000) Imagination engineering: your toolkit for business creativity.
Prentice Hall.
Clegg, Brian and Birch, Paul (2007) Instant creativity: simple techniques to ignite innovation & problem
solving. Kogan Page.
Collins, Jim (2001) Good to great: why some companies make the leap … and others don’t. Harper
Business.
Cropley, Arthur J. (2001) Creativity in education & learning: a guide for teachers and educators.
Routledge.
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. (1996) Creativity: flow and the psychology of discovery and invention.
HarperPerennial.
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly (1990) Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. HarperPerennial.
Dacey, John S. and Lennon, Kathleen H. (1998) Understanding creativity: the interplay of biological,
psychological, and social factors. Jossey-Bass.
Davila, Tony, Epstein, Marc J. and Shelton, Robert (2006) Making innovation work: how to manage it,
measure it, and profit from it. Wharton School Publishing.
De Bono, Edward (1999) Six thinking hats. Back Bay Books.
De Bono, Edward (1990) Lateral thinking: creativity step by step. Harper Perennial Library.
DeBono, Edward (1992) Serious creativity: using the power of lateral thinking to create new ideas.
McQuaig Group.
Degraff, Jeff and Quinn, Shawn E. (2007) Leading innovation: how to jump start your organization’s
growth engine. McGraw-Hill.
Dowling, John E. (1998) Creating minds: how the brain works. W.W. Norton & Company.
Feinstein, J.S. (2006). The nature of creative development. Stanford University Press.
Feldman, David Henry, Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly, and Gardner, Howard (1994) Changing the world: a
framework for the study of creativity. Praeger.
Florida, R. (2002) The rise of the creative class: and how it's transforming work, leisure, community
and everyday life. Basic Books.
Florida, R. (2002) Who's your city?: how the creative economy is making where to live the most
important decision of your life. Basic Books.
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Fogler, H. Scott and LeBlanc, Steven E. (2008) Strategies for creative problem solving (2nd edition).
Pearson Education.
Forbes, Peter (2006) The gecko's foot: bio-inspiration: engineering new materials from nature. W.W.
Norton.
Foster, Jack (2007) How to get ideas. Berrett-Koehler.
Fraley, Gregg (2007) Jack's notebook: a business novel about creative problem solving. Thomas
Nelson.
Fritz, R. (1989). The path of least resistance: learning to become the creative force in your own life.
Fawcett Books.
Fritz, Robert (1991) Creating: a practical guide to the creative process and how to use it to create
anything - a work of art, a relationship, a career or a better life. Ballantine Books.
Fox, John Michael (2004) Exploring the nature of creativity (2nd edition). Kendall/Hunt.
Gardner, Howard. (1994) Creating minds: an anatomy of creativity seen through the lives of Freud,
Einstein, Picasso, Stravinsky, Eliot, Graham, and Gandhi. Basic Books.
Gelb, Michael J. (2004) DaVinci decoded: discovering the spiritual secrets of Leonardo’s seven
principles. Delta.
Gelb, Michael J. (2004) How to think like Leonardo DaVinci: seven steps to genius every day. Delta.
Gelb, Michael J. and Caldicott, Sarah Miller. (2007) Innovate like Edison: the success system of
America’s greatest inventor. Dutton.
Gold, Rich (2007) The plenitude: creativity, innovation, and making stuff. MIT Press.
Hattori, Ruth Ann and Wycoff, Joyce (2004) Innovation training. ASTD Trainer's Workshop. ASTD Press.
Heath, Chip and Heath, Dan (2007) Made to stick: why some ideas survive and others die. Random
House.
Herrmann, Ned (1989) The creative brain. Brain Books.
Heward, Lyn and Bacon, John U. (2006) The spark: igniting the creative fire that lives within us all.
Currency Doubleday.

