4-15-13
Name of Teacher: School:
Component
Student Learning
Objective (SLO)
Description
100% of students will demonstrate growth in their understanding of the creative problem solving process in support of Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as measured by their performance on a range of assessments, performance tasks, and a close examination of artifacts/products which document each student’s critical and creative thinking and involvement in the
Population
Learning Content
Instructional Interval
Evidence of Growth
Baseline creative problem solving process.
Students who are enrolled in/participating in a class/course in which the teacher is using CPS in support of STEM.
The application of The Creative Problem Solving Process in support of STEM
School Year 2012 – 2013
1.
First quarter administration of baseline assessments (CPS
Information Quiz, CPS Attitude Scale A: Thinking About
Thinking, and CPS Skills Inventory – optional pre-assessment) and performance tasks.
2.
Artifact/product collection, which documents evidence of each student’s critical and creative thinking and their understanding of how to apply CPS to problem solving tasks.
Teacher-developed assessments will be used in addition to the following formative assessment measures: CPS Observation
Checklist, CPS Application – Debriefing Form, CPS Project
Checklist.
3.
The following assessments will be used as post assessment measures: CPS Information Quiz, CPS Attitude Scale A:
Thinking About Thinking, and CPS Skills Inventory – optional.
All students will complete baseline assessments (CPS Information Quiz,
CPS Attitude Scale A: Thinking About Thinking, and CPS Skills
Inventory – optional pre-assessment) and performance tasks.
All students will organize their CPS artifacts/products. These will be assessed using teacher-developed assessments as well as the following formative assessment measures: CPS Observation Checklist, and CPS Application – Debriefing Form, CPS Project Checklist.
These assessments are designed to help students reflect on and demonstrate growth with their creative problem solving skills and are designed to prepare students for College and Careers.
(Attach class roster to share students’ scores on Beginning-of-the-Year
Assignment/Performance Task/Assessment.)
This SLO is a sample. Targets need to be adjusted based on your students’ data. Student growth should be achieved for all students.

Rationale for Student
Learning Objective
Target
Criteria for Effectiveness
Strategies
4-15-13
Growth in creative and critical thinking skills, creative problem solving processes, and the application of those skills in support of
STEM are essential components of the Common Core State
Curriculum and will be measured by district and teacher-developed formative, summative, and performance assessments.
100% of the students will demonstrate growth (as defined by HCPSS district assessment measures outlined previously) in how to apply the Creative Problem Solving process to problem solving tasks, relative to performance on the baseline scores.
*Please note: Students identified by IEP teams as having significant cognitive disabilities will have individual targets.
Full Attainment of
Target
Partial
Attainment of
Insufficient Attainment of Target
More than 90% of students meet agreed upon
Target
Between 75% and
90 % of students meet agreed upon
Less than 75 % of students meet agreed upon learning targets. learning targets. learning targets.
 Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to use creative (generating ideas) and critical (focusing ideas) thinking skills and the related CPS tools, which serve as the foundation for creative problem solving.
 Teacher provide multiple opportunities for students to understand how practicing professionals (including those in
STEM –related fields) use creative problem solving processes in their daily lives in order to solve complex problems and manage change.
 Teacher provide multiple opportunities for students to use and apply the CPS framework and the three CPS process components
(Understanding the Challenge, Generating Ideas, and Preparing for Action) to solve complex problems outlined in the curriculum, generated by students based on their interests, and experienced in everyday life.
 Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to develop good problem statements, which can serve as the source for original research investigations/creative productions.
 Students develop a collection of CPS-related artifacts/products to demonstrate their understanding of how use CPS to solve complex problems.
 Students will use metacognitive thinking skills to review their own performance data and develop individual targets for improvement in identified areas.
This SLO is a sample. Targets need to be adjusted based on your students’ data. Student growth should be achieved for all students.

