Last updated: 1/8/2000
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Syllabus, ISP 5500 (four credit version)
Creativity: Building the New

Link to names for homework files.

ISP 5500 for Winter 2000 is an on-line course on Creativity, taught using the course web site for handouts, a computer conference for class discussions, and email for submitting and returning assignments.

Contents:

• Content and Overall Schedule
• Instructor and Office Hours
• Grading
• Grading Scale
• On-line Grade Reports
• Course Passwords
• Important Dates

Content and Overall Schedule. For detailed assignments and schedules, see the "Assignments" page on the course web site.

1. Week 1. What do we mean by Creativity?
   1. There is an initial class meeting to demonstrate the web site and computer conference, and to go over the assignments and content of the course.
   2. There is an initial definition offered in the web page, "What is Creativity?" (see the link from the course "jump page"). This is a common although not universal definition. It is important to understand that there is a lot of variation in all aspects of this field.
   3. Students develop their own working definition, and describe at least one creative person they know, both through postings in the computer conference.
2. Week 2. A survey of methods in Creativity
   1. Howard Gardner, in Creating Minds, starts out with a survey of methods that have been applied to the study of Creativity.
   2. Whatever method of study a researcher uses, s/he usually relies on experts in that field of work to assess the creativity of specific people and products.
3. Weeks 3 - 5. A survey of Creativity
   1. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in Creatvity, reports on a study of ninety-one twentieth-century creators. the study is based on in-depth interviews. This technique allows a more uniform analysis than one based, for example, on historical sources, or on autobiographical writings, which are not uniform for person to person. On the other hand, the sample cannot be as selective as a case-study approach, and we cannot be as sure of the judgement of history about the creativity of the participants. However, the uniform interview approach and the large sample size allow firm conclusions to be drawn about common elements. Csikszentmihalyi also breaks the sample down into broad domains of creative activity, and finds that while there are common elements across fields, there are also consistent differences.
   2. Csikszentmihalyi also adopts what he calls a Systems View of creativity. This recognizes a dilemma for creativity researchers; they often cannot independently understand what it is about a particular development that makes it creative, particularly in a field that is far from their own area of expertise. Therefore, they must rely on people in that field to evaluate the creative nature of a development. In some fields, such as Physics, there is a relatively precise, numerical standard for which creative theory explains facts better. Hence it is easier to measure what is a change, and which changes are successful. Csikszentmihalyi remarks that in his own field, Psychology, there are no such clear metrics, and different schools of thought will not agree. So, the nature of the field influences how changes can be evaluated, or even detected or perceived.
   3. Also, Creativity applies its conclusions as to how we can make our own lives more creative, and even why we might want to.
4. Week 6 - 8: Finishing Creating Minds.
   1. The largest part of Creating Minds is a series of case studies of creative individuals of the modern era. Gardner also draws conclusions from these case studies about the general nature of creating and creativity. Again, these conclusions are common within the field, although not universal. Elsewhere, Gardner writes that were he to choose a second rank of creative individuals, or to focus more on individual works instead of careers, there would be disagreements over how creative his choices really were.
   2. By the end of this period, students should have an approved choice of a third text on Creativity. The choice of this third text, along with the choice of a topic for the term paper, will let students tailor this course to their personal interests.
5. Weeks 9 - 11. Corporate Creativity, or creativity in the business world.
   1. In their book Corporate Creativity, the authors Robinson and Stern give many case studies of creativity and innovation in the business world. The Creativity here ranges from minor innovations ("little c" creativity) to the creation of whole new industries ("big C" creativity), in contrast to Gardner's focus on "big C" creativity. While the conclusions are often startling from a business perspective, they are generally consistent with Gardner's conclusions from his case study approach.
6. Weeks 12 - 15. Work on personal interests in the area of Creativity
   1. During this period, students will read their choice for the third book, and the journal and Internet resources that they have selected.
   2. An outline and draft of the term paper are due during this period.
   3. At the end of classes for the semester, the term paper itself is due.

Instructor and Office Hours

The Instructor is David Bowen / Interdisciplinary Studies Program / Science and Technology Division.

Grading

The course grade will be calculated as follows:

Grading Scale

The "-" range for a grade is the lower three points, and gets averaged at the middle. For example, A- is 90 to 92 and gets averaged as 91. The "+" for a grade is the top three points, and gets averaged at the middle. For example, B+ is 87 to 89 and gets averaged as 88. A grade of 100 is an A+. Note that the highest grade recognized by the University is A.

NOTE 1: If you want to drop a course, you should withdraw officially using an official Drop/Add form. If you simply stop attending, you are supposed to receive a grade of "X", or possibly "I" if you have completed most of the work. You cannot graduate with these grades on your records, so you will have to retake the courses.

NOTE 2: I will allow you to redo assignments and turn in missing work after the course is over. Such work will not appear in your regular grade, but it will be taken into account in a Change of Grade, and it will eventually appear on your official transcript. The University will allow me to file a Change of Grade up to one calendar year after the end of the semester in which you took the course. For this course, that is through the end of the Winter 2000 semester. I will not accept major assignments during the last month of this period. If you are redoing an assignment, the original assignment with my comments and grades must be turned in along with the redone assignment.

On-line Grade Reports

There will be a link on the course web site for on-line grade reports. These reports will let you look at your line in my grade book. This feature has been very popular with most students, and is the earliest way that you can find out about your grades for assignments and for the course. If you want to have this available to you, for the on-line information form:

• Choose "yes" for the item on-line grade reports
• In the associated text box, enter a password for your grade reports.

To get an on-line grade report, you will enter your first and last names, and this password.

Course passwords

You will have several IDs and passwords for this course:

1. Your UserID and password for your Internet Service Provider
2. Your UserID and password for the computer conference
3. Your password for on-line grade reports, if enabled

It can a problem to keep all of these straight. Be aware that you can choose #2 and #3 to match #1, if you want. Ask me for details.

Important Dates

Dates of major assignments and evaluations:

NOTE: Near the end of the semester, in the event that some of your work is incomplete, or appears to be incomplete, it is important that I can get in touch with you. Make sure that my information for your telephone number(s) and email address are up to date!

Other important dates:

• Monday January 10: Classes begin, last day to file certificate or degree applications
• Monday January 10 through Monday January 24: Late open registration, $70 late fee
• Monday January 17: Martin Luther King Day observance - University holiday, no classes.
• Monday January 24: Last day to add/register
  Last day for tuition cancellation for courses officially dropped
• Tuesday January 25 through Monday February 7: Courses officially dropped through this period will not appear on your academic record. If you withdraw from all classes, your academic record will bear the notation "Complete Withdrawal". You are contractually liable for the tuition for courses dropped.
• Tuesday, February 8: After this date, the Instructor's signature is required to drop a course. A grade of "W" is assigned for dropped courses.
• Monday March 13 through Saturday March 18: Spring recess. No classes.
• Monday, April 24. Last day of classes.
• Tuesday, April 25. Study day. Last day to drop courses.
• Wednesday April 26 through Tuesday May 2: Final examination period.
• Tuesday May 9: Commencement.