Torrance Journal for Applied Creativity

this emphasis may be seen in what Kim
(2011) described as a creativity crisis—
fluctuations and a measurable decline
in U.S. students creativity scores on the
TTCT over time. The research does
not tell us the reason for this, but it is
reasonable to assume that a shift of focus
in schools from creative activities to drill
and practice may play a role.
Implications for Educators
The Incubation Model is too
complex to be fully described or understood
in this article, although interested
educators are encouraged to read more
from the references listed at the end
of this article. However, even without
further reading or training, teachers can
understand and employ the ideas of beginning
a lesson with an interesting hook
activity, continuing the lesson for deeper
learning, then leaving the lesson open at
the end with a question, an idea, a vision,
and so on. To help with this, key ideas
for activities at each stage are listed in
Table 1 (see end of this article). These
can be combined to create lessons as
indicated in the two lesson descriptions
(see right):
The Future Problem Solving Program
(Now Future Problem Solving Program
International)
Torrance started the Future
Problem Solving (FPS) program in
1974, but the impetus for it came much
earlier through the synthesis of two
ideas. After the turbulent activism of
the 60s, Torrance observed that young
people in the early 70s demonstrated a
growing disinterest and lack of creativity
about the future. He also had participated
in the annual Creative Problem
Solving Institute (Creative Education
Foundation, n.d.) and experienced the
power of the Osborn-Parnes Creative
Problem Solving method, first developed
by Osborn (1953) and later refined by
his colleague, Parnes (1967). When
the principal of Athens High School in
Torrance’s hometown of Athens, GA
asked him to devise a unit to inspire
creativity in students, he put these two
Lesson on molecules moving faster because of heating:
Stage I:
What do you think will freeze faster, a tray of hot water or a tray of cold water?
(Confronting ambiguities and uncertainties). Most students will predict that
cold water will freeze faster and are surprised when they try it and find that the
opposite is true.
Stage II:
Why does this happen? A lesson or lessons on the movement of molecules
would follow. One activity could have students wear an H or an O on their
chests to indicate a Hydrogen or Oxygen atom. Two Hs and an O should
hold hands to show the bond. The teacher should use some visual on a white
board or smart board to show a temperature that can go up and down. Students
should practice walking faster as the temperature goes up and slower as
it decreases.
Stage III:
Do you think this is true of other liquids? How could we find out? Do you think
it is true of gases and solids? How could we find out with this air in a balloon?
How could we find out with a thick metal strip? Please come to school tomorrow
with some ideas for testing these.
Lesson on refugees from wars as immigrants to other countries:
Stage I:
We see reports on the news of people flooding into other countries because
of war and strife in their own country. Can you think of examples in different
places around the world and at different times in history when this has happened?
(stimulating curiosity and desire to know). Why would people leave
everything behind to travel to another country? Why would some people in the
receiving country oppose this? (looking at the same information from different
viewpoints; creating awareness of a problem to be solved).
Stage II:
At this point, the students should look deeper into why refugees leave their
homes, places where this has happened, and historical times when this has
occurred. The results of these inquiries might be displayed as maps, time
lines, and charts (encouraging visualization). The students might role play
different refugees and members from receiving countries to represent the
different points of view.
Stage III:
Students might be encouraged to talk to friends and family who have immigrated
or know someone who has (heightening concern about a problem), propose
possible solutions to immigration issues (encouraging solution of collision
conflicts), or even volunteer with an agency that assists immigrants (accepting
limitations creatively and constructively).
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