Summary: We are going to explore your chosen observation that leads to creativity and innovation for any topic, but hopefully it helps you in your daily life immediately. We are not hear to solve the world’s problems, but you can if you wish:).

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.”  Maya Angelou

a)     Please select an issue that you would like to observe that is interesting to you.

b)    Reflect on your own experiences about what you have learned about creativity and observing skills by reviewing your notes, and the samples of former students work.

c)    Please answer what would you like to observe in two or three detailed sentences for each question:

1. Who?

2. What?

3. Where?

4. When?

5. Why?

6. How?

Here is one sample of an observation proposal.

Homework due on 11/03/2024 at 4 PM.

A-Quick-Guide-to-APA-7th

Please finish the last homework and start on this one, which takes about 1 hour to make a plan, a day or two to observe (but certainly not all the time, but some periods of time), and about an hour to take notes explained below. Go slow little by little and manage your time. You can do it and I can support you.

Please take notes on what you observe based on your proposal. Some of you are doing interviews, viewing physical spaces, comparing videos, or also adding notes of new readings. Regardless, observe the place, people, or viewing that might help you find a solution or idea for innovation to solve your issue creatively. Take good notes in the keywords only about what you have observed. Then, take pictures of your notes and place them in the Word document provided below. You should write about 4 pages of notes; otherwise, it will be hard to write your paper. 

Summary: Two students were absent today due to illness. I hope you get better soon. —> Your homework is to watch and take notes on David Kelly’s TED Talk. If you would like a print of the video script, it is in a box on my office door on the 2nd floor of the Kyoikukikotou near the ERC.

First, we watched Po-Shen Loh’s video on how he creatively solves challenges to learning through observation and discovery by meeting people where they are and innovating at scale. Then we had a super interesting talk about the creativity courses we have experienced in general, what makes this class different, and Po-Shen Loh’s talk. The takeaway seemed to be that we should meet people where they are to solve problems in education, particularly in various countries. Additionally, it highlighted the value of ChatGPT and AI as tools, but also emphasized that they can be incorrect, so we need to think outside the box and recognize our own value as humans in solving problems. Thus, the quotation was smartly noted by the student who came to class:

“The new world of AI is going to be the wild wild west….The people who are going to be the most successful are going to be the ones that are very good at creating value.” -Po-Shen Loh

Homework due on Tuesday by 1 p.m., the day before Class 04. Please watch the video, read the tape script in English to help you, and then take 2 to 3 pages of notes in keywords only on this TED Talk Video by David Kelly:

Kelley, D. (2012, March). How to build your creative confidence [Video]. TED Conference. http://www.ted.com/talks/david_kelley_how_to_build_your_creative_confidence?language=en

These notes will help you in your class discussions in class 04.

Homework all quarter: Freerice.com (20%) –> Goal 4,000 points

This homework is both fun and ongoing, as it involves self-study of your choice in English subjects within the Free Rice Programme. We can fight climate change, feed hungry children and families for free, while learning English too! Please get your code to create an account in the class.

Summary: I introduced myself with a slide show. Then, an orientation to the course was provided, explaining the documents below, except for the United Nations Freerice.com learning program, which will be covered in Class 02.  We discussed what is expected of you in each class and how you can excel and get the most out of this course to improve your English skills.

You will develop a greater ability to solve problems creatively, which leads to innovation. Additionally, you can expand your vocabulary and critically evaluate your study habits to enhance creativity, innovation, and technological skills through a range of activities, including reading, note-taking, categorizing, mind-mapping, discussing, writing, and planning.

You can review this video whenever you like: 3% of people can pass this creative test, can you? -Bit Size Psyche

How will your grade be calculated? 

Homework (30%)

Freerice.com (20%) –> Goal 4,000 points

This homework is ongoing and very fun, as it involves your four-skills logs of self-study on English subjects of your choice within the Free Rice Programme. We can fight climate change, feed hungry children and families for free, and even learn English along the way! Please get your code to create an account in the class.

