Creativity is a particularly difficult to concept to define. And yet, we all immediately recognize its cultural, social, and economic importance. It manifests itself everywhere, in all facets of life, from the most quotidian to the most sublime. Creativity generates the value and meaning we attach to our experiences. It gives form to the shape of the world around us. We recognize it in the evolving processes of nature, and celebrate it in the great innovative achievements of our age. And still, our understanding of this complex process remains somewhat of a mystery.
We do know that there is no one simple methodology for teaching creative thinking. Creative thinking is a critical response to the world around us – to our diverse curiosities and interests, to the questions our observations generate, to the ways we frame problems, and to the strategies we develop for translating what we imagine into new experiences.
The Creative Mind Initiative is a continuation of the conversations that began with the New Curriculum over 40 years ago. Our goal is to develop innovative strategies for creative thinking and build upon Brown’s past successes in fostering the creative impulses of faculty and students. The Creative Mind Initiative will explore creative thinking and integrate it, both horizontally across disciplines, and vertically between students and faculty.
So, how can we enhance the creative fluency of students and faculty in the classroom, studio, and laboratory? How can we be more creative in our teaching, more creative in our research, and more creative as a community as a whole?
Check out the website for the Creative Mind Initiative here. Also, visit the Creative Mind Initiative on Facebook.