Creativity and Outdoor Based Training

By Blair Miller

Originally appeared in the International Creativity Network Newsletter, volume 2, number 2, 1992, pages 5-6.

"I hear and I forgetI see and I rememberI do and I understand"- Chinese Proverb

Developing new and effective approaches for understanding creative problem solving (CPS) is a task that many teachers and facilitators face on a regular basis. My masters project, completed at the Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College, explored one new approach to under-standing CPS. The project's title is The Use of Outdoor-Based Training Initiatives to Enhance the Understanding of Creative Problem-Solving. A literature search was completed to identify relevant models and concepts which could be used to form a productive linkage among creativity and Creative Problem Solving, on one hand, and experiential education and outdoor-based training (OBT) on the other. A preliminary study was conducted to compare the effects of OBT and CPS on two different groups.

In the preliminary study the group used to evaluate effects of OBT were from the University of Denver's Masters in Business Administration program. The group used to evaluate the effects of CPS were students enrolled in a graduate level course, Nurturing Creative Behavior, at Buffalo State College. Several interesting connections were found to exist between the effects of OBT and CPS training. Based on this preliminary work, we further investigated models of CPS and OBT, seeking a method for selecting OBT initiatives (or activities) for use in CPS programs. We then incorporated the use of OBT initiatives to enhance understanding of CPS concepts in a five day course in Facilitating CPS.

This project was designed to examine the use of OBT initiatives in enhancing and complementing current CPS instruction. I sought to investigate whether using these initiatives would be positively received by participants in CPS programs. In addition, I sought to analyze OBT activities and describe specific ways to link them to CPS.

Outdoor-based training initiatives are problems whose solution depends upon mental and/or physical effort from all group members for successful completion. There are many possible solutions for each OBT initiative. Initiatives also tend to be fun for the participants and facilitators alike. In this project we used the initiatives "Blind Polygon," "Circle the Circle," "Warp Speed," and "Hand-Cuffs. " Two examples are given. The Circle the Circle initiative was used to enhance participants' understanding of roles in CPS. The object of activity is to pass two hoops around a circle of participants in the shortest possible time. The Hand Cuffs initiative was used to enhance participants' understanding of Mess-Finding, Data-Finding and Problem-Finding in CPS. The object of Hand Cuffs is to separate two loosely connected individuals from a seemingly impossible, but engagingly simple, intertwinement of ropes. These initiatives were integrated into the Center for Studies in Creativity five-day course in Facilitating Creative Problem Solving. The approach used to integrate the initiatives was the Adventure Wave model developed by Schoel, Prouty, Radcliffe (1988). This model provides for a briefing of the objectives of the initiative followed by the actual activity and culminating with a debriefing or discussion of the initiative. Learning with initiatives also provides participants with an effective way of learning CPS concepts without undue talking by the facilitator or trainer.

The initiatives were used in the CPS training program and the evaluation of the training involved self-report forms which were completed by program participants. The overall mean score from all responses indicated that the initiatives were indeed helpful in assisting participants learn CPS, and that it was feasible to introduce OBT initiatives into CPS programs. Representative comments from the participants' feedback forms included:

• "Easier to learn when having fun."
• "All of them were helpful. Some were better at representing the concepts but please continue using these kinds of tasks."
• "It showed that I must look beyond the obvious."
• "OBT-got everyone moving, involved-yet learning was occurring."
• What surprised you today? Hand-Cuffs. Why were you surprised? It was such a big part of my understanding the Mess-Finding, Data-Finding and Problem-Finding steps in the CPS process."

When the participants were involved with the initiatives a great deal of laughter and movement was observed, although, as the results indicated, they were also learning. The results from this project indicated that the use of outdoor-based training techniques were helpful in helping participants increase their understanding of CPS. For the practitioner the following suggestions may be helpful:

• Before any activity clearly brief the participants on what they are looking to learn.
• Use activities that are challenging and utilize all of the participants for successful completion.
• When discussing the activity or initiative use a structured set of questions. For instance, following the experiential learning cycle. An easy way to remember this is sequence your questions as What?, So What?, Now What? (Rohnke 1989).

To integrate OBT initiatives successfully into CPS programs takes a little time and energy, carefully planning and selection of the initiatives to use, and deliberate efforts to connect them to CPS. The results are rewarding for the participants and facilitators.

Rohnke, Karl (1989). Cowstails and cobras II. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.

Schoel, J. , Prouty, D. , & Radcliffe, P. (1988). Islands of healing. Hamilton, MA: Project Adventure.