Written Observation Paper (20%)

Class Participation (10%)

Final Presentation of Your Paper (20%)   

Document: ESP2 Syllabus_Worksheet.docx

Homework due by 1 pm the day before class:

Please read and take notes on at least 4 (or more) pages of notes on the keywords of Sawyer (2012), Chapter 22, How to Be More Creative. Please also include the page number where you sourced your work, so you can easily find it for your paper and presentation.

Sawyer, R. (2012). Explaining creativity: The science of human innovation. Oxford University Press.

Please take a photo of your notes and insert the pictures into the Class 01 Google document provided to you via email, placing them after your name in this single document. Other students get to see your work and share it. Completing the work will earn you credit for the homework.

  Sawyer (2012) Sample Note Taking of the 1st of 4 pages of Chapter 22:

Summary:  I explained how to write the paper after you do your observations. Watch something, interviews, or surveys and just think and take notes about what happened. Therefore, we discussed the observation chapter and your proposals, and I gave advice to each student.

Homework due by 1 pm the day before Class 10.

Please take notes on what you observe based on your proposal. Some of you are doing interviews, viewing physical spaces, comparing videos, or also adding notes of new readings.

Regardless, observe the place, people, or viewing that might help you find a solution or idea for innovation to solve your issue creatively. Take good notes in the keywords only about what you have observed. Then, take pictures of your notes and place them in the Word document provided below. You should write about 4 pages of notes; otherwise, it will be hard to write your paper. 

New! Take notes on 1 or 2 articles on the focus of what you would like to observe such as physical spaces, comparing videos, taking notes of your schedule to see what can improve through observation, observing your senses, or a usual routine, and then try something new and reflect on what you learned

For your convenience, here are sample observation papers and their corresponding presentations:

ESP2a Observation Paper A Bicycle Parking

ESP2a Observation Presentation A Bicycle Parking

ESP2b Observation Paper B Laziness

ESP2a Observation Presentation B Laziness

Free Database Engines off Campus to collect research for your APA Paper: 

Carrot 2 Carrot helps you find topics related to your search term. After entering the term you enter and then click on ‘search,’ you can choose to see the results as a list, tree map, or pie chart that helps you visualize your issue and narrow your search at the same time.

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): DOAJ is a community-designed and maintained online journal directory that provides you access to robust, open access, peer-reviewed journals. This search engine is independent, and it is free including being indexed in DOAJ. Please use this engine for topical issues and authors, and you might find research that provides evidential content for your academic essay. DOAJ is an educational outreach search engine that focuses on high-quality applications and submissions.

Google Scholar: Google scholar helps you do a broad or narrow search of articles. It also helps you cite your “references” for APA and “work cited” for MLA!

CORE Research Engine UK: This research search engine claims to be the largest open-access research database in the world giving free access to 1-This website is very informative and easy to understand, where you might find research on your issue from Professor Andy Barfield:

Learning About Global Issues–Specifically in relation to Chuo University Faculty of Law English courses, this website has been designed by Andy Barfield and his research team for supporting student research from 2014 in the Basic Research and Writing. More generally, his team hopes that this website is useful for students and other people in Japan (and in other countries) to develop our knowledge and critical understanding of different global issues. Thank you, Andy!

Summary: We spoke in pairs about how observation leads to creative ideas and innovation, but we didn’t get to view the videos, so we can view them in Class 09.  Then I gave a preview of the writing assignment and answered any questions you had about it.

New vocabulary: Hawthorne Effect, Pavlovian, lupin flower, pigeon, tactic, cynical, discrete

Science Pet. (2014, August 18). Observations and inferences. [Video]. Youtube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBlR7taW9jk

Denver, C. (2009, October 4). Test your observational skills. [Video]. Video. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAFfYLR_IRY

Attachments:

Homework due at 1 pm before Class 09: There are two parts to the homework. Please read and take notes on Chapter 3 observation first, and then decide what you want to observe for your report second. There is time in Monday’s class to revise part two of your homework.

