Appendix B
Coursework Information Sheet
To be supplied to students when they receive the coursework assignment task.
Unit Co-ordinator: Dr Pauline Loewenberger
Unit Name: Creativity for Managers
Unit Code: SHR603-6
Title of Coursework:
How might structured problem solving techniques improve creative thinking?
% weighting of final unit grade: 50%
Feedback details
The university policy is that you will receive prompt feedback on your work within 15 working days of the submission date. Exceptionally where this is not achievable (for example due to staff sickness) you will be notified as soon as possible of the revised date and the reasons behind the change.
Submission Date: 19TH April
Feedback Date: 11th May
Details of how to access the feedback: Turnitin
Assignment 1 50% weighting
How might structured problem solving techniques improve creative thinking?
Learning outcomes:
Learning Outcomes Assessment criteria
1 Critically analyse practical, cognitive or emotional blocks to creative idea generation and how these might be overcome using structured techniques. • Reflect upon and critically evaluate your personal qualities, models of capabilities and talents and those of others.
• Audit your capabilities and specify areas of excellence.
• Produce a report reflecting on your experiences and identifying your perceived strengths and weaknesses
2 Systematically develop skills in the facilitation of structured techniques to generate innovation and creative approaches to workplace problems • Reflect upon and critically evaluate your personal models of capabilities and talents and those of others.
• Evaluate your capabilities and capacities for innovation and creativity.
• Produce a report reflecting on your experiences and identifying your perceived strengths and weaknesses.
Assignment 1 is a group-work based assignment that requires you to identify a work or business-related problem to which structured techniques of creative problem solving might usefully be applied. In your group you will attempt to facilitate a creative problem solving session in one of the workshops. You are expected to analyse how techniques of structured problem solving encourage and develop creative thinking through exploration of the stages of in-class practical examples of techniques of structured problem solving and to demonstrate your understanding of how such techniques might help to overcome barriers to creative thinking. You will need to clearly identify individual blocks to creative thinking and consider how these might be overcome with structured techniques. We will discuss in the workshops various structured techniques of creative problem solving and the types of problems to which they might be applied.
You will then need to reflect on the effectiveness of this process in generating creative and useful ideas and make recommendations for improvement to the process. You will also be required to compare and contrast the notion of the creative person versus current thinking that everyone has the potential to be creative. Analysis and reflections must be written up and presented independently as an individual written report (2000 words). Report writing guidelines are available on Breo.
Learning on this unit is highly experiential and practical and you are expected to actively participate in workshop activities. Workshop discussions will support you in writing the assignment.
You are assessed through individual write-up in report format. This must be informed and fully supported by quality academic theory, citing appropriate sources and with full bibliographic references using the Harvard style.
Deadline: 19th April 2015
• Your report must be submitted electronically to Turnitin through the BREO site for this unit (Assignments section) before the stated deadline.
• You are allowed a single submission only. It is your responsibility to make sure that you are happy with your work and that you submit the correct file.
Report guidelines
Section / Title Details / Guidance
Title page Title of your report. Address (to/from) and date the report.
Executive Summary 150 word maximum summary of your report, including key recommendations.
Contents Page Include page numbers.
Introduction Short (approximately 250 words) introduction and why it is necessary to enhance organisational creativity and innovation.
Application and Analysis Using academic literature for support, analyse individual blocks to creativity and how structured techniques might be used to promote creative thinking. Drawing on group facilitations critically evaluate the success of different techniques.(approximately 1200 words)
Conclusions This section should initially answer the report aim and objectives and draw together the main points from your analysis of literature. (Approximately 200 words)
Recommendations Recommendations should be fully feasible and justified. Your proposals should be actionable (‘immediately implementable’) not just a list of ideas. You can use a table to help structure your action plan. The recommendations for action should be linked directly to promotion of creativity and innovation. (Approximately 200 words)
Reference List A list of all sources cited directly in the text. Harvard style
Bibliography List The sources you consulted but which you do not cite.
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