Thinking Creatively Thinkers Keys The Thinkers Keys were developed by Tony Ryan an Australian learning consultant as a set of twenty different activities designed to enhance thinking tasks ID: 251768
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Thinker’s KeysSlide2
Thinking Creatively
Thinker’s KeysThe Thinker’s Keys were developed by Tony Ryan, an Australian learning consultant, as a set of twenty different activities designed to enhance thinking tasks.
Each key provides a new perspective or viewpoint to quickly generate new ideas and new directions.Slide3
Thinking Creatively
1. The “Reverse” KeySwap the idea around e.g. What can’t you do instead of what can you do? What have you never seen instead of what have you seen?Slide4
Thinking Creatively
2. The “What if” KeySpeculate on new ideas e.g. What if there were eight days of the week instead of seven? What if wheels were square?Slide5
Thinking Creatively
3. The “Disadvantages” KeyLook at the shortcomings e.g. What are the disadvantages of a bus, and how could we improve it?Slide6
Thinking Creatively
4. The “Combination” KeyCombine two concepts togethere.g. What can you come up with from the combination of a chair and a microwave?Slide7
Thinking Creatively
5. The “BAR” KeyBigger, Add, Replace e.g. What would happen if you were to make a bus (or part of a bus)
bigger
? What could you
add to a bus to improve it? What part of the bus could you
replace
with something else?Slide8
Thinking Creatively
6. The “Alphabet” KeyCreate a list of A to Z relevant to the ideae.g. Topic: computers.
List: Apple, Bugs, CPU, Database, Electricity, Floppy disks, Gigabytes, Hardware, Input, Java, Keyboard, Language, Megabyte, Network, Operating System, PC, Quantum Computing, RISC, Software, Testing, User Interface, Versions, WWW, XML, Yahoo, Zip Slide9
Thinking Creatively
7. The “Variations” KeyLook at the alternative ways e.g. How many different ways can you think of to tell the time?Slide10
Thinking Creatively
8. The “Picture” KeyVisualising using a simple diagrame.g. Find a link between this diagram and your program of study:Slide11
Thinking Creatively
9. The “Prediction” KeyPredict the Future e.g. How will college work in 30 years time? What will be the next big development in your program of study? Slide12
Thinking Creatively
10. The “Different Uses” KeyUnexpected uses of productse.g. What are ten unexpected uses for a balloon?Slide13
Thinking Creatively
11. The “Ridiculous” KeyMake statement virtually impossible to implement and try to make it work
e.g. Why can’t we power the electricity using energy generated by conversations?
We’d need microphones everywhere converting audio into electrical impulses, and instead of going to speakers, those impulses would have to go into the
powergrid
.Slide14
Thinking Creatively
12. The “Commonality” KeyCreate a list of features that two items have in commone.g. A dog and a table
Both have four legs
Both can be found in houses
Both need occasional cleaning
Both have ownersSlide15
Thinking Creatively
13. The “Question” KeyList 5 questions given an answere.g. The answer is
key
What opens locks?
Someone who sings badly is said to be off______?
The stone at the top of an arch called the _____stone?
The primary light that illuminates a scene in a play is the _____ light?
What did Tony Ryan suggest there were 20 of?Slide16
Thinking Creatively
14. The “Brainstorming” KeyState the problem and brainstorm as many possible alternative solutions as possiblee.g. Encouraging people to read books
Government bans TV one day a week
Pay people to read
Make books very cheap
Hide a golden ticket in one book
Free download of eBooks once a monthSlide17
Thinking Creatively
15. The “Inventions” KeyInvent sometime newe.g. A new type of Swiss Army Knife
A new type of key
A new way to light a room
A new way to wash dishesSlide18
Thinking Creatively
16. The “Brick Wall” KeyState something that appears to be indisputable, and dispute ite.g. “What goes up must come down”
Not in outer space
Not if it gets stuck
Not if it’s lighter-than-air
Not if it’s taxesSlide19
Thinking Creatively
17. The “Construction” KeyBuild something tangible with some everyday materialse.g. Drinking straws, paper,
Sellotape
Build a container that will allow you to throw an egg out a window and it will land unbroken.Slide20
Thinking Creatively
18. The “Forced Relationships” KeyBuild something to solve a problem with dissimilar materialse.g. Mobile phone, brush, DVD, lipstick
Build a device using the above materials that will work as a fire alarm.Slide21
Thinking Creatively
19. The “Alternative” KeyDo a common task in an unusual way e.g. Work out a few ways to:
Brush your teeth with a toothbrush
Tell the time without a clock
Cut the grass without a lawnmower
Light a fire without matchesSlide22
Thinking Creatively
20. The “Interpretation” KeyCreate an unusual scenario and come up with multiple explanations for it.e.g. The goal posts have been removed from the local pitch. What could have happened?
A car backed into a post badly splintering it and for safety sake it had to be removed.
The local football team borrowed them
A new building is going to be built on the field