Divergent thinking is the process of thinking that explores multiple possible solutions in order to generate creative ideas. Divergent thinking, on the other hand, starts with a prompt that encourages students to think critically, diverging towards distinct answers. From Expressive Thought by Gifted Children in the Classroom by Gallagher and Ascher. This procedure is unorganized and yields unexpected connections. Ask the following questions to help brainstorm a list of potential topics. As you can see, the prompts -- in the form of guiding questions -- are open-ended and typically require thinking at … The Question and Answer sections of our study guides are a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss literature. writing. Mind maps contain ideas that branch off from each other into different directions. Divergent thinking is a form of creative … Divergent questions are often based around hypotheticals: I’ve written before about my favorite shortcut to divergence: what would X think about Y? What am I studying in school? The question, “in what ways can a brick be used” allows divergent thinking. As it turns out, science says there are a number of ways to help prime the brain for divergent thinking. In fact, it is also a type of thinking very common in children, where joy, imagination, and a fresh perspective make their reasoning more free. inking typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing manner, such that the ideas are generated in a random, unorganized fashion. ing is "piggybacking," or using one idea to stimulate other ideas. That is a question for the alternative uses test of divergent thinking. The goal of brainstorming is to generate as many ideas as possible in a short period of time. Linear thinking, or convergent thinking, is about learning facts, follow instructions, and solving problems with one right answer. Divergent thinkers might come up with ideas that involve hundreds of paper clips, since the question never mentions how many you can use. Byrdseed.TV is packed with pre-made resources to save you time (and delight your students). Divergent thinking, or lateral thinking, is about generating multiple creative solutions to the same problem. It is an open-ended question that allows the … If this took place today, what would it be like? One starts with a central idea or topic, then draws branches off We have to make reasonable guesses, fill in gaps, and make predictions — despite uncertainty. Divergent thinking in children is an exceptional gift.Their open mind is full of possibilities and unusual, original, and constant idiosyncratic reasoning. Here’s a sample from Gallagher and Ascher: What if Spain had not been defeated when the Armada was destroyed in 1588, and Spain went on to conquer England. Following divergent thinking, the ideas and information will be organized using convergent thinking; i.e., putting the var ious ideas back together in some organized, structured way. What bothers me? of the sub-topic) *Note* this includes both divergent and convergent Convergent thinking is considered black and white, while divergent thinking has gray areas. Imagine that C was not true anymore, how would that affect this. Defining Divergent Thinking Create solutions to problems. Divergent thinking takes place in a free-flowing manner and is spontaneous, which results in multiple possible solutions in short amount of time. insights at unusual times and places. Divergent thinking is the process of generating multiple ideas to maximize the range of possible solutions, applications, examples, etc. According to Webb, information falls within four distinct depths of knowledg… What would the world be like today? “Data-poor situations” are times when we just don’t know enough to be sure. How do we create divergent questions? 5 Exercises to Help Boost Creativity, Divergent Thinking Where do our best ideas come from? Divergent thinking allows you to see products in materials in new and different ways. Everything written here is licensed as CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Perhaps they did not exist ever before and so are novel, surprising or unusual. Suppose Z were in charge, how would that change things? This can help generate a variety of thoughts about a topic in a short period of time, which can later be restructured or organized following some pattern of arrangement. In the design world—where we’re constantly employing design thinking in our work—both approaches are necessary and lead to unique solutions for challenges that require exploration and creativity.. Divergent and convergent thinking are both methods of thinking … A divergent question is asked without an attempt to reach a direct or specific conclusion. These open-ended questions can guide students as they discover information for themselves, analyze data, make inferences, and identify relationships. For example, a topic may have four different branches (sub-topics), and – including a fabulous math example. Self Analysis. Journals are an effective way to record ideas that one thinks of spontaneously. Let’s take a look at James Gallagher and Mary Jane Ascher’s four types of questions: (Head here for a deeper look at all four of Gallagher and Ascher’s questions). Divergent Questions. It’s worth highlighting that, while there are many possible right answers, not all answers are correct. Convergent Vs Divergent Thinking, Differences; Convergent Thinking Divergent