CPS Information Quiz
Directions: For each question, circle the letter of the choice that represents the best response to the question. Circle only one question, unless the question says that there may be more than one response.
1.
Which statement is true about Exploring Data? a) It is concerned with the known, not the unknown. b) It doesn’t deal with your feelings or emotions. c) It’s used to determine which facts about the task are correct. d) It involves information, feelings, impressions, observations, and questions.
2.
In Generating Ideas, your goal is to a) Produce as many ideas as possible in five minutes or less. b) Produce many, new, and varied ideas to “stretch” your thinking. c) Focus on practical, useful ideas. d) Focus on ideas no one has ever thought of before.
3.
CPS can best be described as: a) The same as the scientific method. b) Rules to follow carefully in the correct order. c) A structured framework to help you manage change and solve problems. d) The six most important steps to help you become a creative process.
4.
Which choice best describes the important factors on which effective problem solving depends? a) Using both critical and creative thinking in harmony. b) Using creative thinking to generate ideas. c) Using critical thinking to find the right answer. d) Using your intelligence and being lucky.
5.
The main purpose of Constructing Opportunities is: a) Generating many ideas for solving a problem. b) Developing a specific question to use in thinking of idea. c) Considering many facts and questions about your problem. d) Identifying a clear understanding of the challenge.
6.
How is the criteria grid best used in Developing Solutions? a) To select your one best idea. b) To rank order or prioritize a small group of promising options. c) To sort many options and compare them on a number of criteria. d) To find the weaknesses of your favorite idea.
7.
Which choice is true about Building Acceptance? a) In the last stage, there’s no need to generate. b) If the time is limited, it’s dropped so there will be more time to brainstorm for ideas. c) If you have one really good solution, it’s not necessary to use this step. d) It helps you plan your actions very carefully to get the best chance of success.

8.
Which is a guideline for generating in CPS? a) Be serious about your thinking. b) Don’t be afraid to act foolish. c) Seek new collections or combinations. d) Make every third idea a very silly one.
9.
Which of these would be useful tools for generating many new ideas? (May be more than one answer.) a) Brainstorming b) Diagraphical analysis c) Attribute Listing d) SCAMPER e) Paired Comparison Analysis
10.
Which is the best worded problem statement? a) Wouldn’t it be nice if I got accepted by a college that’s not too expensive? b) How should I decide which college to attend? c) In what ways might I extend my education? d) The problem is that I can’t afford to go to a really good college.
11.
Which best describes the characteristics of a well-stated challenge? a) Broad, Brief, Beneficial b) Crisp. Critical, Concise c) Global, Germane, Given d) Futuristic, Frustrating, Factual
12.
The major purpose of Building Acceptance is: a) Planning to carry out promising solutions. b) Eliminate other people’s objections c) Convince others your first idea was best. d) Find new problem solving opportunities.
13.
Which three of these criteria are important in establishing “ownership” of a task? a) Knowing the most likely solution. b) Being able to take action. c) Needing new options. d) Being certain of the evaluation criteria. e) Being motivated to solve the problem. f) Knowing who will be opposed to any new ideas.
14.
When Exploring Data, which of the following is important to do? a) Limit yourself to data you can prove. b) Discuss all facts until everyone agrees. c) Choose one point of view for consistency. d) Study the task or situation from many different points of view?

