4.4
stars
2,120 ratings
•
654 reviews

Brad Hokanson, PhD +1 more instructor

228,790 already enrolled

Offered By

Creative Problem Solving

University of Minnesota

About this Course

51,243 recent views

This course deals directly with your ability for creativity which is a critical skill in any field. It focuses on divergent thinking, the ability to develop multiple ideas and concepts to solve problems. Through a series of creativity building exercises, short lectures, and readings, learners develop both an understanding of creativity and increase their own ability.
This course will help you understand the role of creativity and innovation in your own work and in other disciplines.  It will challenge you to move outside of your existing comfort zone and to recognize the value of that exploration.  This course will help you understand the importance of diverse ideas, and to convey that understanding to others. 

The principal learning activity in the course is a series of "differents" where you are challenged to identify and change your own cultural, habitual, and normal patterns of behavior. Beginning with a prompt, e.g. "eat something different", you will begin to recognize your own = limits and to overcome them. In addition, you are encouraged to understand that creativity is based on societal norms, and that by it's nature, it will differ from and be discouraged by society. In this course, the persistence of the creative person is developed through practice. At the same time, these exercises are constrained by concerns of safety, legality, and economics, which are addressed in their creative process.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.48/5 (513 Ratings)

Brad Hokanson, PhD

Jody Nyboer, PhD

Instructor

School of Design, Syracuse University

229,090 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation’s most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(14,023 ratings)

Week

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Introduction to the Course

Creativity is a skill that can be developed. It requires extensive work by learners, but the lessons, while not conveying traditional content, will change you in ways you do not foresee, but ways which are valuable. The course is a hybrid; it will involve reading, writing, discussions, as well as specific exercises designed to increase and improve your creative skills. You will do work online as well as in the real world; it is designed to be fun and to change your ability for creativity.

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 44 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

8 videos

Welcome/Introduction3m

Course Methods: Creative Skill Development7m

Idea Generation: Brick Activity4m

DSD General Introduction5m

DSD 1 Eat introduction1m

Critiquing and Making Improvements2m

Brief tutorial on shooting pictures for the class16m

Dr. Sauman Chu: Programs Offered at the College of Design3m

3 readings

Introduction - read this first10m

The Creativity Crisis [ published in Newsweek 2010 ]10m

Learn more about the College of Design, University of Minnesota10m

1 practice exercise

#1: Newsweek30m

Week

Week 2

5 hours to complete

Divergent and Convergent Thinking

In this unit we'll look as some of the ways we can describe creativity and examine the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking. We'll look at generating more ideas, how to critique and make improvements, and continue to practice our development of ideas. Practice and exploration continue as these are the means we will continue to improve our own creativity.

5 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 36 min), 1 reading, 3 quizzes

Week

Week 3

5 hours to complete

Creativity, Motivation and Observation

Sometimes, we need external methods to help us touch all the bases in our creative capability. Here, we'll look at a couple of good methods for helping us generate new ideas.There are a wide range of creativity exercises available; these are but a few. Finding and practicing the development of ideas is an important aspect to becoming more creative.

5 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 23 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Week

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Creativity and Observation

A lot of the time, creativity can be spurred by something in the environment, triggering connections with new ideas. We react to things we have seen and our experiences; that is from where we build our new ideas.

1 hour to complete

7 videos (Total 31 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.4

654 reviews

5 stars
66.01%
4 stars
19.83%
3 stars
6.56%
2 stars
2.62%
1 star
4.96%

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Creative Problem Solving

Creative Problem Solving

About this Course