1. ADE 605
Theory and Approaches in Art Education
Syamsul Nor Azlan Mohamad
Faculty Of Education
Universiti Teknologi MARA

2. What is thinking?
 Beyer (1988) - thinking is the ability to attack a problem or
task and solve it intelligently (or rationally) and provide a
reasonable explanation for the solution.
 Fraenkel (1980) - thinking is the formation of ideas,
reorganisation of one's experience and the
organisation of information in a particular form.
 Chaffee (1988) - thinking is an unusual process used in
making decisions and solving problems.
 Nickerson, Perkins and Smith (1985) - thinking is a
collection of skills or mental operations used by
individuals.

3. How does thinking work?

4. Thinking occurs when you:
 attack a problem or task
 and solve it intelligently (or rationally)
 and provide a reasonable explanation
for the solution.

5. Different types of thinking
 Convergent thinking - This type of thinking is
cognitive processing of information around a
common point, an attempt to bring thoughts
from different directions into a union or
common conclusion.
 Divergent thinking - This type of thinking starts
from a common point and moves outward into
a variety of perspectives.
 Inductive thinking - This is the process of
reasoning from parts to the whole, from
examples to generalizations.

6. What is Analytical Thinking?
 Analytical thinking is the ability to
scrutinize and break down facts and
thoughts into their strengths and
weaknesses.
 When you start looking at the pros and
cons of a situation, you are actually
breaking your thoughts into many parts
and looking at different angles and
possibilities.

7. What is Creative Thinking?
Creative thinking, focuses on
 our thoughts towards change and
newness, to play with ideas and
possibilities, to be more flexible in
thinking, while looking for ways to
improve it.
 exploring ideas, generating possibilities,
looking for many right answers rather
than just one.

8. Thinking Outside of the Box…

9. Draw four straight lines (without
lifting the pencil from paper)
which will cross through all nine
dots.

10. Vertical and Lateral Thinking
Dr. Edward de Bono actually speaks about
Vertical Thinking
 High probability thinking.
 Thinker selects the most logical solution possible -
the one that is the most used and the most tested
one
Lateral Thinking
 Low probability thinking.
 Thinker selects other less probable ways – the less
used but possible ways.

12. What is creativity?
 Creativity is a mental process involving
the discovery of new ideas or concepts, or
new associations of the existing ideas or
concepts, fueled by the process of either
conscious or unconscious insight.
 Creativity has been associated with right
brain activity or even specifically with
lateral thinking.
 Creative ideas are often generated when
one discards preconceived assumptions
and attempts a new approach or method
that might seem to others unthinkable.

13. Steps to a Creative Mind-set
Wonderment
 Try to retain a spirit of discovery, a childlike curiosity about the
world. And question understandings that others consider
obvious.
Motivation
 As soon as a spark of interest arises in something, follow it.
Intellectual courage
 Strive to think outside accepted principles and habitual
perspectives such as “We’ve always done it that way.”
Relaxation
 Take the time to daydream and ponder, because that is often
when the best ideas arise. Look for ways to relax and
consciously put them into practice.

14. What we should look at…
Ideational fluency
 The number of ideas, sentences and
associations a person can think of when
presented with a word.

15. What we should look at…
Variety and flexibility
 The diversity of different solutions a
person can find when asked to explore
the possible uses of, say, a newspaper
or a paper clip.

16. What we should look at…
Originality
 The ability to develop potential
solutions other people do not reach.
Elaboration.
 The skill to formulate an idea, expand
on it, then work it into a concrete
solution.

17. What we should look at…
Problem sensitivity
 The ability to recognize the central
challenge within a task, as well as the
difficulties associated with it.
Redefinition.
 The capacity to view a known problem
in a completely different light.

18. The current scenario…
 Schools place overwhelming emphasis
on teaching children to solve problems
correctly, not creatively.
 Tests, grades, college admission,
degrees and job placements demand
and reward targeted logical thinking,
factual competence, and language and
math skills—all purviews of the left
brain.

19. “If you always think the way you always
thought, you’ll always get what you
always got—the same old ideas.”