Hisrich, Robert D., Peters, Michael P., and Shepherd, Dean A. (2008) Entrepreneurship. McGraw-Hill.
Hurson, Tim (2008) Think better: An innovator’s guide to productive thinking. McGraw-Hill.
Kauffman, James C., Plucker, Jonathan A. and Baer, John (2008) Essentials of creativity assessment.
John Wiley.
Kauffman, James C. and Sternberg, Robert J. (eds.) (2006) The international handbook of creativity.
Cambridge University Press.
Kelley, Tom (2001) The art of innovation: lessons in creativity from IDEO, America’s leading design
firm. Currency Doubleday.
Kelley, Tom (2005) The ten faces of innovation: IDEO's strategies for defeating the devil's advocate
and driving creativity throughout your organization. Currency Doubleday.
Koestler, Arthur (1990) The act of creation. Penguin.
Levesque, Lynne C. (2001) Breakthrough creativity: achieving top performance using the eight
creative elements. Davies-Black.
Lumsdaine, Edward and Lumsdaine, Monika (1995) Creative problem solving: thinking skills for a
changing world. McGraw-Hill.
Lumsdaine, Edward, Lumsdaine, Monika, and Shelnutt, J. William (1999) Creative problem solving and
engineering design. McGraw-Hill.
Lundin, Stephen C. (2009) Cats: the nine lives of innovation. McGraw-Hill.
MacKenzie, Gordon (1996) Orbiting the giant hairball: a corporate fool’s guide to surviving with grace.
Viking.
Maisel, Eric (2000) The creativity book: a year’s worth of inspiration and guidelines. Tarcher/Putnam.
May, Rollo (1975) The courage to create. W.W. Norton.
McDonough, William and Braungart, Michael (2002) Cradle to cradle: remaking the way we make
things. North Point Press.
Michalko, Michael (2001) Cracking creativity: the secrets of creative genius. Ten Speed Press.
Michalko, Michael (2006) Thinkertoys: a handbook of creative-thinking techniques. Ten Speed Press.
Myerson, Jeremy (2001) IDEO Masters of innovation. teNeues Publishing.
Offner, David (1995) Design homology: an introduction to bionics. Offner.
Offner, David (2007) Purpose driven nature: an engineers perspective. Offner.
Ogle, Richard (2007) Smart world: breakthrough creativity and the new science of ideas. Harvard
Business School Press.
Parnes, Sidney (1997) Optimize the magic of your mind. Bearly Limited.
Pek, Andrew and McGlade, Jeannine (2008) Stimulated!: habits to spark your creative genius at work.
Greenleaf Book Group.
Piirto, Jane (2004) Understanding creativity. Great Potential Press.

14
Pink, D. (2005). A whole new mind: moving from the information age to the conceptual age. Riverhead
Books.
Pressfield, Steven (2002) The war of art: break through the blocks and win your inner creative battles.
Rugged Land.
Ray, Michael and Myers, Rochelle (1986) Creativity in business. Doubleday.
Richards. Ruth (ed.) (2007) Everyday creativity and new views of human nature: psychological, social,
and spiritual perspectives. American Psychological Association.
Roam, Dan (2008) The back of the napkin: solving problems and selling ideas with pictures. Portfolio,
Penguin Group.
Robinson, Alan G. and Stern, Sam (1997) Corporate creativity: how innovation and improvement
actually happen. Berett-Koehler.
Rucker, Rudolph (1977) Geometry, relativity and the fourth dimension. Dover.
Runco, Mark A. (2007) Creativity: theories and themes: research, development, and practice. Elsevier.
Sawyer, R. Keith (2006) Explaining creativity: the science of human innovation. Oxford University
Press.
Simonton, Dean Keith (1994) Greatness: who makes history and why. Guilford.
Simonton, Dean Keith (1999) Origins of genius: Darwinian perspectives on creativity. Oxford.
Simonton, Dean Keith (2004) Creativity in science: chance, logic, genius, and zeitgeist. Cambridge.
Sloane, Paul (2006). Lateral thinking skills: unlocking the creativity and innovation in you and your
team. Kogan Page.
Starko, Alane Jordan (2005) Creativity in the classroom: schools of curious delight. Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.
Stennes, Barbara (2004) Innovation case by case: how the deBono thinking systems have transformed
companies across the globe. CSP.
Sternberg, Robert J. (ed.) (1999) Handbook of creativity. Cambridge University Press.
Sternberg, Robert J., Grigorenko, Elena L., and Singer, Jerome L. (eds.) (2004) Creativity: from potential
to realization. American Psychological Association.
Stewart, Ian (2001) Flatterland: like flatland, only more so. Basic Books.
Stewart, Ian (2002) The annotated flatland: a romance of many dimensions. Joat Enterprises, Basic
Books.
Stewart, Mary (2008) Launching the imagination: a comprehensive guide to basic design. McGraw-Hill.
Tanner, David (1997) Total creativity in business & industry: roadmap to building a more innovative
organization. Advanced Practical Thinking Training.
Tharp, Twyla (2003) The creative habit: learn it and use it for life. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.
Treffinger, Donald J., Isaksen, Scott G. and Stead-Dorval, K. Brian (2006) Creative problem solving: an
introduction (4th edition). Prufrock Press.
VanGundy, Arthur B. (2007) Getting to innovation: how asking the right questions generates the great
ideas your company needs. AMACON.
von Oech, Roger (1998) A whack on the side of the head: how you can be more creative. Warner
Books.
Weber, R. J. (1992) Forks, phonographs, and hot-air balloons: A field guide to inventive thinking. Oxford
Univiversity Press.
Weston, Anthony (2007) Creativity for critical thinkers. Oxford University Press.
Whyte, David (2002) The heart aroused: poetry and preservation of the soul in corporate America.
Currency Doubleday.
Young, James Webb (2003) A Technique for Producing Ideas. McGraw-Hill.
Some movies
Amadeus, Flatland: The Movie, Flatland the Film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Pending review
Biech, Elaine () Creativity and innovation: the ASTD trainer's sourcebook. McGraw-Hill Training Series.
Sawyer, R. Keith (2006) Group genius …
Garfield, Patricia L. (1995) Creative dreaming: plan and control your dreams to develop creativity,
overcome fears, solve problems, and create a better self. Simon & Schuster.