Thinking; The process of figuring out a concrete solution to any problem is called Convergent Thinking. Divergent questions combine rigor and creativity. Divergent and Convergent Thinking. Divergent – These questions allow students to explore different avenues and create many different … each of those four branches may have two branches of its own (sub-topics However, sometimes that creative potential disappears when children grow up in an educational system that standardizes the mindset of all students, unifying their perspectives. It involves breaking a topic down into its various component parts in order to gain insight about the various aspects of the topic. See more ideas about divergent thinking, divergent, this or that questions. Also called: ‘Thinking … Women might come up with a … Zig where others zag. Divergent questions, on the other hand, stimulate student creative or critical thinking, encouraging students to be better observers. →, Convergent: questions with one right answer, everyone gets to the same place, Divergent: questions without a clear right answer, everyone goes in different directions, Evaluative: questions that ask students to make a judgment. Let’s break this down. the difference between thinking and mere remembering, Head here for a deeper look at all four of Gallagher and Ascher’s questions, Expressive Thought by Gifted Children in the Classroom, How would The Little Prince have judged Brian from, Thinking or Remembering: Abstract and Concrete, Fluency: Asking For (Way) More Than One Answer, articles about Thinking or Remembering? One would use convergent thinking to answer multiple choice tests on an exam, but use divergent thinking methods to answer an essay. Therefore convergent questions are designed to try and help you find the solution to a problem, or a single response to a question. Think of how much more fun it is to read the responses to these divergent questions than memory questions! Students cannot look it up in their book. It’s perfect for going beyond mere memorization to true thinking. People often have … Lateral Thinking. Freewriting. Doesn’t a chimera remind you of seeing the various possibilities? During the brainstorming process, ALL ideas are recorded, and no idea is disregarded or criticized. It is employed to stimulate divergent thinking that considers a variety of outcomes to a certain proposal. How do I spend my time? Mind or subject mapping involves putting brainstormed ideas in the form of a visual map or picture that that shows the relationships among these ideas. It is a spontaneous, fluid, non-linear mental approach based on curiosity and nonconformity. This reflects adult life pretty well! So when we ask a divergent question, we need enough uncertainty to force students to fill those gaps in as best they can. Read more about encouraging intrinsic motivation. It isthe initial stage of creative problem solving where learners ... or “Andrew’s question”). What if X happened instead, what would that lead to? Following divergent thinking, the ideas and information will be organized using convergent thinking; i.e., putting the var Divergent and convergent thinking are two complementary methods to explore ideas, work towards goals, and address challenges. After a long list of ideas is generated, one can go back and review the ideas to criti So, before you make a decision, remember to ask yourself if … The “divergent” level is our focus. This tactic is called divergent thinking, and it gets students to come up with several answers to a question and decide which is the best, most useful one. By keeping a journal, one can capture these ideas and use them later when developing and organizing materials in the prewriting stage. The terms convergent and divergent thinking are derived from the original five kinds of operations (orintellectual processes) within the operations dimension of intelligence developed by Guilford: Convergent production (now called convergent thinking) means taking pieces of information to arrive at a single solution. As I wrote in The Non-Obvious Guide to Being More Creative, No Matter Where You Work, “divergent thinking helps us generate many new ideas, imagine, be original, ask questions to … Don't have time to create differentiated lessons? ious ideas back together in some organized, structured way. Mind or Subject Mapping. There doesn’t have to be a lot of logic used when you are in “divergent thinking” mode. What are my activities during a normal day? The student is either bored or frustrated. Other questions ask about uses for a shoe or coat hanger. To begin brainstorming potential topics, it is often helpful to engage in self analysis and topic analysis. Tricks to Remember Them 1. The “divergent” level is our focus. What does this mean? It’s perfect for going beyond mere memorization to true thinking. Brainstorming. Brainstorming is a technique which involves generating a list of ideas in a creative, unstructured manner. These questions are also sometimes called OPEN questions. Imagination neurons are diminished by "Drill and kill" questions. They do not prod divergent thinking. Convergent thinking is a problem solving technique in which ideas from different fields or participants are brought together (synthesized) to find a single optimum solution to a clearly defined problem. Can you believe that, through our time loving Tris and Four, wishing we could pass initiation, and generally living vicariously through Veronica Roth’s words, that we have never had a Divergent quiz designed to find what faction we belong in? Keeping a Journal. 