B121, I appreciated your succinct summary of Cooper’s article (2018) describing the idea of “creative criticality”. Often we think of critical thinking and creativity as separate entities, but they are really dependent upon one another to flourish as a whole. In order to be thoroughly critical, we must have an element of creativity to interpret ideas. Likewise, in order to come up with creative and new ideas, we must have considered all aspects critically.
Paul and Elder (2006) affirm that imagination and reason cannot be extricated from one another. It is through the interplay between the two, that high-quality thought is produced, as “the mind must simultaneously produce and asses, generate and judge the products it fabricates” (pg. 34). Thus, as we critically consider information, we come up with our own new, creative ideas, which we then have to cycle back through a critical lens to determine fallacies, errors, and mis-judgements. Then we start again. This is purposeful thinking and is a cycle that produces quality work.
As an educator, this helps me consider a movement in the school context, and that is the concept of growth mindset. In Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset: The new psychology of success (2006), she explores the concept of brain elasticity and how students can embrace challenges as learning opportunities, rather than accepting a fixed determination of their achievement. When implemented in a classroom, students learn that a fixed mindset leads them to believe their abilities, intelligence, talents and traits cannot be changed. This reduces motivation to learn and work through challenge, thus reducing achievement. By having a growth mindset, on the other hand, students can make use of the power of the word yet – ie. “I can’t do that yet“. With the implication that they will be able to achieve that over time. They learn that their brains can learn and grow and those traits they previously thought were fixed, can be changed. They learn that intelligence can be developed. Often it is changing the language we use in a classroom to change this perception.
The growth mindset relates to this idea of “creative criticality” in that embracing a growth mindset requires applying an element of creativity to what could be perceived as a fixed process (critical thinking). However, if we view critical thinking as a malleable process, and not an activity to generate one “correct answer” (fixed mindset), we embrace a growth mindset, recognize our brain can grow and manipulate thoughts in different way.
In all, by embracing a growth mindset to our scholarly thinking, we become enabled to create more unique ideas and make deep and meaningful contributions to the community. It is through having a growth mindset that we are able to think creatively and critically, and produce original work.
Cooper, T. (2018). Toward a creative criticality: Revisiting critical thinking. Integral Leadership Review, 18(1), 41–48. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.student.twu.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=131747510&site=eds-live
Paul, R., Elder, L.(2006) “Critical thinking: The nature of critical and creative thought”. Journal of Developmental Education; Boone Vol. 30, Iss. 2 (2006) pg. 34, 35.
Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House.