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Personal Creativity Archive

There...were Leonardo’s casual observations about everything from the day’s
to-do and shopping lists to the most fundamental questions about art,
architecture, space, history, and philosophy. (Michael Gelb, How to Think Like
Leonardo da Vinci)

Synopsis: Creative individuals throughout history are known for their

journals, diaries, laboratory notes, sketch pads, and files. Now it is your turn!

Assignment: Produce a Personal Creativity Archive (PCA). This may take any
form you like. Your emphasis should be on (1) accomplishing the objectives
(below) and (2) making the PCA useful for you, both now and in the future. I
hope that your PCA becomes a valuable tool for you.

Objectives: As a result of this assignment, you should

1. archive your course activities, including at least the following:
a. Class sessions: what we did, your take-home message(s), next steps
and applications
b. Assignments, including YTUs, WIE, and other smaller assignments:
what you did, what you learned
c. Stockpile of knowledge and information: collection of interesting
information, things that work, marvels of nature, etc. A source to
prompt scaffold shifting.
d. Questions and observations: date and note any next steps.
e. Ideas: what is the idea, where did it come from (e.g., reading,
observation, another person, unique personal revelation), what will
you do with it (e.g., discard, archive, explore further, etc.). Include
dates, sketches, references, visions.
f. Others sections are possible (e.g., a traditional running journal or
diary)
1. discuss how you have changed – what you have learned – as a
result of this course experience,
2. project how you might apply what you have learned,
3. describe how you designed your PCA, any special features, and
the organizational structure if that is not obvious, and finally
4. create a synthesis of your semester in this course.

Definition: synthesize - to combine so as to form a new, complex product:

"His works synthesize photography, painting and linguistic devices" (Paul
Taylor). (synthesize. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.
Retrieved April 21, 2009, from Dictionary.com website:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/synthesize)

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 In other courses, a final exam can help you review and synthesize the
information. In this course we have no final exam, and you each have learned
a fairly individualized set of information (though some has been in common).
It is especially important for you to synthesize your learning; combine what
you have learned about creativity, innovation and vision into a new, complex,
and readily usable and personal product.

Make this synthesis for your personal benefit and future use, including key
lessons that you want to remember. Resist simply dumping text into a
narrative document. This assignment is what I imagine many of you using
the most from this course in the future.

Your PCA should be complete, functional, and appealing. Other objectives

are possible; please clearly state any additional objectives in your PCA.

Grading: (200 points total)

1. Complete: thorough, accomplishes stated objectives, 1-5 above (160
points)
2. Functional: transportable (physically, eg., to remote locations and
conceptually, e.g., to a variety of applications and situations); easy to use
(store, retrieve, and backup information) (20 points)
3. Appealing: elegant, simple, artistic, attractive, fun to use and to read (20
points)

Advice:
○ build as you go along
○ submit for feedback and critique (see Schedule for dates)
○ include an introduction, overview, and/or table of contents to help readers
follow your organization
○ be sure to include reflective section(s), objectives 2-3, and consider a
summary paragraph
○ consider means to include multiple formats (e.g., discs, papers, diary,
objects)
○ consider others’ ideas, but make it personal

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

You Must Be Dreaming!

