End of Fall 2009 (Inaugural) Course

This is the final post for the Fall 2009 HUM 246: Creating Thinking class.

Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind served as the core text for the course, and exercises from the book comprised a "Pink Portfolio" of creative explorations submitted by students at semester's end.  Students were also evaluated on a 20% Project, a self-motivated creative endeavor to be presented to the class during exam week, as well as in-class participation in discussions.

Projects from the semester remain linked to in the Online Course Materials at left.

If you have any questions about this course, you can reach me at bencapozzi at mac dot com.

~mrc

Statistics for the course:

• 21 students
• 10 As
• 9 Bs
• 2 Incompletes (ultimately a C and an F, respectively)

What's It All About?

Estudiantes,

As you begin to think about the Meaning Project and your Ten Things inspired by Google, I thought you might like to see other corporate philosophies. I came across this from the Toyota Corporation while reading over the holiday:

The Toyoda Precepts
1. Be contributive to the development and welfare of the
country by working together, regardless of position, in
faithfully fulfilling your duties.
2. Be ahead of the times through endless creativity,

inquisitiveness and pursuit of improvement.
3. Be practical and avoid frivolity.
4. Be kind and generous; strive to create a warm,
homelike atmosphere.
5. Be reverent, and show gratitude for things great and small
in thought and deed.

In these general rules, Sakichi Toyoda sought to clarify the fundamental business principles of his company for each of its employees. The Toyoda Precepts were first introduced on October 30, 1935, the fifth anniversary of Sakichi Toyoda’s death.

While you are of course creating your OWN list or personal things you know to be true, it never hurts to look around.

~mrc

THE List

Students,

Below is THE DEFINITIVE list of items for your Pink Portfolio due at the end of the semester. keep in mind your Pink Portfolio isn't everything you'll be graded on, but it is a big chunk of your grade. There are a few extra credit opportunities out there –chip kidd field trip, threadless entry, successfully-protected eggs– and there's of course attendance, debono's for in-class participation, cartoon captions on the weblog, and your 20% Project.

From the DESIGN Chapter

• Assignment #1 - Channel Your Annoyance
• Project: Music Event Poster (I have these!)

From the STORY Chapter

• Assignment #2 - Riff on Opening Lines
• Project: StoryCorps Interview

From the SYMPHONY Chapter

• Assignment #1 - Metaphor Log
• Assignment #2 - 5-line Self Portraits
• Project: Creativity Map

From the EMPATHY Chapter

• Project: Don't Outsource Your Empathy Card

From the PLAY Chapter

• Assignment #2 Dissect a Joke

From the MEANING Chapter

• Project: Ten Things

Descriptions for these are posted in the online resources at left. Ask questions if anything's unclear. Take note that writing assignments should be nicely formatted with your name, course number and prefix, and assignment title for me to put in your folder.

~mrc

Egg Drop, Tuesday 11/24!

Remember that next Tuesday –the last day before Thanksgiving holiday– we will have our egg drop competition (weather permitting)! I will be releasing your eggs in their custom epds from the top of the SVHEC! You bring the epd , I will supply the eggs.

We plan to record the event with the help of some of my Multimedia students in ART 130. Should be fun!

~mrc

Thursday Assignment, 11/19

Students,

As our penultimate "Play" section activity, please take this short survey from Pink's "Step on the Humor Scale" assignment in AWNM, pg 211. Post your score in the comments section below for an attendance grade for today, even though we don't have class. And be sure to say whether not you think your results are accurate. When you read the score details, there're some interesting insights into how we use humor to deflect criticism, deal with stress, and otherwise get things done.

http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/selftest/item_8508.html

~mrc

Art + Design Table Friday

Just a reminder:

Art + Design Table meets this afternoon at 4PM at Caffe Peroni's in downtown SoBo. This is an informal social event for all students in Art & Design courses at the SVHEC - adult and high school. The more the merrier, and all are welcome.

~mrc

Chipp Kidd @ Longwood University

Thank you to those brave souls who ventured all the way to nearby Longwood University to meet Chip Kidd Wednesday night. Mr Kidd was very entertaining and the insights into the design process - especially what gets rejected - were very informative. Personally, my favorite part was, when speaking of his design school experience as a student, he wryly said, "I think they taught me how to think effectively. I think."

In this class, I hope you're learning how to think effectively, and differently.

~mrc