University of Massachusetts at Boston

College of Advancing & Professional Studies

Critical & Creative Thinking Program


Creative Thinking; Criticism & Creativity in the Literature & Arts


CrCrTh602, 630

Fall 2013 face-to-face & online section


Syllabus

Instructor: Peter Taylor (602), Jeremy Szteiter (630), Critical and Creative Thinking Program
Email: peter.taylor@umb.edu, jeremy.szteiter@umb.edu

Phone: (617) 287-7636, (617) 942-3580
Office: Wheatley 2nd floor, room 157
Course Dates: 3 September - 3 December, 4-6.45pm
Location: W-2-157 or by google+ hangout (with URLs posted on wiki just before session)
Office/phone call/Google hangout hours: http://ptaylor.wikispaces.umb.edu/PTOfficeHours, by arrangement
Websites to bookmark:
Hangout URLs**: http://bit.ly/602hang (posted 10+ minutes before sessions start)

Sections to follow in syllabus: Description, Overview, Learning Objectives, Texts, Requirements, Schedule of Sessions

Description, Preparation before taking the course, Overview, and Objectives

OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:
CrCrTh 602 Creative Thinking

CrCrTh 630 Criticism and Creativity In Literature and Art

POINTERS about the preparation assumed for this course (in lieu of formal prerequisites):
CrCrTh 602 is appropriate for any student with a strong interest in Creative Thinking and a desire to make a commitment to the personal development of themselves and others.
Ditto for CrCrTh 630, but with a special emphasis on the role of literature and stories in expressing and fostering creative thinking.
For both courses you will find it helpful to be familiar with the university’s library and research services.

OVERVIEW:
As conveyed in the Preamble, the format of the course will center on 4-week "collaborative explorations" (CEs), a variant of project-based learning (PBL) that begin from a scenario or case in which the issues are real but the problems are not well defined, which leads participants to shape their own directions of inquiry and develop their skills as investigators and teachers (in the broadest sense of the word). The CE component of each class session will be 60-90 minutes. The rest of each course session will involve activities or discussion of a shared reading.
The combined 602/630 course will
a) include intensive reading in the area of creative thinking, which students in CRCRTH 602 would expect;
b) allow a focus on literature/arts and on story-telling for students in CRCRTH 630; and
c) allow everyone to shape a path and final products for each CE that link closely with their personal interests.

As also conveyed in the Preamble, this is an experiment and, as such, has the virtue of drawing you more into the mode of "how would I teach (or guide) others" than a standard course.

Students in CrCrTh 602 should, whenever the readings and their interests allow, emphasize creativity as applied to problem-solving in complex, real-world situations, which is what the course means by "creative thinking."
Students in CrCrTh 630 should, whenever there is a choice, focus on readings and inquiry that is related to literature and/or the arts.

Collaborative explorations are designed with a view to participants re-engaging with themselves as avid learners and inquirers. What makes this re-engagement possible is a combination of:

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the semester, you will have:

ACCOMMODATIONS: Sections 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 offer guidelines for curriculum modifications and adaptations for students with documented disabilities. If applicable, students may obtain adaptation recommendations from the Ross Center (287-7430). The student must present these recommendations to each professor within a reasonable period, preferably by the end of the Drop/Add period.

Students are advised to retain a copy of this syllabus in personal files for use when applying for certification, licensure, or transfer credit.
This syllabus is subject to change, but workload expectations will not be increased after the semester starts. (Version 2 Sep. 2013; changes after the start of the semester are marked in blue)

TEXTS and MATERIALS

Kaufman, J. C., R. Sternberg (2010) The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity. (Requested as eBook holding for UMB library -- stay tuned if you want to save the cost of purchasing the book)
Fleischman, P. (2004) Seedfolks, New York: HarperTrophy.
Paley, V. (1997) The Girl with the Brown Crayon, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
Taylor, M. (1976) Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, New York : Bantam Books OR Cunningham, L. (1989) Sleeping Arrangements, New York : Knopf.