3. Read on to take a look at divergent thinking, why it’s important, and how it differs from its opposite, convergent thinking. Substitute your topic for the word "something.". What are my hobbies? Norman Webb developed a hierarchy of cognitive complexity when it comes to performing assessments. Divergent thinking involves using creativity to solve problems and works best with open-ended questions. the main topic which represent different parts or aspects of the main topic. In divergent thinking, a single question returns multiple answers, and though the answers vary considerably depending on the person, all answers are of equal value. By carrying a journal, one can create a collection of thoughts on various subjects that later become a source book of ideas. Most questions with only one answer are too easy or too hard. What are my strongest beliefs, values and philosophies? They can absolutely answer it, but it’s going to take some nice, juicy thinking. Divergent th What would I like to change in my world or life? Home Divergent Q & A Ask a question and get answers from your fellow students and educators. What suggestions or recommendations would you make about. What do I like? Ask the following questions to help narrow and refine a broad topic into a specific, focused one. Life is data-poor! Divergent thinking is employed when an individual is faced with an open-ended task (examples were given earlier—“How can a brick be used?”). What are my areas of expertise? These are the sorts of questions innovators and scientists use when they are looking for new ideas or alternative solutions to problems. (Watch Sir Ken Robinson’s speech on Changing Education Paradigms .) thinking. The information and ideas obtained as a result of divergent thinking can be structured using convergent thinking to produce a single most effective answer. Contrast this question with the more common “Why was the Spanish Armada defeated?” — a mere memory question (even though it might take a whole essay to answer fully). There’s no one correct answer (although there are definitely incorrect answers). Perhaps they did not exist ever before and so are novel, surprising or unusual. Try to employ some divergent questions and let me know how it goes with your students! The idea is to write down whatever comes to mind about the topic, without stopping to proofread or revise the The goal of divergent thinking is to generate many different ideas about a topic in a short period of time. Examples of divergent questions might involve imagining hypothetical situations and the choices of possible actions during individual circumstances. This creates a visual image or "map" of the topic which the writer can use to develop the topic further. Divergent thinking is generating unique solutions and seeing various possibilities in response to questions and problems. In divergent thinking, a single question returns multiple answers, and though the answers vary considerably depending on the person, all answers are of equal value. Nov 9, 2020 - Explore Ms. Gaudun's Education Resourc's board "Divergent Thinking" on Pinterest. When free-writing, a person will focus on one particular topic and write non-stop about it for a short period of time. To encourage divergent thinking, I avoid questions that have only one acceptable answer. For instance, processes like brainstorming, creative thinking and free writing are parts of divergent thinking applied at the beginning … To begin brainstorming potential topics, it is often helpful to engage in self analysis and topic analysis. I’ve been writing about the difference between thinking and mere remembering and wanted to provide some go to tactics for moving students towards thinking. This situation is “data-poor” since it didn’t actually happen! Summary: Using both Convergent and Divergent Thinking. Defining Divergent Thinking The word divergent is partly defined as “tending to be different or develop in different directions.” Divergent thinking refers to the way the mind generates ideas beyond proscribed expectations and rote thinking—what is usually referred to thinking outside the box, and is often associated with creativity. The second question (List as many words as you can that rhyme with 'lead') is an example of divergent thinking. 2. We rarely have enough information to make the one right choice. Here’s Gallagher and Ascher’s explanation: [In divergent thinking,] the individual is free to generate independently [their] own data within a data-poor situation or to take a new direction or perspective on a given topic. Mind maps are the best way to put the results of divergent thinking on paper. Ready for your Quiz? From this perspective divergent thinking is a kind of problem solving. Many responses can be given. Divergent thinking is generating unique solutions and seeing various possibilities in response to questions and problems. 4. Divergent questions encourage you to stretch your thinking beyond what you know to be true. que their value or merit. This naturally leads to different students making different choices and going in different directions (the definition of divergence). Divergent thinking is the opposite of convergent thinking, which involves solving problems through obvious choices only. 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