Torrance Journal for Applied Creativity

E. Paul Torrance Creative Catalog Elements
The magnificent and lasting work of E. Paul Torrance involves his use of
two of the primary elements of creative productive thinking, brainstorming and
the ideational techniques of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration.
The provenance of these creative thinking benchmarks is not easily identified.
The invention of brainstorming is most often attributed to Alex Osborn
(1963). In his classic book, Applied Imagination, Osborn notes four guidelines that
creative thinkers should activate when seeking new ideas.
1. Criticism is ruled out.
2. Wild ideas are welcome.
3. Many ideas are sought.
4. Combinations and improvements should be embraced.
Although Osborn is noted as the originator of brainstorming, it is E. Paul
Torrance who greatly popularized the technique. Further, Osborn worked chiefly in
the business world (advertising) and it was Torrance who realized that brainstorming
could play an equally valuable role in educational settings. He greatly popularized
brainstorming as a vital classroom tool, especially as related to creative problem
solving.
In the 1950s and 1960s, psychologist J. P. Guilford (1967) emphasized the
value of divergent thinking in such different fields as industry, science, the arts, and
education. Guilford introduced or proposed four mental processes that are the key
elements of divergent thinking.
Fluency is the ability to generate a great number of ideas.
Flexibility is the ability to suggest a variety of different solutions to a problem.
Originality is the ability to produce new, original ideas.
Elaboration is the ability to organize varied ideas into one or more complete
products or solutions.
Torrance (1980) introduced and promoted meaningful ways for widespread
understanding and use of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration
(FFOE) in at least two vital ways. First, he created the Torrance Tests of Creative
Thinking (TTCT) which allowed FFOE to be both quantified and tested. Second,
he saw the enormous value FFOE could have if teachers moved beyond the theoretical
or philosophical sphere of divergent thinking and used FFOE tools in their
classrooms to help students become better creative, productive thinkers and problem
solvers.
FFOE in creative productive thinking tools of brainstorming and divergent
thinking can be central to students as they individually and/or collectively ideate,
plan, and produce creative catalogs.
Students of all ages can brainstorm the subject matter that will become
the focus of original catalogs. Potential topics and themes for catalogs can include
everything from endangered species to the American Revolution to ethnic holidays.
As students work through the stages of brainstorming, teachers may need to remind
them to adhere to all its components. Prompt students, for example, not to “kill”
ANY original contributions or suggestions. It is far easier to tame a “wild” idea than
it is to resuscitate a “dead” one.
The four components of divergent thinking, FFOE, will help students plan
and execute creative catalogs. During brainstorming sessions, students may have
decided to work individually or collectively (one or more teams). Once they choose
creative catalog topics, students can use fluency to determine the subject matter of
their catalogs. An “NFL” group may choose 10 or 15 past and present quarterbacks
they plan to feature in their sports-oriented catalog. Similarly, students who have
joined together to create a catalog of the greatest inventors of all time will use fluent
thinking to choose the 10 inventors and
their inventions for their final product.
Flexibility may occur when students
work together to decide which of the
many different pathways they are going
to choose in order to best (and perhaps
uniformly) make their catalog entries fit
into a common framework.
Originality surfaces when
students decide to add special features
to their catalogs. Perhaps a group has
decided to create a catalog about one or
more famous facts about the presidents
and first ladies in the history of the
United States. Could a drawing and a
description lead readers to a provocative
question about the catalog subjects? The
bulk of the catalog will be the primary
format of the catalog, but each page or
entry will end with a challenging Jeopardy-like
question with answers that can
only be found on a related classroom
“treasure hunt.”
Elaboration may involve
appointing a catalog editor who ensures
that the whole is greater than the
sum of its parts. Are all writers using a
similar copy format and are all illustrators
using the same media and design
style? A creative catalog may be about
ancient Egypt, favorite pets, the Olympics,
civil rights heroes, Hawaii, Laura
Ingalls Wilder's books, Disney movies,
or a host of other subjects, but it should
follow a uniform format. Students may
want to revisit many of the classroom
catalog samples to verify that winning
entries follow a general format.
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