81512 Creative Practice and Methods
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 8 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 81511 Problems to Possibilities
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 81538 Frame Innovation AND 81540 Technology, Methods and Creative Practice
Description
This subject focuses students on understanding how creative practices, processes and methods lead to innovation. Students create propositions in a collaborative environment, shape processes of discovery and exploration, generate solutions, develop visual literacy in dealing with complexity, and create frameworks for criticising and judging propositions. Built on values such as risk-taking and inquisitiveness, students' research, analytical and creative practices are supported by their development of skills for effective communication of concepts and ideas. Students challenge their own ideas for building and running a creative practice through undertaking a central project for an external partner.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Examine, select, create and apply various techniques and methods for understanding, visualising, interpreting and investigating both simple and complex problems |
|---|---|
| 2. | Explore and ideate using a range of methods from different disciplines and professional practices |
| 3. | Test, articulate and justify the value of different methods for exploring, understanding and addressing complex challenges |
| 4. | Develop and apply appropriate team-based decision making approaches and participate collaboratively in teams to deliver on a client brief |
| 5. | Use a range of appropriate media, tools, techniques and methods creatively and critically in multi-disciplinary teams to discover, investigate, design and communicate ideas |
| 6. | Work within a professional context or with a client to design and develop ideas, strategies and practices for betterment |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject contributes specifically to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:
- Identify, create, and employ a range of appropriate creative intelligence methods and boundary-crossing methodologies to construct and solve problems and generate transformative possibilities (CII.2.1)
- Communicate transdisciplinary ideas and solutions succinctly and persuasively using appropriate modalities. (CII.3.2)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
The subject provides opportunities for you to bring together diverse disciplinary approaches to structuring a creative process. You examine a range of methods, techniques and approaches to devise a unique transdisciplinary methodology for responding to complex social challenges. You explore different ways of understanding and framing problems to create new opportunities and explore how existing patterns of practices can be creatively disrupted to achieve positive transformation.
So your experiences as a student in this subject support you to develop the following graduate attributes (GA):
• GA 2 - Creating value in problem solving and inquiry
• GA 3 Inter- and trans-disciplinary practices
• GA 4 - Imaginative and ethical citizenship
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject uses problem-based learning strategies that involves students in researching and developing their own / group solutions to complex problems / scenarios. Learning takes place in a collaborative, immersive, experiential, studio-based environment. In each studio session students receive feedback and reflection from academics and industry professionals, whilst continuing to work on the problems / projects they are preparing and completing outside studio session times.
Content (topics)
• Creative intelligence: theory, thinking and practice
• Transdisciplinarity and creativity
• Creative methods and techniques
• Ideation and strategy in creative contexts
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Developing as a creative practitioner
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): .3, .4 and CII.2.1 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
Assessment task 2: Methods for exploring unknowns and making discoveries
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): .2, .4 and CII.2.1 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
Assessment task 3: Complex Social Challenge
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): .2, .2, .3, .4 and CII.3.2 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
Minimum requirements
Students must attempt each assessment task and achieve an overall pass mark in order to pass this subject.
Late penalties apply to all assessment tasks as outlined in the TD School Student Guide. Please consult this booklet for other useful information including Special Consideration, Plagiarism, Extension, and Student Support Services.
A minimum of 80% of attendance of classes (as outlined in the timetable) is required.
Required texts
The following resources are available as PDF eReadings and hyperlinks from the UTS Library and can be accessed via Canvas.
Barbara Doran, & Rodger Watson. (2022). Creativity, play and flow. In Doran, Creative reboot?: catalysing creative intelligence. (p. 143 pages + 50 cards?;). Bis Publishers.
Csikszentmihalyi. (1996). The work of creativity. In Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity?: flow and the psychology of discovery and invention (1st ed., pp. 77–106). HarperCollinsPublishers.
Madeline Dore. (2020). Tyson Yunkaporta on How Creativity is Snseparable From Life (p. 46:13). Routine and Ruts. https://routines-ruts.simplecast.com/episodes/tyson-yunkaporta-Y3YKHGjv
Dorst. (2015). Frame innovation?: create new thinking by design . The MIT Press.
Laufer. (2013). Dialogues with creative legends aha moments in a designer’s career (Wurman, Ed.; 1st edition). New Riders.
Linda Hill. (n.d.). How to Manage for Collective Creativity (p. 16:47) [Video]. TedxCambridge. https://www.ted.com/talks/linda_hill_how_to_manage_for_collective_creativity?language=en
Keenan, & Mishra, P. (2016). Profiling Scholars of Creativity: Practicing the Process with Dr. Michele Root-Bernstein. TechTrends, 60(3), 200–203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0055-2
Shannon Mattern. (2021). Unboxing the Toolkit. Tool Shed. https://tool-shed.org/unboxing-the-toolkit/
Robert Root-Bernstein. (2720, Spring). Why is creativity important? (p. 1:10:20) [Video]. NLB Singapore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P_APgcZSpY
Recommended texts
The following resources are available as PDF eReadings and hyperlinks from the UTS Library and can be accessed via Canvas.
Maria Popova. (2014). What it Really Takes to be an Artist. The Marginalian. https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/12/29/teresita-fernandez-commencement-address/
Napier. (2010). Insight: The Universal Experience. In Napier, Insight?: encouraging aha! moments for organizational success (pp. 1–23). Praeger.
Nielsen. (2006). Inspired?: how creative people think, work and find inspiration (Hartmann, Ed.). BIS Publishers.
Pollack. (2014). The Model T-bone: How analogies spark innovation. In Pollack, Shortcut?: how analogies reveal connections, spark innovation, and sell our greatest ideas (pp. 64–107). Gotham.
Stefik. (2004). Walking in the dark. In B. Stefik (Ed.), Breakthrough?: stories and strategies of radical innovation (pp. 149–157). MIT Press.