15.
What does “IWWM . . .” stand for? a) I wonder what might . . . b) In what ways might . . . c) In what way must . . . d) If we want money . . .
16.
The major purpose of Developing Solutions is to: a) Guide you in screening, selecting, or supporting promising options. b) See what you did wrong in the previous steps. c) Allow for criticism after deferring judgment for most of the session. d) Get one good idea and eliminate all the poor ones.
17.
When Exploring Data as a group, the major role of the group is: a) Sit quietly and listen to the data presented by the group leader. b) Tell the leader which data are really important. c) Understand the situation and help the group look at the task in many ways. d) To bring their own related data into the task.
18.
Which of these is important to remember in developing a good problem statement? a) Contains criteria to limit ideas that would not be appropriate. b) Worded so it invites many ideas. c) Always begins, “What’s the best way to . . . ? d) Never uses broad, general verbs.
19.
Deferred judgment means: a) Creative ideas are never evaluated. b) Don’t evaluate when you’re generating alternatives. c) State your criticism politely. d) Praise only the ideas you really like.
20.
What is the relationship between Exploring Data and Framing Problems? a) Exploring Data lays a foundation for other work. b) Exploring Data clarifies the focus so Framing Problems isn’t necessary. c) Exploring Data is related to defining tasks, but not to Framing Problems. d) Exploring Data is only used after you have a stated a specific problem.
21.
Which too is used to rank or to prioritize a group of options? a) Brainstorming b) Paired Comparison Analysis c) ALoU d) Maximum Benefit Method
22.
You should start Developing Solutions by: a) Judging the ideas quickly to get rid of the worst ones. b) Using a grid to evaluate the idea. c) Identifying an appropriate strategy for analyzing refining, or choosing options. d) Deciding on the most appropriate criteria.

23.
The major purpose of Framing Problems is to: a) Generate many ideas to solve the problem. b) Analyze solutions to find the best one. c) Review past efforts to solve the problem. d) Find or create a targeted, open-ended, and invitational question.
24.
Including criteria in a problem statement may have what effects? a) Prematurely limiting the search for ideas. b) Structuring the problem so it will be easier to solve. c) Preventing people from wasting our time with silly ideas. d) Clarifying problem ownership.
25.
Why are styles or personal orientation important when Appraising Tasks? a) Shows why some people can’t solve problems very well. b) Helps clarify how people view problems and relate to other people in a group. c) Predicts who will be criticizing every idea. d) Tells us who will offer most to your CPS work.
26.
Which statement is true for Constructing Opportunities? a) It is essential to share concerns or obstacles. b) Concerns and obstacles are negative and should not be stated. c) Helps you focus your understanding of the task constructively. d) Most people think naturally of problems as really positive opportunities.
27.
When Generating Ideas, effective problem solvers are those who: a) Think of and state at least 100 ideas. b) Find the really good ideas by discussing each one as it is given. c) Let ideas flow naturally and make new connections. d) Focus on a few good ideas, not lots of ordinary ones.
28.
Which of these might be part of a good problem statement? (May be more than one.) a) Stem that invites idea. b) Specific evaluation criteria. c) An action verb. d) Locating the ownership. e) A Plan of Action. f) A list of Important Data.
29.
Which best describes an appropriate task statement for CPS? a) My goal today is to buy a new flashlight for my house. b) I think that it’s dumb for hockey players not to wear protective eye shields. c) I need to find out where I can buy a new seat for my bicycle. d) I want to lost weight and feel healthier.
30.
Brainstorming is: a) A problem solving process. b) Another name for group discussion. c) A tool to use to generate many options. d) A good critical thinking strategy.

31.
A group leader’s role in the focusing phase of Generating Ideas is to: a) Let the group select the best idea. b) Choose only the best possible idea from the list. c) Identify ideas that represent new and intriguing possibilities. d) Pick the group’s ideas that are most similar to your own.
32.
Which is an important benefit of Exploring Data? a) With enough data early, you won’t need to do so much evaluation later. b) Prevents you from trying to use poor ideas to solve the problem. c) Helps you to recognize the most important aspects or elements of the situation. d) Helps you to determine the three broad goals that will be easiest to work on.
33.
Which statement is true about Developing Solutions? a) Try to eliminate all ideas but the best one. b) Seldom leads to discovering any new ideas. c) Can strengthen and refine promising options. d) The only state in CPS in which critical thinking is permitted.
34.
When Building Acceptance, assisters and resisters might be: a) People, places, things, times, or other factors that could help or hinder success. b) Possible ways to restate the solution. c) Converging tools for generating a plan. d) Methods for implementing the best solution.
35.
Affirmative judgment involves: a) Telling the best reasons for opposing people’s ideas or plans. b) Working constructively to improve or strengthen options. c) Politely point out why some new ideas won’t work. d) Voting on which ideas are best.
36.
When selecting, analyzing, and refining options, which three of these tools would be useful a) Visually identifying relationships b) Paired Comparison Analysis c) Advantages, Limitations, Unique Features d) The S2QR Method e) Attribute Listing f) Evaluation Matrix
37.
In the focusing phase of Exploring Data: a) The group selects the most important information. b) The leader identifies important data and, with the group, develops clusters or a key area. c) The leader tells the group three to five clusters of important data. d) You evaluate and list all data in priority order.

