Creativity, the Individual and Society: A Teaching Case Study within a High-Technology Firm.

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Title: Creativity, the Individual and Society: A Teaching Case Study within a High-Technology Firm.
Language: English
Authors: Edelson, Paul J.
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 1996
Document Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Adult Education, Creative Activities, Creative Thinking, Creativity Research, Educational Environment, Engineers, Organizational Climate, Professional Development, Workshops
Geographic Terms: U.S.; New York
Abstract: An innovative method for teaching creativity and leadership to adults was presented to engineers and executives within a high-technology corporation who wished to overcome fear of failure and the inhibiting influences of stress within their industry. The methodology developed was based upon prior research conducted in the area of self-directed adult art education. The workshop started with "lizard therapy," a way of reframing the conference room and its inhabitants. Each participant was given a template of a lizard that they were to cut out and color. They then placed their lizards on a picture of a stone wall in areas of their choosing. The participants created a colony and then talked about life as a reptile and why each lizard inhabited a specific location on the wall. Although the participants were initially baffled, they became totally involved in the activity. The exercise helped the engineers to think more creatively, as several expressed in their end-of-workshop evaluations. The course highlighted the importance of modifying the corporate culture through collective individual behavior so that the environment could become more hospitable to creative behavior. It demonstrated that having fun at work and acting creatively were compatible with being professional and productive. (Contains 12 references.) (KC)
Notes: Paper presented at the Department of Philosophy and Education, Aristotle University (Thessaloniki, Greece, March 21, 1996).
Journal Code: RIEAUG1996
Entry Date: 1996
Accession Number: ED392948
Database: ERIC
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PubType: Conference
PubTypeId: conference
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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Creativity, the Individual and Society: A Teaching Case Study within a High-Technology Firm.
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Edelson%2C+Paul+J%2E%22">Edelson, Paul J.</searchLink>
– Name: PeerReviewed
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  Data: N
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  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 14
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1996
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Speeches/Meeting Papers<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+Education%22">Adult Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creative+Activities%22">Creative Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creative+Thinking%22">Creative Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creativity+Research%22">Creativity Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Engineers%22">Engineers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organizational+Climate%22">Organizational Climate</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Development%22">Professional Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Workshops%22">Workshops</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22U%2ES%2E%3B+New+York%22">U.S.; New York</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: An innovative method for teaching creativity and leadership to adults was presented to engineers and executives within a high-technology corporation who wished to overcome fear of failure and the inhibiting influences of stress within their industry. The methodology developed was based upon prior research conducted in the area of self-directed adult art education. The workshop started with "lizard therapy," a way of reframing the conference room and its inhabitants. Each participant was given a template of a lizard that they were to cut out and color. They then placed their lizards on a picture of a stone wall in areas of their choosing. The participants created a colony and then talked about life as a reptile and why each lizard inhabited a specific location on the wall. Although the participants were initially baffled, they became totally involved in the activity. The exercise helped the engineers to think more creatively, as several expressed in their end-of-workshop evaluations. The course highlighted the importance of modifying the corporate culture through collective individual behavior so that the environment could become more hospitable to creative behavior. It demonstrated that having fun at work and acting creatively were compatible with being professional and productive. (Contains 12 references.) (KC)
– Name: Note
  Label: Notes
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  Data: Paper presented at the Department of Philosophy and Education, Aristotle University (Thessaloniki, Greece, March 21, 1996).
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 14
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Adult Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Creative Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Creative Thinking
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Creativity Research
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Engineers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Organizational Climate
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      – SubjectFull: Professional Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Workshops
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: U.S.; New York
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Creativity, the Individual and Society: A Teaching Case Study within a High-Technology Firm.
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              Type: published
              Y: 1996
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