A Study of Can Computers Assist Creative Thinking ? An Investigation into eLearning in Art & Design 5 July 2003 Lau

1. A Study of Can Computers Assist Creative Thinking? An Investigation into eLearning in Art & Design 5 July 2003 Lau Kung Wong, Robert Master of Science in Information Technology in Education Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong

2. Aim This dissertation investigates how computers can assist creative thinking in tertiary design education. It also explores ways of using ICT tools in teaching and learning in creative thinking.

3. The Study Background of the Study Government policy in IT education; Online learning environment for design education; Tertiary design education in Hong Kong; and Change of students’ learning behavior in design education.

5. Area Oneinvestigates the 3 Focuses by Reviewing various ICT tools, online educational platforms and offline educational software and discusses possible adaptation of these resources in creative thinking in design education; Examining various educational models of creative thinking and selecting ICT applications suitable for creative thinking development in design study; and Discussing the planning and advantages of the action research cycle adopted.

6. In Area Two, three tailor-made lesson plans are designed based on the results and findings of Area One, they are A traditional lesson plan which typically is adopted in local Hong Kong tertiary education in design; An ICT assisted lesson plan for individual students in creative thinking. The online image search engines and the software “Decision Explorer” were used in this plan; and An ICT assisted lesson plan for a small group where students operate online image search engines and discussion forums.

7. In Area Three, an action research cycle in three different phases has been implemented. They are Phase One: Investigating the selected traditional teaching methodology in creative thinking without any ICT support. It aims to find out the possible ways of adopting ICT tools in the pedagogy of tertiary design education; Phase Two: This phase is a pilot exercise for students to adopt ICT tools in assisting individual creative thinking; and Phase Three: A creative exercise is devised for a small group of design students in using ICT tools for creative thinking.

8. Selecting Students for the Action Research • Local design student in tertiary level; • Local design student has certain experience in creative thinking process; • Student who study in second or third years will be more appropriate; • Student who has ability in operating basic ICT tools; and • Student who has joined either one phase and cannot participate again.

9. Phase One: Creative thinking exercise without IT supports (Group exercise) A group of 6 full-time design students in Higher Diploma level from the Caritas Bianchi College of Careers (CBCC) has been selected for this phase. The investigation had completed on 10 April 2001 at CBCC. The duration was about two and a half hours. Phase Two: Creative thinking exercise with IT supports (Individual exercise) 5 part-time design students in Higher Certificate level from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) have been selected for this phase. The investigation had completed on 12 September 2001 at IVE. The duration was about one and a half hours. Phase Three: Creative thinking exercise with IT supports (Group exercise) A group of 6 full-time design students in Associate Degree level from the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has been selected for this phase. The investigation was held on 5 October 2001 at CityUHK. The duration was about two hours.

10. Result Finding out the advantages and disadvantages of applying ICT tools into teaching and learning in creative thinking in tertiary design education; and Bringing some “changes” to the traditional pedagogy in creative thinking in local tertiary design education.

11. Area One

12. Area One -Focus One: Reviewing Versatile ICT Tools for Design Education Studying in the features of hypermediafor design education; Reviewing web-based platform in teaching and learning in creative thinking; Reviewing off-line learning engines for creative thinking Studying in successful electronic platforms for teaching and learning

13. Conclusion of Reviewing Versatile ICT Tools Studying the features of hypermedia, I discovered the interfaces of the Image Search Engine can help students to stimulate their innovations by supplying them a huge numbers of random images continuously; and the Online discussion forum provides students a sharing environment for deliberated ideas exchange. Reviewing the web-based platforms provides me some possible ways of teaching and learning in creative thinking within online environment. Furthermore, the online environment helps students to participate in creative exercises without any time and space limitations. Reviewing the offline learning engines in teaching and learning, I found out the cognitive mapping program of Decision Explorer helps students to practice brainstorming exercise within electronic environment, and the group decision support systems allow students to spell out their ideas synchronously. Studying the successful electronic platforms helps me to understand the basic requirement of an educational engine. The results of the investigations in these aspects provide me a blue print for my research study in designing appropriate lesson plans forimplementation.

14. Area One –Focus Two: Examine Various Educational Models of Creative Thinking Reviewing Various Concepts of Creative Thinking Methodologies for Teaching and Learning in Creative Thinking Design Lecturer’s Role in Creative Exercise

15. Conclusion of Examining Various Educational Models of Creative Thinking The most important indicator is not about the outcomes, answers and results of the creative thinking exercises but the process of refinement. Therefore, the emphasis of the action research planning will be given to how computers can assist creative thinking and finding out a proper way of adopting an ICT assisted creative exercise in local design institutes; The clear steps of Brainstorming exercise combine with the power of visualpresentation in Mind Mapping can create an effective solution for implementingcreative exercise for local design education; and To create a learning atmosphere and remove obstacles from students and teachers within the creative exercise is a MUST towards effective result.

