PRODUCTIVE THINKING IN SCIENCE EDUCATION.
Abstract
Directed to educatiors in the sciences at the pre -university level, the paper discusses approaches to the communication of scientific information which will stimulate creative thought processes. Distinctions are emphasized between teaching for the purpose of reproducing old knowledge vs. producing new ideas. Creativity is only beginning to become measurable. It is associated with such characteristics as the sensing of problems, originality, flexibility that is spontaneous, flexibility that is adaptive, fluency of ideas, fluency of ideas, fluency of associations, fluency of expressions, redefining in unusual ways, juggling many ideas simultaneously, penetration, visualization, elaboration, foresight, and certain kinds of evaluation abilities. To promote productivity, it is suggested that science be taught as a human activity, i.e., from the viewpoint of the scientist at work, to permit students to experience the various phases in scientific discovery including the mental search for understanding and incubation periods, as well as the 'a-ha' stage. If much of the creative process is intuitive, nonverbal, and preverbal, premature requirements for verbalization may be detrimental. Suggestions are made concerning procedures and tools which could be tested in the classroom. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0631629
Entities
People
- Calvin W. Taylor
Organizations
- University of Utah