GEIN 315 | Course Introduction and Application Information - Department of Economics

Course Name

Creative Thinking

Code	Semester	Theory (hour/week)	Application/Lab (hour/week)	Local Credits	ECTS
GEIN 315	Fall/Spring	3	0	3	5

Prerequisites	None
Course Language	English
Course Type	Service Course
Course Level	First Cycle
Mode of Delivery	-
Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course	Group Work Problem Solving Application: Experiment / Laboratory / Workshop Lecture / Presentation
National Occupation Classification	-
Course Coordinator	Dr.Öğretim Üyesi Ünsal Doğan BAŞKIR
Course Lecturer(s)	Arş.Gör. Aytunç ERÇİFCİ Öğr. Gör. Haluk MESCİ Öğr. Gör. Tuğbay Bilbay
Assistant(s)	-

Course Objectives	This course aims to harness and develop the innate creativity within each person using various methods, turning it into a powerful tool. It is designed to promote and develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills, addressing the need for individuals and teams to 'think outside the box' and applying fresh thinking to practical real-world problems.
Learning Outcomes	The students who succeeded in this course; Develop effective and innovative solutions for real-world challenges and problems. Demonstrate their ability to generate novel ideas and think outside the box by practicing various creative thinking techniques. Develop their skills to motivate, manage and work with creative teams. Use a set of practical tools and strategies that they can apply to foster creativity and innovation in their personal and professional lives. Explain the processes for developing a culture that nurtures creativity. Demonstrate their creative presentation skills.
Course Description	This course focuses on enhancing creative thinking and problem-solving skills. It starts with understanding the nature of creativity and the traits of creative individuals. Students will learn to overcome barriers to creativity and apply lateral thinking to complex problems. The course includes practical exercises, group discussions, and real-world projects to practice creative techniques. By the end of the course, students will have a toolkit of strategies to foster creativity and innovation in various contexts.
Related Sustainable Development Goals

Course Category	Core Courses
	Major Area Courses
	Supportive Courses
	Media and Management Skills Courses
	Transferable Skill Courses

Week	Subjects	Related Preparation
1	Principles of Creative Thinking	Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention, Chapter 2: Where is Creativity? ISBN0-06-092820-4
2	Overcoming Creative Blocks and Mindsets
3	Lateral Thinking	Edward De Bono - Six Thinking Hats, Chapter 6: The Purpose of Six Hat Thinking, 29-31, ISBN0-14-013784-X
4	Idea Incubation and Generation	Bryan W. Mattimore, "Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs" Chapter 2: Beyond Brainstorming: Understanding Individual and Group Ideation Techniques, 23-49
5	Challenging Assumptions
6	Interrogating Problems	Dan Roam, "The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures" Chapter 14: Why Should We Even Bother? 222-237 , ISBN 978-0-462-09947-7
7	Kickstarting Ideas	Chris Jarez-Brown - How to have kick-ass ideas Chapter 2: The Process, 51-75, ISBN 978-0-00-722094-6
8	Techniques and Approaches for Generating Ideas	Goldberg, Levav, Mazursky, Solomon : Cracking the Ad Code, Chapter 1: Unification, 18-41, ISBN 978-0-521-67597-0
9	Reflective Thinking	Donald A. Schön, "The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action", Chapter 1: Professional Knowledge and Reflection-in-action, ISBN 1-85742-319-4
10	Managing and Motivating Creative People	Bryan W. Mattimore, "Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs" Chapter 1: A Map of the Creative Mind: Embracing Seven Creative Thinking Mind-Sets, 11-23
11	Practical Application of Creative Techniques	Goldberg, Levav, Mazursky, Solomon : Cracking the Ad Code, Chapter 2: Activation, 43-62, ISBN 978-0-521-67597-0
12	Group Work and Problem-Solving Sessions
13	Case Studies in Creative Thinking	"Harvard Business Review on Breakthrough Thinking" Chapter 2: Spark Innovation through Empathic Design, 29-57 Chapter 4: A Film Director’s Approach to Managing Creativity, 87-117 Chapter 7: Interpretive Management: What General Managers Can Learn from Design?, 161-189 ISBN 1-57851-181-X
14	Final Project Presentation Preparation
15	Semester Review	Review of all course materials and preparation for the final exam.
16	Final Exam	No additional materials required.

Course Notes/Textbooks

Suggested Readings/Materials

Genrich Altschuller - Creativity as an exact science, 1984

Edward de Bono, "Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step

James L. Adams, "Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas”

Tom Kelley and David Kelley, "Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All"

John W. Gardner, "Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society"

Tina Seelig, "inGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity"

Donald A. Schön, "The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action"

Michael Michalko, "Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques"

Semester Activities	Number	Weigthing
Participation	1	10
Laboratory / Application
Field Work
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments	2	20
Presentation / Jury	1	20
Project	1	50
Seminar / Workshop
Oral Exams
Midterm
Final Exam
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade		50
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade		50
Total

Semester Activities	Number	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Theoretical Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours)	16	3	48
Laboratory / Application Hours (Including exam week: '.16.' x total hours)	16		0
Study Hours Out of Class	14	3	42
Field Work			0
Quizzes / Studio Critiques			0
Portfolio			0
Homework / Assignments	2	15	30
Presentation / Jury	1	18	18
Project	1	30	30
Seminar / Workshop			0
Oral Exam			0
Midterms			0
Final Exam			0
		Total	168

#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	* Contribution Level
#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	To be able to acquire a sound knowledge of fundamental concepts, theories, principles and methods of investigation specific to the economic field.	-	-	-	-	-
2	To be able to apply adequate mathematical, econometric, statistical and data analysis models to process economic data and to implement scientific research for development of economic policies.	-	-	-	-	-
3	To be able to participate in academic, professional, regional, and global networks and to utilize these networks efficiently.	-	-	-	-	-
4	To be able to have adequate social responsibility with regards to the needs of the society and to organize the activities to influence social dynamics in line with social goals.	-	-	-	-	-
5	To be able to integrate the knowledge and training acquired during the university education with personal education and produce a synthesis of knowledge one requires.	-	-	-	-	-
6	To be able to evaluate his/her advance level educational needs and do necessary planning to fulfill those needs through the acquired capability to think analytically and critically.	-	-	-	-	-
7	To be able to acquire necessary skills to integrate social dynamics into economic process both as an input and an output.	-	-	-	-	-
8	To be able to link accumulated knowledge acquired during the university education with historical and cultural qualities of the society and be able to convey it to different strata of society.	-	-	-	-	-
9	To be able to take the responsibility as an individual and as a team member.	-	-	-	-	-
10	To be able to attain social, scientific and ethical values at the data collection, interpretation and dissemination stages of economic analysis.	-	-	-	-	-
11	To be able to collect data in economics and communicate with colleagues in a foreign language ("European Language Portfolio Global Scale", Level B1)	-	-	-	-	-
12	To be able to speak a second foreign language at a medium level of fluency efficiently.	-	-	-	-	-
13	To be able to relate the knowledge accumulated throughout human history to their field of economics.	-	-	-	-	-