16. Area One – Focus Three: Planning of the Action Research Cycle Objectives of the Action Research Planning of the Action Research Cycle Selecting Students for the Action Research

17. Area Two & Three

18. Conclusion of Implementing the Lesson Plans and Action Research Cycle in Areas Two and Three After investigating various ICT tools and methodologies in creative thinking in Area One, and solve the problems of … The objectives of the lesson plans; The teacher’s role during the investigations; and The obstacles of data collection. In Area Two, 3 tailor-made lesson plans were designed for action research.

19. In Phase Two, the researcher adopted the assistance of the DecisionExplorer and the Image Search Engine in order to help students in organizing their rough ideas as well as providing them numerous creative stimulations. In Phase Three, the researcher adopted the Image Search Engine and the online discussion forum to help participants in enriching their creative resources and sharing their rough ideas with others within the online environment.

20. Can Computers Assist Creative Thinking?

21. Can Computers Assist Creative Thinking? Students used the Image Search Engine to simulate their creative thinking by numerous random images (The Image Search Engine matched the creative theories of doodling and random words). It offered a fruitful creative environment and provided creative resources continuously. Another significant assistance of computer was the software “Decision Explorer”. Students used it to match all related ideas and organize their rough ideas electronically. The interface of it provided an easy-access environment to students. Moreover, the clear and tidy presentation of the software may also help students review the whole picture of their creative exercise as well as re-arranging the linked ideas again and again. In Area Three - Phase Three, students have been separated into different corners and used computers and ICT tools to share their ideas, exchange concepts and argue for the criterion of the score system. The online discussion forum became one of the most essential tools to organize meeting without face-to-face contact in their creative exercise.

22. Advantages of Adopting ICT Tools in Teaching and Learning in Creative Thinking

23. Advantages of Adopting ICT Tools in Teaching and Learning in Creative Thinking Computer’s assistance provided a learning environment without limitation of time and space. It offered sufficient time for students to relax before doing the creative exercise; Computer’s assistance opened students’ horizon. They browsed everywhere globally and accessed to various destinations for seeking relevant materials by the Internet and search engine; Computer’s assistance can reducestudents' fear of criticism. They posted their rough and “Crazy” ideas without any nomination; Computer’s assistance helped students build up theirconfidence. Students avoided from face-to-face argument and critique among themselves; Computer’s assistance maintained a smooth learning process for students. Some students were easy to be hampered by their behaviors among the process, computer could provide a virtual environment for them to share the ideas with less stress; Computer’s assistance shared the workload of researcher. Students were willing to use computer as their learning partner rather than receiving too much instructions from the researcher. Those interesting interfaces of the software also attracted them to work with it.

24. Disadvantages of Adopting ICT Tools in Teaching and Learning in Creative Thinking

25. Disadvantages of Adopting ICT Tools in Teaching and Learning in Creative Thinking Lack of Human Touch - Students were working individually in Phases Two and Three. Computers provided a “cool” environment for them by avoiding them from face-to-face contact with each other; Too much gossip among participants - Students spent a lot of time in gossip rather than discussing matters; Too much unrelated activities during the process - Some of them listened to music, checked emails and even played online games during the process. Technical problems happened during the process - The investigations required more technical supports at the same time. When some students encountered technical problems during the process, the researcher had to give up his observation for a while and solve the problem immediately.

26. Factors and LimitationsAffecting the Outcomes of the Investigations

27. Factors and LimitationsAffecting the Outcomes of the Investigations Language barriers: Most of the advanced computers’ interfaces are in English performs, it caused some communication barriers. Some of the participants felt difficult to present their ideas in English and some of them remained silence; Definition of the creative thinking: it is difficult to measure the levels of achievement of each phase; Insufficient technical supports: Three Phases were conducted by the same researcher without any other technical supports; Lack of computer software: Insufficient budgeting created obstacle for researcher to examine the lesson plans in various powerful electronic performs. This problem would happen in local design institutes; Different facilities and outcomes: Not all schools can provide the same facilities for implementation. Grouping problem: Students were grouped with their friends with similar characteristics; Unbalanced computer knowledgeamong the group: Student who had sophisticated skill in operating computer would have better performance. Gender difference: Girls intended to work cooperatively but more anxious in using technology than boys.

28. Ideas and Targets for Changes in Local Design Institutes in Future

29. Ideas and Targets for Changes in Local Design Institutes in Future I suggest that the designed lesson plans in Phases Two and Three can be adopted into normal practices of creative training in local design institutes. (In fact, I have already implemented my idea to my design students through the investigations.) I see the demands of computers assist teaching and learning in local tertiary design education. it is necessary to develop an educational portal for exercising creative thinking, which provide one-stop service for students and lecturers for creative training. The basic components of the portal must involve some software for creative exercise likes brainstorming 1.0.1 & Decision Explorer, online discussion forums, search engines, database and various expert systems. Design students from different local institutes can participate into this portal for exercising creative thinking anytime, anywhere. Design lecturers will play a very significant role in offering lesson plans of creative exercise and creating a learning environment among all different design students. The most important task for the design lecturer is to observe and monitor all creative exercises carefully within the educational portal in order to keep “Changing” for future.

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