Therefore convergent questions are designed to try and help you find the solution to a problem, or a single response to a question. 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 … 4. Divergent thinking is the process of generating multiple ideas to maximize the range of possible solutions, applications, examples, etc. It’s worth highlighting that, while there are many possible right answers, not all answers are correct. 5 Exercises to Help Boost Creativity, Divergent Thinking Where do our best ideas come from? The goal of divergent thinking is to generate many different ideas about a topic in a short period of time. “Data-poor situations” are times when we just don’t know enough to be sure. The “divergent” level is our focus. It is employed to stimulate divergent thinking that considers a variety of outcomes to a certain proposal. There doesn’t have to be a lot of logic used when you are in “divergent thinking” mode. What would happen if we switched A and B? Lateral Thinking. Divergent th Divergent questions encourage you to stretch your thinking beyond what you know to be true. Divergent questions combine rigor and creativity. … Byrdseed.TV's registration window is now open. 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. Byrdseed.TV is packed with pre-made resources to save you time (and delight your students). What are my strongest beliefs, values and philosophies? Divergent thinking involves using creativity to solve problems and works best with open-ended questions. Brainstorming. 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. Self Analysis. Many responses can be given. It involves breaking a topic down into its various component parts in order to gain insight about the various aspects of the topic. →, 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. By keeping a journal, one can capture these ideas and use them later when developing and organizing materials in the prewriting stage. These are the sorts of questions innovators and scientists use when they are looking for new ideas or alternative solutions to problems. Convergent thinking is considered black and white, while divergent thinking has gray areas. I'll send you one or two emails a month to help you better understand and differentiate for gifted students. Divergent Questions. The information and ideas obtained as a result of divergent thinking can be structured using convergent thinking to produce a single most effective answer. of the sub-topic) *Note* this includes both divergent and convergent Divergent – These questions allow students to explore different avenues and create many different … From Expressive Thought by Gifted Children in the Classroom by Gallagher and Ascher. Ready for your Quiz? Also called: ‘Thinking … The question, “in what ways can a brick be used” allows divergent thinking. 2. What are my areas of expertise? What do I like? 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. Zig where others zag. There’s no one correct answer (although there are definitely incorrect answers). 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. 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. When free-writing, a person will focus on one particular topic and write non-stop about it for a short period of time. So when we ask a divergent question, we need enough uncertainty to force students to fill those gaps in as best they can. By carrying a journal, one can create a collection of thoughts on various subjects that later become a source book of ideas. What are my activities during a normal day? Doesn’t a chimera remind you of seeing the various possibilities? Imagination neurons are diminished by "Drill and kill" questions. Think of how much more fun it is to read the responses to these divergent questions than memory questions! Divergent thinking is generating unique solutions and seeing various possibilities in response to questions and problems. Norman Webb developed a hierarchy of cognitive complexity when it comes to performing assessments. Divergent thinking in children is an exceptional gift.Their open mind is full of possibilities and unusual, original, and constant idiosyncratic reasoning. What does this mean? 3. Read more about encouraging intrinsic motivation. It can be highly productive to think differently, and it pays off in the long run. the main topic which represent different parts or aspects of the main topic. Divergent questions are often based around hypotheticals: I’ve written before about my favorite shortcut to divergence: what would X think about Y? For instance, processes like brainstorming, creative thinking and free writing are parts of divergent thinking applied at the beginning … Examples of divergent questions might involve imagining hypothetical situations and the choices of possible actions during individual circumstances. 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 … What if X happened instead, what would that lead to? 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? 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. This procedure is unorganized and yields unexpected connections. inking typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing manner, such that the ideas are generated in a random, unorganized fashion. What would I like to change in my world or life? To begin brainstorming potential topics, it is often helpful to engage in self analysis and topic analysis. 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 is a spontaneous, fluid, non-linear mental approach based on curiosity and nonconformity. 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. Ask the following questions to help brainstorm a list of potential topics. Divergent thinking takes place in a free-flowing manner and is spontaneous, which results in multiple possible solutions in short amount of time. – including a fabulous math example. Divergent thinking, or lateral thinking, is about generating multiple creative solutions to the same problem. Imagine that C was not true anymore, how would that affect this. So, before you make a decision, remember to ask yourself if … From this perspective divergent thinking is a kind of problem solving. How do we create divergent questions? Keeping a Journal. Perhaps they did not exist ever before and so are novel, surprising or unusual. The “divergent” level is our focus. 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? 