Degtyarev S.N.
Tyumen State University, Russia
Complex development of convergent
and divergent thinking as pedagogical technique
The system of education (school,
professional) significantly contributes in the development of pupils’ thinking.
However, the modern system of the Russian education shows the vivid tendency of
its one-side development, the decline to the development of logical thinking,
its algorithmisation, formation of convergent abilities, i.e. skills to find
correctly and quickly the single right solution of clearly defined task (due to
the introduction of the unified state exam). Such decline, connected with
knowledgeable approach in education, weakens the creative component of thinking
(its divergent, irrational components). The development of the divergent
thinking moves aside. However, such divergent abilities are the basis of
creative thinking and they are expressed in the introduction of different ideas
about one and the same object during carrying of one and the same task.
Such disruption of balance in the
development of thinking defines the problem of direction of the content and technique of the
pedagogical process to complex and harmonic development of thinking of pupils
in the process of studies.
Taking the difficulty of the problem of formation of pupils’ thinking
into account, it is possible to declare the technique of formation and /or
development of thinking only with some degree of relativity. It would be better
to speak about the concept of the development of thinking. However, proposed
complex approach, based on definite principles, includes some technique
elements (algorithms, recommendations, guidelines and didactic means), that
allows us to speak about technique of complex development of divergent and
convergent thinking.
The most important principles of
construction of the complex development of convergent and divergent thinking
are the following:
1). The principle
of interrelationship and mutuality of the content of education and pedagogical
technique. It is necessary to take into account that any education has some
potential of development that should be in demand in order to develop thinking
in complex.
2). The principle
of interrelationship of logical and intuitive experience of a person. Intuition
(based on divergent, associative thinking) allows to discover new ideas and
logic (convergent thinking) helps to form.
3). The principle
of interrelationship of conscious and unconscious results of any activity. Such
principle is based on the that fact
that results of school activity of pupils contain not only conscious
products of thinking, appearing in accordance with the aim of such activity,
but some additional products arising apart from conscious aim [1, p.434]. The
presence of such additional product gives an opportunity of appearance of
something new, original due to its connection with creative thinking (that is
based on divergent thinking).
4). The principle
of fixed connection of thinking with creativity. It is impossible to develop a
really creative personality without thinking. [1, p. 430].
5).The principle of
construction of the process of studies on the basis of creative invariant of
the pedagogical activity that means the sum of obligatory components in the
activity of a teacher, which interrelationships are the core of construction of
the strategy of creativity development that allows to direct some pedagogical
(didactic, methodical and technological) systems on effective development of
creative potential and creative abilities of pupils.
The most obligatory components are the
following:
-The wide use of
tasks of divergent type in the process of studies (creative, researching,
variable in content and actions), actualizing productive interrelationship of
divergent and convergent thinking, realized in the form of creative products of
school-cognitive activity
-The activity of a
teacher on formation of pupils’ individual creative strategies on the basis of
creative and heuristic methods of activation of creative processes of thinking.
-The use by a
teacher of didactic means and methods of visualization, logical-graphical
structuring, systematizing of knowledge and personalized experience of pupils.
Such means supplies associative-logical integrity and mobility of personalized
and intuitive experience, directed on
the formation of cognitive, mental structures of an intellect as the basis of
creative potential.
The American psychologist J.Guilford
was the first who paid attention to qualitative distinction of divergent and convergent thinking. He also gave the definition
of divergent thinking as thinking in different directions that gives an
opportunity to the great number of the correct solutions. Thanks to J. Guilford
the following topic began to be actively studied and became very important for
diagnostic of creative abilities of a
person and for solving practical educative problems.
The
thought about the cognitive process (including a creative one) is not new. Both
types of thinking are very important. S.Mednick shows in his investigations
that convergent and divergent parts are present in the process of creation.
Moreover, the division of the cognitive act into several parts are incorrect
and describes the cognitive act inadequately. So, we can present divergent and
convergent thinking in only strong interrelationship.
The
activity of convergent or divergent part of thinking will be defined by the
character of solving teaching problems, by the character of pupils’ activity
(external management or free without internal restriction).
The
tasks of problematic character with indefinite context having variability of
carrying out, demand actuality of divergent thinking, possess such kind of a
content according to which a creative character of thinking can appear.
The
tasks directed to the development of convergent and divergent thinking, must
satisfy to definite requirements. Some of the below mentioned requirements are
rather known and used in practice, some of them have definite degree of newness
and in spite of its importance we have found a necessary reflection in the work
of a teacher.
The
task will be considered directed to the development of divergent and convergent
thinking if one of the conditions is
fulfilled:
1). The context of
the task consists of extra data. In this case a pupil has an opportunity to
combine a complex of context and choose the most suitable variant of carrying
the task (typical and non-standard variants are possible).
2). The context of
the task has not enough data for its carrying out. In this case it is necessary
to include some additional information or some contexts have vague data (i.e.
nothing is mentioned about the pressure of air but this experiment takes place
in natural conditions; it is not mentioned directly but the constant
temperature, volume and pressure in gas process are supposed ). It is necessary
to find limited parameters, to define needed complex of parameters for optimal
carrying out of the task.
3). A combined
variant of the context is possible. There are extra-data for a search of
unknown in the context (but they are not used in carrying out of the context or
they can give the wrong way). And at the same time there are no necessary data
for finding parameters and you should search them yourself.
4). The task has
several variants of carrying out (minimum two variants, e.g. graphical and
analytical; deductive and inductive; analytical and synthetic, etc). Taking
into consideration the detailed description of context of the task, a
pupil finds his/her own method of
carrying out (it is better to find several methods and to choose the most
rational and effective). In spite of the fact that the task has only one
correct answer, the task will be a divergent one because there are a lot of
variants of its carrying out.
5). The task must
have several answers that according to the context of the task have the right
to exist. It is possible even in exact sciences if parameters are not defined
exactly.
Complication for a
pupil is the following: to find all the answers to the task. Pupils often find one answer thinking that
the task is carried out. Such kinds of tasks are especially not carried out (or
pupils give a partial answer).
6). The task must
have a possibility of changing and transformation of its context keeping the
initial sense and it can stimulate the birth of additional minds, another view
on analyzing the task, the appearance of unusual analogues, etc.
And all above mentioned will promote the use
of creative and heuristic methods developing creativity of a personality.
Literature
1. Psychology of
creation: school of Y. A. Ponomarev. /Edited by D.V.Ushakov . –M.: Publishing
house of the Institute of psychology of the Russian Academy of Science,
2006.-624 p.