Other readings for the course consist primarily of

Recommended to help with writing: Daniel, D., C. Fauske, P. Galeno and D. Mael (2001). Take Charge of Your Writing: Discovering Writing Through Self-Assessment. Boston: Houghton Mifflin ("new" copies available well below list price on amazon.com)

Source for many of the course tools & processes: Taylor, P. and J. Szteiter (2012) Taking Yourself Seriously: Processes of Research and Engagement Arlington, MA: The Pumping Station (Available from online retailers or as pdf or paperback from http://thepumpingstation.org)

REQUIREMENTS

Guidelines for assignments will be supplied on the Notes wikipage and repeated on the google+ community as the course unfolds.
Your checklist wikipage (viewable as 2013/xx where xx =Yourlastname) is where you keep a log of assignments and participation items, even if some of these involve posts to the google+ community.
Take seriously the idea that the learning experience works best when you submit something on or before the due date. You keep track of due dates--do not expect class-time or meetings with instructors to be used to remind you. Similarly, if you get behind, you take the initiative to submit a plan to catch up or reassure the instructors that you have, in light of your other commitments, chosen to take the grading consequences of missing assignments or due dates.

Written assignments and work-in-progress presentations (2/3 of grade)

A. Work-in-progress presentations for each CE (well-prepared-- not informal or extemperaneous) (=4 assignments)
B. Product for each CE (1200 words): draft building on W-I-P presentation revised in response to plus-delta comments, then revised again in response to comments from an instructor and a peer and posted to the google+ community (=4 assignments)
C. Bibliography contributions with paragraph-length annotations, drawn from readings assigned or encountered during CEs; 2 during each CE cycle, posted to google+ community and revised, if requested, in response to comments (=8 half-assignments)
[Suggestion for future years: D. Notes on inquiries pursued during the previous session, posted in weeks 2 and 3 of each CE to google+ community (=8 half-assignments)]

Participation and contribution to the class process (1/3 of grade)

a. Building learning community through i) attendance and participation at class meetings based on preparation between meetings and ii) inquiry and reading on the CE between sessions, with posting of annotated bibliography items (see C above) [and suggestion--see D above: notes on inquiries pursued] (=15 items).
b. Semester-long journaling/workbook based on a creative thinking guide chosen by the student and giving serious attention to a multi-week process of practicing and developing personal creative thinking through writing, reflecting, and experimenting (reviewed at office hour meetings and at end of semester [one week after last session] = 3 items)
c. End-of-semester reflection on your development through the semester and map of the future directions in which you plan to develop (include with journal/workbook) (=1 item)
d. Minimum of two in-office or phone conferences on your assignments and journal/workbook -- one before session 6; the other by session 10 (=2 items)
e. Peer commentary on a draft product from each CE within a week after uploading for peer sharing (=4 items)

Students should aim for 10 of 12 writing and presentation assignments submitted by the due date with revisions submitted for 6 writing assignments, as well as 20 participation items fulfilled.
If you reach or exceed this target for both parts of the course grade, you get 80 points (which gives you an automatic B+) and the following rubric is used to add further points.

If you don't reach the automatic B+ level, your points = 6 for each presentation or for written assignment that is revised in response to comments + 3 for each other written assignment submitted by the due date + 1.25 for each participation item fulfilled up to a maximum of 80.

Overall course points are converted to letter grades as follows: The minimum grade for A is 95 points, for A- is 87.5, for B+ is 80, for B is 72.5; for B- is 65; for C+ is 57.5; and for C is 50.
(In theory it is possible for a student to earn 104 points, but this would still be awarded an A.)

Plagiarism: Using another person's ideas or material you did not write without citing the source is plagiarism and is unacceptable (see library guide and Academic Honesty policies).

Schedule of Sessions

1 (9/3), 2 (9/10), 3 (9/17), 4 (9/24), 5 (10/1), 6 (10/8), 7 (10/15), 8 (10/22, 9 (10/29), 10 (11/5), 11 (11/12), 12 (11/19), 13 (11/26), 14 (12/3), 15 (12/10)

Session 1 (9/3)
Preparation:
Review Preamble
Sign up for a http://plus.google.com account and let instructors know your gmail address,
Students at a distance: get the google+ hangout audio & video plugins installed, attend test run of Google+ Hangout with Jeremy, if needed, and resolve any technical issues before Tuesday.
Google Hangout link to be supplied via this link on the wiki menu 10 minutes before the session starts; ditto for all subsequent weeks.