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. Students cannot look it up in their book. It’s perfect for going beyond mere memorization to true thinking. If this took place today, what would it be like? thinking. They do not prod divergent thinking. We rarely have enough information to make the one right choice. The key tool in brainstorm Perhaps they did not exist ever before and so are novel, surprising or unusual. That is a question for the alternative uses test of divergent thinking. Don't have time to create differentiated lessons? Mind or Subject Mapping. What do I know about? The goal of brainstorming is to generate as many ideas as possible in a short period of time. It’s perfect for going beyond mere memorization to true thinking. This creates a visual image or "map" of the topic which the writer can use to develop the topic further. What are my hobbies? Divergent thinkers might come up with ideas that involve hundreds of paper clips, since the question never mentions how many you can use. que their value or merit. Summary: Using both Convergent and Divergent Thinking. 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). Most questions with only one answer are too easy or too hard. People often have What suggestions or recommendations would you make about. Tricks to Remember Them insights at unusual times and places. As it turns out, science says there are a number of ways to help prime the brain for divergent thinking. Try to employ some divergent questions and let me know how it goes with your students! To begin brainstorming potential topics, it is often helpful to engage in self analysis and topic analysis. What are my interests? How do I spend my time? Home Divergent Q & A Ask a question and get answers from your fellow students and educators. What would the world be like today? Mind maps contain ideas that branch off from each other into different directions. Substitute your topic for the word "something.". Brainstorming is a technique which involves generating a list of ideas in a creative, unstructured manner. The second question (List as many words as you can that rhyme with 'lead') is an example of divergent thinking. 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. Divergent thinking allows you to see products in materials in new and different ways. Divergent and convergent thinking are two complementary methods to explore ideas, work towards goals, and address challenges. Mind maps are the best way to put the results of divergent thinking on paper. What bothers me? To encourage divergent thinking, I avoid questions that have only one acceptable answer. 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. writing. 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. Divergent thinking is the process of thinking that explores multiple possible solutions in order to generate creative ideas. ious ideas back together in some organized, structured way. Divergent questions, on the other hand, stimulate student creative or critical thinking, encouraging students to be better observers. The idea is to write down whatever comes to mind about the topic, without stopping to proofread or revise the Divergent thinking is the opposite of convergent thinking, which involves solving problems through obvious choices only. A divergent question is asked without an attempt to reach a direct or specific conclusion. Divergent and Convergent Thinking. The Question and Answer sections of our study guides are a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss literature. As you can see, the prompts -- in the form of guiding questions -- are open-ended and typically require thinking at … According to Webb, information falls within four distinct depths of knowledg… This situation is “data-poor” since it didn’t actually happen! Let’s break this down. Convergent Vs Divergent Thinking, Differences; Convergent Thinking Divergent Thinking; The process of figuring out a concrete solution to any problem is called Convergent Thinking. 1. They can absolutely answer it, but it’s going to take some nice, juicy thinking. Defining Divergent Thinking Create solutions to problems. Everything written here is licensed as CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. 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. During the brainstorming process, ALL ideas are recorded, and no idea is disregarded or criticized. After a long list of ideas is generated, one can go back and review the ideas to criti (Watch Sir Ken Robinson’s speech on Changing Education Paradigms .) Other questions ask about uses for a shoe or coat hanger. 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. It isthe initial stage of creative problem solving where learners ... or “Andrew’s question”). Please contact me with questions or comments at: ian@byrdseed.com. These open-ended questions can guide students as they discover information for themselves, analyze data, make inferences, and identify relationships. 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). This naturally leads to different students making different choices and going in different directions (the definition of divergence). Following divergent thinking, the ideas and information will be organized using convergent thinking; i.e., putting the var Divergent thinking is employed when an individual is faced with an open-ended task (examples were given earlier—“How can a brick be used?”). Freewriting. Linear thinking, or convergent thinking, is about learning facts, follow instructions, and solving problems with one right answer. These questions are also sometimes called OPEN questions. One starts with a central idea or topic, then draws branches off Divergent thinking is a form of creative … We have to make reasonable guesses, fill in gaps, and make predictions — despite uncertainty. One would use convergent thinking to answer multiple choice tests on an exam, but use divergent thinking methods to answer an essay. What am I studying in school? Journals are an effective way to record ideas that one thinks of spontaneously. For example, a topic may have four different branches (sub-topics), and Ask the following questions to help narrow and refine a broad topic into a specific, focused one. This reflects adult life pretty well! Nov 9, 2020 - Explore Ms. Gaudun's Education Resourc's board "Divergent Thinking" on Pinterest. each of those four branches may have two branches of its own (sub-topics The student is either bored or frustrated. It is an open-ended question that allows the … ing is "piggybacking," or using one idea to stimulate other ideas. Divergent thinking, on the other hand, starts with a prompt that encourages students to think critically, diverging towards distinct answers. See more ideas about divergent thinking, divergent, this or that questions. When I asked my students, “How would The Little Prince have judged Brian from Hatchet‘s actions?” there were lots of ways to be right, but also clearly wrong answers. Life is data-poor! 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