Enhancing creativity by making use of your dreams

Dreams are more than just random images that play in your head at night. They are
the source of inspiration and the transformation that can have a profound effect on
your waking state. While everyone dreams, not everyone makes use of this unique
resource. (Patricia Garfield, Creative Dreaming)

Objectives: As a result of this assignment, you should be able to

1. realize that you are constantly and actively thinking,
2. use dreams as a means to identify solutions – to harness inner conscious
creativity, and
3. value the potential of the process regardless of initial results.

Assignment:
1. Record your dreams for one week (seven nights). Keep a means to record near
where you sleep, e.g., a journal, laptop, voice recorder, etc. Normally it works best
to record immediately upon awaking. Submit your dream record or a summary of
your record.
2. Next, practice dream incubation, while continuing to record your dreams for a
second week. Focus your attention on a specific issue / problem, and stay with the
same topic all week. Submit your record of this second week along with a 1-2 page
reflection analyzing your experience. Consider these questions: In what ways did
your dreams relate to the waking portion of your life? Was dream incubation
successful? Was creativity enhanced for you by this activity, and will you continuing
dream incubation?

Grading:
Initial dream record for seven nights 15
Incubated dream record for seven nights 15
Reflection analyzing your experience 10
Total 40

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Seeing Art
An activity to practice seeing art as a bridge to understanding situations

Objectives: As a result of this exercise, you should;

1. pause as you look at situations,
2. begin seeing what others do not,
3. draw parallels between this activity and understanding situations more
deeply,
4. begin to value deep understanding of a domain as foundational for creativity
in that domain.

Sometime before your Tuesday, 9/29 class session

1. Visit Krannert Art Museum, 500 East Peabody (http://www.kam.uiuc.edu/).
Hours:

Monday Closed
9 a.m. - 5
Tuesday - Saturday
p.m.
9 a.m. - 9
Thursday
p.m.
2 p.m. - 5
Sunday
p.m.

2. Peruse the art, and then select an item from the collection for deeper
observation.
3. Ask yourself (and write down):
a. What is going on?
b. What do you see that makes you think that?
c. What more can you find?

In your class session, Tuesday, 9/29

4. Meet at Krannert Art Museum. Convene near the south entrance (there is a
lobby area near the entrance, west of the Espresso Royale coffee shop). Find
your assigned group.
5. Visit the art selection of each member of your group. At your selection, pause to
let the other three members of the group see the art. Then conduct a group
discussion (see questions above, using the process led by Sam Smith at the
KCPA). The person who selected the piece is to lead the discussion. (Paraphrase
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 each contribution and probe for more.) What is going on? What makes you think
that? What were you able to discover or uncover?
6. After you have discussed all four selections, reflect on the following: What are
the key characteristics of the process of seeing art? How might this method of
seeing art be applied to understanding situations? Can you relate this exercise
to a current situation you are experiencing? How might you use this process for
better understanding issues, problems, opportunities, life? In what ways might
this exercise relate to creativity, innovation and vision? Write this down, one
sheet per group.
7. Archive the experience – what you did, what you learned, and how you might
use it – in your PCA.

Grading: (20 points) Participation and completion of a worksheet (to be provided at

KAM).

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Biocreativity

The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration. (Claude
Monet)

Synopsis: Nature is a huge collection of things that work and whose characteristics
can inspire creativity.

Objectives: As a result of this unit, you should

1. explore and archive sources of inspiration from the world and
2. practice bionics / biomimicry / biocreativity, i.e., the development of applications
from nature.

Assignment::
PART ONE (during class time 1): EXPLORE & CAPTURE. We will be taking a field trip
to explore nature. You will work within teams of 5-6 people, writing notes and taking
pictures.

PART TWO (outside of class): RESEARCH & DOCUMENT. Select one species to study
further. What is its origin? How is it adapted to its environment? What/ how does it
eat/acquire energy? How does it reproduce? How do its physical features work to its
advantage? By what is it threatened? The more you understand, the better your
chances for an original innovation. Each member of the team should bring an
individual set of background research to class.

