A Critical Comparison of Two Creativity Methods for Fostering Participatory Innovation: Implications to Improve TRIZ

We present an empirical study in which we contrast two creativity methods, the lateral thinking method and the improvisational theatre method, to investigate their applicability for advancing participatory innovation. While both of the contrasted methods aim to increase creativity as a means of improving participative innovation, they differ in terms of their conceptualisations of creativity, goals and processes. We propose that these two methods could complement the weaknesses of the TRIZ method (theory of inventive problem solving), especially in cases in which diverse experts gather to innovate, solve problems and generate new knowledge for shared goals. We illustrate the utilisation of the methods by reporting two creative development workshops. The paper sheds light on methods for fostering creative participatory innovation and highlights the collective nature of co-creation in participatory innovation. In addition, the paper suggests how the studied participative co-creative methods could be useful in improving the TRIZ method.Post-print / Final draf

Understanding and Fostering Collective Ideation: An Improvisation-Based Method

Although the collective view is receiving increasing attention in research, this perspective is missing from the approaches for fostering creativity and ideation. The present study aims to fill this research gap by understanding ideation as a collective phenomenon and by introducing a novel method for fostering collective ideation. The study builds on current research on knowledge creation, collective creativity, idea generation, and collective theatrical improvisation to introduce an approach for fostering collective ideation. In addition, as a secondary goal, the study provides empirical findings about the implementation of collective ideation in 13 distinct cases. The study builds links between knowledge creation and collective theatrical improvisation and, thus, highlights social and affective aspects of collective ideation as a knowledge creation.Post-print / Final draf

"Some people are born strange": A Brechtian theater pedagogy as philosophical ethnography

The article explores the role of a Brechtian theater pedagogy as “philosophical ethnography” in four investigative drama based workshops, which took international students’ intercultural “strangeness” experiences as the starting point for aesthetic experimentation. It is argued that a Brechtian theater pedagogy allows for a productive rather than representational orientation in research, which is underpinned by a love for the aesthetic “re-entanglement” of (dis-embodied) language and ethical concerns about mimetic representational acts. To show how a Brechtian research pedagogy functioned as philosophical ethnography, the article maps the aesthetic transformation of participant Jamal’s verbatim account in the drama workshops—from (a) its emergence in a post-creative-writing discussion in Workshop 2, to (b) its enactment as a body sculpture in Workshop 3, and (c) to its translation into a rehearsal piece in Workshop 4.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The author thanks the School of Education/University of Glasgow (Scotland, United Kingdom) for the PhD scholarship that made this research possibl

A Brechtian theatre pedagogy for intercultural education research

The following article explores the potential of Bertolt Brecht's theatre pedagogy for intercultural education research. It is argued that Brecht's pedagogical views on theatre connect to those interculturalists who prioritise the embodied dimensions of intercultural encounters over a competence-driven orientation. Both share a love for aesthetic experimentation as the basis for learning and critical engagement with a complex world. The article outlines how a Brechtian theatre pedagogy was enacted as part of four drama-based research workshops, which were designed to explore international students’ intercultural ‘strangeness’ experiences. It is described how a participant account of an intercultural encounter was turned into a Brechtian playscript by the author and then performed by participants. The analysis is based on the author's as well as the performers’ reflections on the scripting process and their performance experiences. It is argued that a Brechtian pedagogy can lead to collective learning experiences, critical reflection and an embodied understanding of intercultural experience in research. The data produced by a Brechtian research pedagogy is considered ‘slippery’ (aesthetic) data. It is full of metaphoric gaps and suitably resonates the affective dimensions and subjective positionings that constitute intercultural encounters

The Computer as Plaything

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68792/2/10.1177_0037550084151004.pd

Embracing the tension between vulnerability and credibility: 'intellectual candour' in health professions education

The tension between expressing vulnerability and seeking credibility creates challenges for learning and teaching. This is particularly true in health care, in which practitioners are regarded as highly credible and making errors can often lead to dire consequences and blame. From a transformative learning perspective, expressing vulnerability may help individuals to access different ways of knowing. By contrast, from a sociological perspective, seeking to maintain credibility results in ritualised interactions and these ritualised encounters can reinforce credibility. One means of embracing this tension between expressing vulnerability and appearing credible is 'intellectual candour', an improvisational expression of doubts, thoughts and problems with the dual purpose of learning and promoting others' learning. Educators' revelations of inner struggles are proposed as a means of inviting reciprocal vulnerability. This builds trust and a platform for learning, particularly of the transformative nature. It also allows modelling of how to balance the vulnerability-credibility tension, which may provide a template for professional practice