Session: (Theme: Beyond "Thinking Outside the Box")
Getting students from a distance online
Brief reminder of course organization and rhythm
Activity: From 9 dots exercise to 4Rs framework
Collaborative Exploration (CE) 1 begins
Quick preview of syllabus and tasks to get going in the course
Take stock of the session (Critical incident questionnaire)

Follow-up:
Read "Teaching and Learning for Reflective Practice," from Taylor and Szteiter (2012), Taking Yourself Seriously, 240-259.
Check-in with one instructor by email or hangout before Saturday about ideas and questions to get inquiry going on CE 1.
Arrange now to get via Inter-library loan or other means, readings you think might interest you in CE 1.
Join this wiki & Google+ community when you receive the invites (on your @umb.edu & gmail emails, respectively)
Review the syllabus and wiki organization, then post on Google+ community a question about them (include #Syllabus tag) or reply to someone else's posted question.
Purchase or arrange to borrow course texts.
Choose text for journalling project by session 3 (using annotations tagged #Journal on google+ community to guide you).
Take note of work due in the sessions ahead,especially Annotated bibliography postings (two by end of each CE), Work-in-progress presentations (week 3 of CE), Draft product (week 4 of CE).
Session 2 (9/10)
Preparation:
Read one of the following in preparation of a jig-saw discussion (instructions), downloadable from password-protected reading page. (Theme: General Theories and Research on Creative Thinking),
Students from a distance come online 10 minutes early to practice forming hangouts in pairs, etc. Hangout URL is posted http://bit.ly/602hang 10+ minutes before sessions.

Session 2 hangout:
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/c2140ba955abd5684c5c548bed2b17f46d9deabc?authuser=0&hl=en

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 1 (cont.)
Q&A about course requirements and wiki organization, including expectation for next week's Work-in-progress presentation
Activity

Follow-up:
Continue working on CE 1.
Annotated bibliography entries could begin any time; two required by end of CE 1 (in 2 weeks).
First office hour could happen or be scheduled; required before session 6.

Work due this session: nothing
Session 3 (9/17)
Preparation:
Prepare Work-in-progress presentation (instructions)
Read one of the following (but not discussed in class; Theme: Psychology and Cognition of Creative Thinking)

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 1 (cont.)
Activity

Follow-up:
Digest feedback on Work-in-progress presentation and develop a product for the CE that stands on its own (i.e., can be understood without being narrated)

Work due this session:
Work-in-progress presentation (during class)
Annotated bibliography entries should have begun; two required by end of CE 1 (in 1 week).
First office hour meeting either completed or scheduled by now; required before session 6.
Session 4 (9/24)
Preparation:
Read one of the following (Theme: Creative Thinking in Culture and History; not discussed in the session)
Read the outline for session 4's activity

Session:
Activity:
Collaborative Exploration 1 (concluded):

Follow-up:
Comment on another student's uploaded draft product.

Work due this session:
Draft of your CE 1 product uploaded to the peer share wikipage
Annotated bibliography entries submitted (two required).
First office hour either completed or scheduled by now; required to be completed before session 6.
Session 5 (10/1)
Preparation:
Read case 2 on "Stories to Scaffold Creative Learning".
Read both (Theme of stories and scaffolding)
Arrange now to get via Inter-library loan or other means, readings you think might interest you in CE 2.

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 2 begins
Activity

Follow-up:
Start working on CE 2 (if you have not already started)

Work due this session:
Comments uploaded on another student's draft product from case 1.
First office hour either completed or scheduled by now; required to be completed before next session.
Session 6 (10/8)
Preparation:
Read one the following in preparation of jig-saw discussion (instructions) (Theme: Plots and underlying metaphors)

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 2 (cont.)
Activity

Follow-up:
Continue working on CE 2

Work due this session:
Final version of your product from CE 1, revised in response to comments from peers and instructors, uploaded to google drive & shared to google+ community.
First office hours meeting completed by today; Schedule 2nd meeting before session 10.
Session 7 (10/15)
Preparation:
Prepare Work-in-progress presentation (instructions)
Read one of the following (Theme: individual versus group or in-context creativity)

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 2 (cont.):
Activity:

Follow-up:
Digest feedback on Work-in-progress presentation and develop a product for the CE

Work due this session:
Work-in-progress presentation for CE 2 (during class)
Session 8 (10/22]
Preparation:
Read one of the following (not discussed in the session):

Session:
Review of the CE rhythm and importance of connections
Activity:
Collaborative Exploration 2 (concluded):

Follow-up:
Comment on another student's uploaded draft product

Work due this session:.
Draft of your CE 2 product uploaded to the peer share wikipage
Two more Annotated bibliography entries submitted (should have submitted total of four by now).
Second office hours meeting either completed or scheduled by now; required to be completed before session 10.
Session 9 (10/29)
Preparation:
Read case 3 on "Young people designing their own lives."
Read both of the following:
Arrange now to get via Inter-library loan or other means, readings you think might interest you in CE 3.