PART THREE (in class 2): COLLABORATE & BRAINSTORM. Meet with your group, and
share your research. Next, select one interesting attribute, mannerism or feature to
mimic. Brainstorm as many applications as possible, then formulate a one-page
proposal for the application. For example, say your group investigated the
Achaearanea tepidariorum (common house spider) and learned about its silk. Your
group could propose to make spider silk industrially, applying the technology to
surgical thread, nets, seat belts, or clothing. Be sure to include factual evidence
(cited) within your proposal for support. Submit a draft at the end of class (does not
have to be typed).

PART FOUR (outside, and then during class 3): CHOOSE & PRESENT. Choose one of
your ideas to feature in an in-class presentation. You may choose the format for the
presentation; the only restrictions are that every group member must contribute,
there must be a visual component (you can not just stand and talk), and the
presentation must not exceed 10 minutes.

Grading:
PART ONE: Attendance, pictures taken/drawings archived 15
PART TWO: Research completed, sheet brought in with findings & sources 15
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PART THREE: Proposal 10
PART FOUR: Presentation 10
Total 50

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Fairy Tale Endings

fairy tale – a fictitious, highly fanciful story
fairy tale ending – a happy ending

Synopsis: Fairy tales are works of fiction passed down through the generations that
often teach a lesson or moral principle. Fairy tales sometimes become altered
during the telling, and interestingly, fairy tales from different cultures often contain
common elements. Now you will revise a fairy tale, creating your own fairy tale
ending.

Objectives: As a result of this activity, you should

1. practice creative process to produce a product – your own fairy tale ending,
2. teach a principle of creativity via your fairy tale, and
3. have fun!

Assignment:
PART ONE (in class): Watch a fairy tale and rewrite the ending in the genre assigned
to your group.

PART TWO: Your group has the option to (a) write a second ending in a different
genre or (b) write a new ending for a different fairy tale.

PART THREE: (next class): You and your group present your TWO rewritten fairy
tales to the class. They can be read from a script, presented via video, or acted. You
will have 10 minutes total to present both fairy tale endings.

Challenge: Can your new endings teach, illustrate, or otherwise embody something
you have learned this semester about creativity? Does the tale make this “moral”
memorable?

Grading:
Original endings 20
Includes a memorable lesson about creativity10
Total 30

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Creativity, Innovation, and Vision
Fall 2009 Eng 298 C

Course Blog
Each of you will take turns making daily entries on the course blog. The object of
these entries is to address the course question, “How do I enhance my
creativity?” Think of this as a blog version of the You Teach Us About Creativity
assignment. Content, format, and length is up to you.

Grading: Two entries at 10 points each = 20 points total

Attendance and Extra Credit

One of the most important principles of success is developing the habit of going the extra
mile. (Napoleon Hill)

Attendance in class is mandatory, and attendance will be taken (a) by collecting

some assignments in-class and (b) by occasional, random attendance checks.
Absences will not generally be excused, but you may earn extra credit to
compensate. Here are some options for extra credit.

Book Review (20 points)

Read a book from the course Book List (or an approved alternative), and write a
two-page book review, suitable for use by other students in the course. Consider:
What is the book’s thesis and main themes?
How is this book related to creativity, innovation, and vision?
How can you use what you’ve learned from this book? What does this book
inspire you to do?
Do you recommend the book? Rate it on a 1-5 star scale.

What I Envision, revisited (20 points)

As you get more ideas during the semester, you can pitch the best ones to the class
in the style of your WIE proposal. Write a preliminary proposal (items 2a-d on the
WIE assignment sheet), and present a 3-5 minute proposal in class.

Spurlock Museum Creativity Walk (10 points)

Visit the Spurlock Museum (600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, just east of the Krannert
Center for the Performing Arts, hours: Mon: closed, Tues: 12-5, Wed-Thurs-Fri: 9-5,
Sat: 10-4, Sun: 12-4), and do the following:
a. identify an object or artifact in the museum that sparks your interest,
b. design a short explanation that includes a picture or drawing of the artifact, an
explanation of the artifact and it's origins, and why the artifact sparked your
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creative interest (possibly with the method it was created, or how and what it was
used for during the time period it was created) explain why you felt so strongly
about it (perhaps relating to your curiosity), and
c. imagine in what ways you might use the artifact in a creative way now, and
summarize this in your report.

Additional Course Blog Entry, see above (5 points)

Teaching Assistants
Several students who completed ENG 298 previously are taking the sequel course
(ENG 398, Advancing Creativity) this semester. One portion of their responsibilities
is to help with instructional tasks in ENG 298.

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