Please read and take about four pages of notes in keywords only in Chapter 4, Discovery Skill #3 Observing in:

Dyer, J., Gregersen, H., & Christensen, C. (2019). Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the five

skills of disruptive innovators. Harvard Business School Press.

Notes for Your Observation Paper Step by Step (in the Google Doc for Class 09): Please think about this activity after you read chapter four. We can finish this homework in class, but could you think of some ideas that you would like to observe?

a)     Please select an issue that you would like to observe that is interesting to you.

b)    Reflect on your own experiences about what you have learned about creativity and observing skills by reviewing your notes.

c)    Please answer what you would like to observe in two or three detailed sentences for each question:

1. Who?

2. What?

3. Where?

4. When?

5. Why?

6. How?

Here is one sample of an observation proposal.

There will be a lot of time to reflect and write about this in class.

Summary: We discussed flow through all-class and pairwork activities about how “flow” is related to creativity and input discovery skills. Then we reviewed the discovery skills and from the readings in pairs and the whole class as well. You reflected on what skills you are good at and what skills are somewhat new to you. Listening to your observations about yourself was interesting!

Dyer, J., Gregersen, H., & Christensen, C. (2019). Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the five skills of disruptive innovators. Harvard

Business School Press.

Homework due on Tuesday after lunch, the day before Class 07: 

1. Please read and take about four pages of notes in keywords only in Chapter 1, The DNA of Disruptive Innovators:

Dyer, J., Gregersen, H., & Christensen, C. (2019). Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the five skills of disruptive innovators. Harvard Business School Press.

2. Homework all quarter: Freerice.com (20%) –> Goal 4,000 points

This homework is ongoing and entertaining: your four-skills logs of self-study of your choice on English subjects within the Free Rice Programme. We can fight climate change, feed hungry children and families for free, while learning English too! Please get your code to create an account in the class.

Summary: As a creative visual introduction to finding flow, we viewed this inspiring video by J. Silva:

Silva, J. (2013, July 30). Find your creative flow [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXwLsba2TOY

Students got into pairs or groups of three to discuss finding flow based on chapter three of this reading:

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding flow: The psychology of engagement with everyday life. Basic Books.

Our discussions were based on these questions:

1. Based on the readings, what does ‘flow’ mean to you?
2. How do you feel about the quality of the experience of doing everyday activities?
3. How do you feel when you do different things?
4. Which of the examples of people in their daily lives was interesting to you? Why?

New Vocabulary: probe, perimeter, adjacent, hover, virtuoso, eureka, lateral prefrontal cortex, estatic, numinous, imaginal, rhapsody, thicket, alacrity, dim

Homework due on Tuesday at 1 pm, the day before Class 06: 

1. Please view and take two pages of notes on:

Please your Google Drive upload file to insert your photos of your notes in one document. For videos, It is very useful to include the timestamp of when you use quotations of Csikszentmihalyi’s talk next to the notes, so that you can find your work easily for your creativity observation midterm report.

2. Please read and take notes on chapter 1 of (the copy is in my office door box).

Glaveanu, V. (2021). Creativity: A very short introduction (Chapter 1). Oxford University Press.

3. Homework all quarter: Freerice.com (20%) –> Goal 4,000 points

This homework is very fun and ongoing, as your self-study of your choice in subjects within the Free Rice Programme. We can fight climate change, feed hungry children and families for free, while learning English too! 

Summary: 

We viewed and discussed David Kelly’s TED talk about fostering creative confidence.

New vocabulary: obscure, improvise, innate, self-efficacy, Professor Bandura at Stanford, opt-out, anesthesiology, stuffed animal (plush toy), IDEO is David Kelly’s Company, the D School is at Stanford University

Kelley, D. (2012, March). How to build your creative confidence [Video]. TED

Conference. http://www.ted.com/talks/david_kelley_how_to_build_your_creative_confidence?language=en

Homework due on Tuesday by the end of lunchtime at 1 pm so I can check your work in advance: 

Please read and take about 3-5 pages of notes on:

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding flow: The psychology of engagement with everyday life. Basic Books.

If you are absent, I will leave the chapter in my office box.