38.
A good way to plan a strategy when Developing Solutions is: a) Use a matrix to sort various action steps. b) Decide whether the criteria will all work in the same matrix. c) Put idea into categories and number them. d) Consider the number and kinds of ideas to analyze and what you need to do with them.
39.
Generating Ideas is important because: a) It involves thinking of many, varied, and unusual ways to deal with the task or problem. b) Most ideas people think of on their own aren’t very creative. c) It forces everyone in the group to be creative. d) You generate a few remarkable ideas to impress other people.
40.
Which best describes the leader’s role in the Generating Ideas state of CPS? a) Listen carefully to the ideas as generated by the group. b) Tells group members immediately if they generate ideas that won’t work. c) Participates actively in both the generating and focusing phases. d) Selects the tools that the group should use.
41.
The 24-hour step is important because: a) You’re most likely to finish plans you start. b) You verify your understanding of the solution. c) It shows other people whether or not you really liked their idea. d) It represents the most creative part of the solution.
42.
In the Understanding the Challenge component, your major goal(s) might be to: a) Work on several tasks at once. b) Formulate the task, explore relevant data, and/or identify a focused problem statement. c) Point out flaws or inconsistencies in the client’s plan. d) Support the client in considering possible actions to take.
43.
The role of a group in Building Acceptance is to: a) Watch while the leader plans what to do. b) Tell the leader the best course of action. c) Point out flaws or inconsistencies in the client’s plan. d) Support the client in considering possible actions to take.
44.
Exploring Data provides an opportunity for: a) The group to define the task. b) The leader to provide key information about the situation. c) Using generating tools to get the best solution quickly. d) Listing as many facts and details about the task of possible to show that you’ve researched it thoroughly.

45.
In Building Acceptance, it is very helpful to: a) Invite many people to decide what to do. b) Include as many steps as possible in the Action Plan. c) Work on a task for which everyone has at least some ownership. d) Construct a detailed Plan of Action with immediate short-term and long-term steps.
46.
Developing Solutions can best be described as the a) Best time to use critical thinking in CPS. b) Beginning of the process of forming promising ideas into useful solutions. c) Time to identify the one best solution. d) Only CPS stage in which ideas are judged.
47. When Generating Ideas, the group: a) Produces many ideas for the problem statement identified by the leader. b) Produces ideas for several problem statements at the same time. c) States ideas carefully selected for the task, ruling out those that might not work. d) Votes on which ideas the client should use.
48.
Why are the six CPS stages divided into three main process components? a) To make CPS move faster. b) To help groups work in a more creative way. c) Because people only remember three steps. d) To represent a natural and flexible approach to solving problems creatively.
49.
The main goal(s) of the Preparing for Action component of CPS involve: a) Finding the one right answer for the problem. b) Discovering a new task to work on. c) Finishing the process and going home. d) Developing and refining options and creating an implementation plan.
50.
Which is a guideline for effective focusing in CPS? a) Consider novelty and uniqueness. b) Try only the ideas that you know will work. c) Make decisions by voting. d) Providing time for the leader to evaluate each idea when it is given.