Real Problems and Challenges [Level III]

This chapter defines real problems and challenges, defines the goals for working on them with students, and explains why these are important aspects of educating for creativity. It describes several types of real problems for educational settings and identifies a number of resources to help students learn to locate, define, and solve real problems and challenges. Working on real problems is not an exercise or simulation; it's real life, and it counts for more than a grade, on an assignment or project. Structured creativity programs can also provide excellent opportunities for finding and solving real problems. Client-initiated real problems are particularly powerful when it is clear that the client really does want and need new ideas and will be in a position to translate new ideas and solutions into action.