Please upload your file to your Google Drive to insert your photos into this one document. Please use the same Document that you uploaded your Kelly (2012, March) notes. All homework notes are compiled in the same document.   

Homework all quarter: Freerice.com (20%) –> Goal 4,000 points

This homework is ongoing and fun, as it involves your four-skills logs of self-study on English subjects within the Free Rice Programme. We can fight climate change, feed hungry children and families for free, while learning English too! Please get your code to create an account in the class.

Summary: I continued to introduce some of the readings and viewings for the course, while conducting a few simple creativity exercises to keep us thinking critically and engaging in a bit of play at the same time. Then, you discussed your homework in pairs and groups. Finally, we made sure you understand what the homework is.

Keywords: Pain points

Loh, P. S. (2023, Dec. 9). How to be a creative thinker: Carnegie Mellon University Po-Shen Loh [Video]. EO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpYA7WXkHyI

Homework due by 1 pm the day before Class 03: 

Please click the ‘show more’ button, then click ‘show transcript’ to read the full interview. Additionally, click the ‘cc’ section at the lower right area of the video to read the transcripts in real-time.

Homework all quarter: Freerice.com (20%) –> Goal 4,000 points

This homework is ongoing and very fun, as it involves your four-skills logs of self-study on English subjects of your choice within the Free Rice Programme. We can fight climate change, feed hungry children and families for free, and even learn English along the way! Please get your code to create an account in the class.

Summary: Today, we discussed reading Carol Dweck’s article on growth mindsets and Cobb. Some themes that came up were the person’s right to pursue their happiness, be productive, and be confident to share skills and knowledge with others (in education, work, and life).  

Here are exciting videos related to the Dweck (2010) reading:

Spencer, J. (2017, March 27). Growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset. [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1CHPnZfFmU

Brainology program video introduction:

Brainology. (2010, November 26). Brainology program introduction video [Video].

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF5yB31IT5Y

Dweck, C. S. (2010). Mind-sets. Principal Leadership, 10(5), 26-29. 

https://www.greatschoolspartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Mindsets-and-Equitable-Education.pdf

Then we reviewed Angela Lee Duckworth’s research on grit and the connection to growth mindsets:

Duckworth, A. L. (2011, July). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. [Video]. Ted

Conference.

Homework due at 13:00 the day before Class_06 in your Google Doc:

1. Complete your three-question reflection in your Google Doc share file.

2. Please read and take 2 to 3 pages of notes on keywords from a source you haven’t viewed or read yet.

Duckworth, A. L. (2011, July). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. [Video]. TED

Conference.  https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance

or

Spencer, J. (2017, March 27). Growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset. [Video]. YouTube. 

Future readings, if you want to work ahead:

Alternatives to School. (2017). Benefits of self-directed learning. Alternatives to School.    

         http://alternativestoschool.com/articles/benefits-self-directed-learning/

Association for Psychological Science. (2012, October 4). What makes self-directed learning effective? ScienceDaily. 

 www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121004134843.htm

Fink, J. W. W. (1999). True grit: 10 tips for promoting strength, resilience, and perseverance among your students. Instructor, 26-31.

Psychology Today. (2024). Grit. Sussex Publishers. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/grit

Duckworth, A. (2018, December 14). What is grit [Video]? Parent and Team. 

Lyon, R. (2015, March 30). The challenges and benefits of unschooling. International Center for Home Education Research Reviews. https://icher.org/blog/?p=1647

Lastly, an option to play Freerice.com: This United Nations project website has 60 levels of English vocabulary to learn and develop. For each correct vocabulary word comprehended, Free Rice will donate 10 grains of rice through the World Food Programme to help end hunger, so students can learn new words and also contribute to reducing world hunger at the same time. And the levels of difficulty range from low to very high, so it is also suitable for teachers. There are also various subjects, including English Grammar and SAT Test Preparation. And amusingly, the site has a warning that claims this game may make the person smarter! http://freerice.com/#/englishvocabulary/1424

Your Free Rice goal for the semester is 5,000 points!