Week 14: 4/25-5/1 Question 3 - Brainstorming

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that we have not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

The Brainstorming is the concept that I want to discuss with all of you this week. In Harris and Sherblom’s text who believe, “Brainstorming is one of the most popular and useful techniques for creative problem-solving” (p.220). I look back to my study in the community college and university at the present stage, I usually have the brainstorming when I am doing my research papers or projects. In the brainstorming, you can make many ideas and criteria because these things are very helpful to widen your thoughts as well as to solve the problems. Likewise, Harris and Sherblom say, “The key to successful brainstorming is establishing a climate that encourages individuals in an open manner” (p.221). While working with the small group project, the brainstorming plays an important role to encourage member to bring their ideas and opinions that may be very helpful to accomplish the task at the end. Sometimes, the creativity in groups or individuals depend on the brainstorming. Harris and Sherblom believe “Brainstorming is one of the many ways to enhance creativity in the group process” (p.221). However, I fully agree with their expressions in the text.

Week 14: 4/25-5/1 Question 1

1). (Regarding chapter 11) Distinguish among a forum, panel, colloquium, and symposium as a means for making a public presentation. Which one would you prefer? Why?

A forum is the public discussion by audience and participants that everyone can ask question, discuss problems, and give opinions to other people. A panel is a small group with four to eight experts who discuss the problems and make their decisions in front of the audiences. A colloquium is a public discussion involved three to six experts who discuss the problems and process the problem-solving. A symposium is a format with two to six people who prepare the speeches and technically point out the problems in front of the audiences. Literally, the panel, the colloquium, and the symposium are close to the forum but the experts need to prepare and organize the contents talking in front of people. Clearly, the audiences and participants have no choice to choose the speakers under such conditions. Sometimes, these prepared contents may not fulfill the audience requirements to make the decision. Under these issues, I prefer to have the forum in public discussion because it seems like freely and openly that let people have echo together. Sometimes, if someone needs problem-solving in the forum, other people can provide the opinions and let him or her make the decision at the end.

Week 13: 4/18-24 Question 2 Cultural Barriers to Creativity

2). Name five cultural barriers to creativity. What do you think these would keep a group from being creative? Have you experienced any of these personally? Explain.

After reading Harris and Sherblom's text, the five cultural barriers to creativity include a requirement for conformity, an expectation of practicality and efficiency, a trust in the power of reason and logic, a belief in an either/or perspective on issues, and reliance of expert knowledge. In my thought, I believe these five cultural barriers completely keep the group being creative. Sometimes, group members have different cultural behavior that may have different opinions during discussion. Clearly, the conformity, trust, and the belief on issues play the important roles to let members have interdependence and make conclusion at the end. In my fellowship at church, we always have different thoughts about the activities in every calendar year. In order to make things going proper and efficient, we usually make a list of activities and search for second opinions from the reliance and expert. After filtering their opinions, we prepare the modified list of activities and discuss with our members. If most of the activities fit in the members’ needs, then we make the conclusion. Literally, this conclusion absolutely depends on conformity, trust, and belief on issues in the group. Besides, I also support an expectation of practicality and efficiency which is the supplementary and very helpful to avoid the entropy in group members as well.

Week 13 - 4/18-24 Question 1: Creativity

1). Provide an example of creativity from your own experience. How does it fit with the chapter's discussion of creativity?

Harris and Sherblom say, “Creativity in this sense involving the power to originate, to break away from the existing ways of looking at things, to move freely in the realm of the imagination” (p.198). The authors completely demonstrate that the creativity is the new thing which breaks away from old things. In this definition, I may think about the creativity of my study in class and would like to share with all of you. In order to save time to flip each chapter of the book, I indicate the number of the chapter on a piece of “Post It” sticker and adhere on the front page of each chapter. Usually, I prepare ten to twelve color stickers for each class. Besides, I use the markers that are corresponding to those chapters and mark down on our weekly reading schedule. Literally, these two particular arrangements are very helpful and let me pay the attention during study. After completion of the classes, these “Post It’ stickers are easily taken off and I can donate or sell my text books as usual at the end of the semester. I do not know whether this creativity will be very helpful to other people, but at least, I follow this way to study for long time in community college as well as in this university.

Week 13: 4/18-24 Question 3: Concept - Sharing

Sharing is the concept that I want to discuss this week. In Harris and Sherblom’s text who say, “Being willing to share relevant information, resources, and responsibility is a cornerstone of a creative climate” (p.209). The authors express that the sharing of information and resources are the key steps to bring the creativity in the group. I absolutely support the authors’ expression. When we are doing the group project, our sharing is to convey messages about the information and opinions by individuals. If the sharing of these opinions is good and acceptable, then these sharing are very helpful to accomplish the task. In addition, Harris and Sherblom also say, “Without trust, we can become defensive and ruin the possibilities for creative interaction” (p. 209). In this statement, the authors believe that trust is the key to start with the sharing in group. I agree with Harris and Sherblom’s ideas. In my fellowship at church, the sharing is one of the key parts in the cell group meeting. We trust everyone in the group because we know each other for long time. Without any defensive, we have the good interactions to share our feeling and desires of the children, the problems of the family and marriage. Undoubtedly, these good interactions depend on our characters and behaviors. Under this issue, I believe that the trust in group discussion absolutely depends on time and individual behaviors.