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 3 begins:
Activity:

Follow-up:
Start working on CE 3 (if you have not already started)

Work due this session:
Comments uploaded on another student's draft product from case 2.
Second office hours meeting either completed or scheduled by now; required to be completed before session 10.
Session 10 (11/5)
Preparation:
Read one of the following in preparation of a jig-saw discussion (Theme: Writing books or drama)
plus
OPTIONAL (if you have time): read the forward of "Teen Ink: What Matters" (Meyer et al. on the Readings page) and a selection of writings from the Nonfiction, Fiction, or Poetry sections of Teen Ink magazine, a literary project based on teen writing about stories from their lives.

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 3 (cont.):
Activity:

Follow-up:
Continue working on CE 3

Work due this session:
Final version of your product from CE 2, revised in response to comments from peers and instructors, uploaded to google drive & shared to google+ community.
Second office hours meeting completed by today.
Session 11 (11/12)
Preparation:
Prepare Work-in-progress presentation (instructions)
Read one of the following (Themes: Development & resilience)

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 3 (cont.):
Activity:

Follow-up:
Digest feedback on Work-in-progress presentation and develop a product for the CE

Work due this session:
Work-in-progress presentation for CE 3 (during class)
Session 12 (11/19)
Preparation:
Read one of the following:

Session:
Activity:
Collaborative Exploration 3 (concluded):

Follow-up:
Comment on another student's uploaded draft product

Work due this session:
Draft of your CE 3 product uploaded to the peer share wikipage
Two more Annotated bibliography entries submitted by now (should have submitted total of six so far).
Session 13 (11/26)
Preparation:
Read case 4 on Manifestos for ongoing creative thinking and problem-solving
Review manifestos from a past course (linked to password-protected readings)
Read one of the following (Theme: Fulfillment)

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 4 begins:
Activity:

Follow-up:
Continue working on CE 4

Work due this session:
Comments uploaded on another student's draft product from case 3.
Session 14 (12/3)
Preparation:
Prepare Work-in-progress presentation (instructions)
Read one of the following (Theme: Work and organizations) (not discussed in class)

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 4 (cont.):
Activity:

Follow-up:
Digest feedback on Work-in-progress presentation and continue developing a product for the CE
Review your assignment checklist, bring up-to-date, and if needed prepare completion contract.

Work due this session:
Work-in-progress presentation for CE 4 (during class)
Final version of your product from CE 3, revised in response to comments from peers and instructors, uploaded to google drive & shared to google+ community.
Session 15 (12/10)
Preparation:
Participation from a distance using google+ hangout: URL to be supplied here 10 minutes before session starts.
Read one of the following (Theme: Compare your perspective to high concepts and famous creators)

Session:
Collaborative Exploration 4 (concluded):
Activity: Take stock of the course as a whole

Follow-up:
Comment on another student's uploaded draft product.
Note due dates (below) for final items.

Work due this session:
Draft of your CE 4 product uploaded to the peer share wikipage
Two more Annotated bibliography entries submitted (should have submitted total of eight by now).

Beyond the last session:
One week after session 15:
Comments uploaded on another student's draft product from case 4.
Complete Journal/Workbook submitted, including

Two weeks after session 15:
Final version submitted of your product from CE 4, in response to comments from peers and instructors.

Bibliography

Password-protected readings: Readings/pp/.

note: this page is subject to revision; new items after the semester starts indicated in blue

General Creativity Research (latest editions of research-oriented compilations)
Others that may have value re: creativity and education:


Storytelling

Connecting Children/Literature/Creativity/Life Design

Fiction

From CCT 630: Denise Patmon’s reading list:

REQUIRED TEXTS:

RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

REQUIRED LITERATURE: