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THE BASIC COURSE

Creativity, Inventive Thinking


and Technological Innovation

COURSE DESCRIPTION
AND CONTENT

Likhaan Institute
of CREATOLOGY and INNOVATION

Promoting the Years of Creativity and Innovation | 2023-2025


CELEBRATING THE 5Oth ANNIVERSARY OF LIKHAAN INSTITUTE AND THE INVENTSCHOOLTM | JULY 1973-2023
The Basic Training Course
Creativity, Inventive Thinking
and Technological Innovation

THE BASIC COURSE in Creativity, Inventive Thinking and Technological Innovation (CITTI) is a
course especially designed to provide the participants with the concepts and principles of
human creativity, invention and innovation, and the practice of perceptive thinking and
creative thinking as well as problem-solving and decision-making in the development of
invention-innovation. It prepares the participants to use their thinking abilities to bring about
something new, novel and useful to her/himself, her/his work and society in general, and
develop new products and inventions in particular.
The training course is intended to enable the participants to acquire a good understanding of
creativity, thinking, invention, and innovation. It explains the purpose and usefulness of creativity and
innovation. It provides deliberate methods, tools and techniques for generating creative ideas in a
practical way or in creating future generations of products. It prescribes systematic approach for
perceptive-analytic thinking and creative problem-solving and decision-making, which is an organized
and structured process using methods, tools and techniques of systematic innovation for technology
development to solve a particular problem, improve an existing system, or to explore opportunities to
create new products or technologies. It also presents, in an abbreviated fashion, the ideals of life-long
creative learning and the importance of innovations in education.
Rationale. There are many courses on creativity... so why this course? The answer is simple. This
course will not just be focusing on what creativity is and why we need to enhance it, but learn how to
improve and develop it using specific methods, deliberate tools, and organized techniques which will
directly help in generating new ideas and systematically develop creative imagination. Therefore, this
training course will provide an answer on how to unlock your creative imagination and how to develop
it, which is a prerequisite for enhancing creative skills. The participants will not just be learning
several new techniques, but learn how to widen their imagination and develop their capabilities to
think in many creative ways.
Creative thinking or creative imagination, just like any skill, requires development – and it can be
developed systematically. This course is a systematic approach to the development of creative
imagination and innovative thinking, which can be used in pursuing any endeavor, invention
development in this particular case. Creative tools and techniques can be learned very quickly, and
immediately put into practice.
It should be noted that creative thinking not only help in coming up with new ideas, but help in
recognizing opportunities and seeing ahead of others. Creative thinking is commonly used to invent
new products and technologies, improve the features of existing products, solve technical problems
as well as business problems, find new creative ideas for marketing and advertisement, books and
screenplays, paintings and photographic art, architectural designs and landscaping schemes –
virtually every area where creativity is demanded including public administration and local
governance. Creative thinking and imagination are successfully applied in team sessions to facilitate
the generation of new ideas.
Hence, everyone should develop their creativity and thinking skills to become successful in creating
new invention and technological innovation.

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Objectives of the Basic Course. The general purposes of the training course are: 1) to introduce to the
participants the uses of creativity by providing information on its nature; analysis of the qualities of
the creative personality; description of the operational mechanisms behind the creative process; and
presentation of ideation tools, methods and techniques for generating ideas, developing creative
products and creating future generations of the products; 2) to explain the purpose and usefulness of
perceptive thinking and the deliberate method of creative thinking; 3) to present an organized and
systematically structured creative problem-solving and decision-making technique following the
innovation process; and 4) to define the basic principles of creative learning, and the importance of
life-long learning.
More specifically, the objectives of the training course are:
1. To clarify what creativity is and why we need to enhance it, and learn how to improve and develop it
using specific methods, deliberate tools, and organized techniques which will directly help the participants
in generating new ideas and systematically develop creative imagination.
2. To stimulate the creative potentials and thinking abilities of the participants, and help them build their
creative strengths and innovative abilities.
3. To equip the participants with practical skills in using creative ideation tools and techniques, and
systematic perceptive thinking procedures which can be applied to day-to-day work, as well as in
developing new ideas, technological innovations and social inventions or community innovations.
4. To provide the participants with working knowledge of the uses of creativity for creative studies and
technological research, the importance of intellectual property rights and the process of patenting their
invention or copywriting their social inventions.
5. To provide the participants with an organized and systematically structured creative problem-solving
and decision-making technique following the innovation process and using methods, tools and techniques
of systematic innovation for technology, to solve invention development problem, improve an existing
system, to explore opportunities to create new products/technologies, or develop social innovations.
6. To additionally equip and effectively motivate the participants for the achievement of better work quality
and make them more creative and productive in their day-to-day work and in developing new inventions.
7. To introduce the participants to developmental work in promoting inventive activities, both in the
technological and socio-economic settings.
Result Expectations. At the end of course, the Basic Training Course expects the following results:
1. The participants will have clarified what creativity is all about and why we need to enhance it, and
learned how to improve and develop it using specific methods, deliberate tools, and organized techniques.
➢ Such clarification will make them understand the meaning and usefulness of creativity, improved their
creative imagination by appreciating the concepts of creativity, the creative process and the methods,
tools, and techniques of creative thinking.
2. The participants will have realized their inherent creative potentials, thinking abilities, innovative
capabilities; and how these can be harnessed and fully developed for creative studies/research, self-
development, educational improvement, and organizational growth.
➢ Such realization will strengthen their creative/inventive abilities and make them more capable in
working with their colleagues, doing their assigned tasks, duties and responsibilities, harnessing their
creative capabilities, and serving as member of the inventive pool of their organization.
3. The participants will have been provided with practical skills in using ideation tools, systematic
perceptive thinking procedures, and knowledge of the various uses of creative techniques for developing
new ideas, technological innovations and social inventions, which will strengthen their inventive
capabilities.
➢ Such techniques, skills and knowledge will make them more perceptive and innovative in
accomplishing assigned tasks, achieving inventive goals and targets, and developing new ideas and
technical or social inventions.
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4. The participants will have been provided with working knowledge of the uses of creativity for creative
studies and technological research, basic information about intellectual property rights (IPR) and the
process of patenting their invention or copywriting their social innovations.
➢ Such working knowledge of the uses of creativity will make them more perceptive, creative and
innovative in creative studies and technological research; while the information about IPR and
understanding the process of patenting will inspire them to create patentable ideas and protect their
inventions or social innovations.
5. The participants will have sufficiently developed practical skills in the application of a systematically
structured creative problem-solving and decision-making technique, and have been effectively motivated
for using the procedure for technology innovation, solving inventive problems, and exploring opportunities
to create products/technologies, or social innovations, among others.
➢ Such practical skills will make them apply the creative problem-solving and decision-making
technique to develop and produce technological invention/innovation, solve inventive problems,
explore opportunities in creating new products/technologies or social innovations, and improve
decision making process.
6. The participants will have been equipped and effectively motivated for achieving better work quality and
make them more creative and productive in their day-to-day work and in developing inventions and
innovations.
➢ Such skills and motivation will make them increase their inventive productivity and hopefully develop
higher creative/intellective abilities, and guide/help others in developing technological or social
inventions.
7. The participants will have assessed and analyzed the promotion of inventive activities within the
technological and socio-economic settings of the country or in its locality.
➢ Such assessment and analysis will make them effectively review the invention development
programs/services and acquire better understanding of the technological and socio-economic settings
of the country or its locality.
Training Methodologies. The training methodologies include lecture, demonstration, workshop,
thinking games, creativity exercises, and gaming simulation with open forum-discussion at the end of
each lecture, workshop, game and exercise.
Training Outputs. At the end of the training sessions, the Training Course expects to produce the
following outputs:
1. Participants who are trained in the rudiments of creativity, perceptive-creative thinking, innovative
approaches, and invention development, making them capable of improving their perception, enhancing
their creative abilities and developing new inventions.
2. Participants who have understood the uses of creativity for creative studies and technological research,
and acquired basic information on intellectual property rights (IPR) and the process of patenting their
invention, making ready in doing inventive research and the development of inventions.
3. Participants who have acquired inventive techniques, developed capability in formulating invention ideas
and innovations, trained in the application of a creative problem-solving and decision-making technique,
making them ready to work on solving their invention-problems and facing innovative challenges.
4. Report on training course completed including the comments/recommendations on the training course,
handouts and reference materials needed by the participants.
Training Requirements. The primary requirements of the Basic Training Course are, among others, the
following:
1. All participants are required to attend at least 85% of all training sessions and its corresponding topics
and training/gaming exercises.
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2. All participants are expected to participate in open discussions/forums, exercises and gaming
simulations, individual or group assignments, and other related training/learning activities.
3. All participants are required to be on time in all training sessions particularly at the start of sessions and
after break, lunch and dinner times.
4. All participants shall submit the required outputs of each session, exercises or games, if required. [ This
shall be announced by the concerned lecturer/trainer.]
5. Participants who were not able to attend the required attendance percentage will not be given
“Certificate of Completion” of the training course; instead, they will be
given a simple “certificate of attendance.”
❖ Certification. Participants who successfully completed the Basic
Training Course will be given certificates of completion. [However,
only Likhaan Agglomerates, Inc. and its education and research center,
the Likhaan Institute of Creatology and Innovation ( LICI) and The
InventSchoolTM and their recognized/authorized trainers are allowed to
issue sealed certificates.]

Course Content & Topic Outline


The basic training course content/outline. The “Basic Course in
Creativity, Inventive Thinking and Technological Innovation” starts
with an opening session and an introductory module on Creatology,
the science of creativity and innovation. The training proper is
divided into eight (8) modules with the following major topics: (1)
The need for creativity, thinking skills and inventions, (2) How the
mind works: A conceptual framework, (3) The concept of thinking
and principles of creativity, (4) The importance of perception and
creative thinking, (5) Developing creative thinking skills – Ideation
tools and techniques, (6) Invention development and intellectual
property rights, (7) Creative problem-solving and decision-making,
and (8) Ideation exercises and invention development workshop.
Course Activities, Contents and Topic Outline. The program of
activities, course contents and topic outline of the Basic Course in
Creativity, Inventive Thinking and Technological Innovation (CITTI)
are presented below.

:: Start-up Formalities and Opening Session


➢ Overview of the Basic Training Course – A brief presentation on the
program of activities of the Basic Training Course, its background,
rationale and objectives, expectations and outputs.
➢ Expectations, training schedules and course requirements –
Discussions on the expected results, schedule of activities and
basic requirements of the Basic Training Course.
 Open discussion on the basic training course – Clarifications on the
contents, topics and concerns presented above.
Training Sessions
:: Introductory Module – Creatology, the Science of
Creativity and Innovation: An Overview
Basic Course in CREATIVITY, INVENTIVE THINKING and TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION | COURSE DESCRIPTION & CONTENT | Page 5

(Creatology serves as the foundation and training framework for CITTI training courses as well as other educational
programs of Likhaan.)
This opening Module provides an overview of “Creatology,” the science of creativity and innovation which
was conceived in May-June 1971 in the Philippines and officially proposed in October 1972. It explains the
origin of this new science and describes its creativity research activities, initial findings, and propositions.
Creatology serves as the foundation and training framework for this CITTI training program.
a. Creatology, the science of creativity – proposed by Aboganda-Cortez
b. Another proponent of creatology – advocated by Magyari-Beck
c. Other proponents of the science of creativity – suggested by Hashemi and Aleinikov
d. Refutative arguments and additional clarification
 The future of Creatology as a science of creativity and innovation

:: Module 1 – The Need for Creativity, Thinking Skills and Inventions


This module deals with the explanation of the reasons why we need to train students, educators/teachers
(public and private), officials and public servants (national, regional and local governments), and the
general public on creativity, thinking, innovation and invention development.
1.1 Understanding creativity, thinking and invention
1.1.1 What is creativity? – A short explanation
1.1.2 What is an innovation? – A general overview
1.1.3 What is Thinking? – A summary description
1.1.4 What is an Invention? – A brief introduction
1.1.5 Recapitulation: Creativity and innovation, thinking and invention
1.2 The purpose and usefulness of creativity, thinking skills and inventions
1.2.1 The limits of logical and critical thinking
1.2.2 The purpose and use of creativity and thinking
1.2.3 Developing thinking skills, new inventions and innovations
1.3 Why we need to learn creativity and develop thinking skills?
1.3.1 Creativity and education/training: Why creativity has not been encouraged in schools?
1.3.2 Can we teach creativity and creative thinking?
1.3.3 Can we develop creativity and creative thinking?
1.3.4 Why creativity and thinking skills are learnable set of skills
➔ Epilogue: The challenging questions for all
 MESSAGE: Life-long creative learning and the importance of innovations in education

:: Module 2 – How the Mind Works: A Conceptual Framework with a quick look at Creativity and the
Human Brain
This module provides a conceptual framework on how the mind works based on De Bono’s explanation
and other related research studies on creativity, and creatology, the science of creativity. It also takes a
quick look at creativity and the human brain.
2.1 Mechanism of the Mind
2.1.1 Basic process underlying the operation of the mind
2.1.2 Operating mechanism of the mind
2.1.3 Observations and criticism on De Bono’s ‘mechanism of the mind’ and ‘lateral thinking’
2.2 Creativity, the human brain, and the ‘mechanism of the mind’
2.2.1 Creativity and the human brain
2.2.2 The human mind and theoretical models on how the brain works
 Smal group discussions on Creativity and the Human Mind
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:: Module 3 – The Concept of Thinking and Principles of Creativity


This module discusses the concept of thinking and explains what thinking is all about, and relates these
concepts and explanations to the principles of creativity and the nature of human creativity, particularly
the four principal aspects of the study of creativity – 3Ps @ E.
3.1 Understanding the Nature and Concept of Thinking
3.1.1 The Nature of Thinking – A Fresh Look at De Bono's Mechanism of the Mind
3.1.2 Concepts of Thinking
3.2 Fundamentals of Creativity
3.2.1 Concepts and Principles of Creativity
3.2.2 Principal Aspects of Human Creativity
3.3 Creativity and Intelligence
3.3.1 What is Intelligence? Difference between Intelligence and Creativity
3.3.2 The Intellectual Factors that Best Support Creativity
:: Module 4 – The Importance of Perception & Operational Process of Creative Thinking
This module presents the power of perception in relation to creative thinking. The session describes the
nature of creative thinking and the methods for enhancing creative thinking of individuals and groups.
4.1 Perception and the Essentials of Perceptive Thinking
4.1.1 Perception and Thinking
4.1.2 The Importance of Perception
4.2 Fundamentals of Perceptive Thinking
4.2.1 Improving Your Perceptive Thinking Ability
4.2.2 How to Improve Your Perceptive Thinking Capability
4.2.3 Enhancing Creativity through the Purposeful Use of Perceptive Thinking Tools and Techniques
4.3 Fundamental Principles and Operational Process of Creative Thinking
4.3.1 What is Creative Thinking?
4.3.2 Fundamental Principles of Creative Thinking
4.3.3 Developing Your Creative Thinking Ability
4.3.4 Stages of Creative Transformation

:: Module 5 – Developing Creative Thinking Skills—Ideation Tools and Techniques


This module introduces several creative thinking tools and ideation techniques from different sources
around the world, particularly those used by creative thinkers and inventors, creatives in the creative
industries, and teachers/educators in colleges and universities.
5.1 Creative thinking as a “specialized” skill
5.1.1 Creative Thinking is a “Specialized” Skill
5.1.2 Creative Thinking is a Learnable Set of Skills
5.2 Creative thinking tools and techniques
5.2.1 Simple ideation tools
5.2.2 Major ideation tools and techniques
5.3 Probing, Improving and Assessing Creative Ideas
5.3.1 Probing and Improving the Creative Ideas
5.3.2 Assessing the Inventive Factors of the Creative Ideas
5.3.3 Selecting the Creative Ideas that can be Developed into a Patentable Technical Invention or
Operable/Applicable Social Invention
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:: Module 6 – Invention Development and Intellectual Property Rights


This module deals with the definitions and explanations on invention, the criteria for determining an
invention based on patent requirements for utility inventions, and the process of invention development. It
introduces the concept of intellectual property rights (IPR), letters patents, patenting requirements and
procedures, and legal aspects of utility patents as well as copyright for social innovations.
6.1 Inventive Thinking and Creativity in Invention
6.1.1 What is an Invention?
6.1.2 Inventive thinking – Assessing your inventive potential in technical inventions
6.1.3 Developing your inventive potentials
6.2 The Invention Development Process
6.2.1 Conceptualizing, Developing and Determining a Technical Invention
6.2.2 General phases, stages and steps in the development of technical invention
6.2.3 Working on the technical invention and social innovations
6.3 Intellectual Property Rights
6.3.1 What is an “Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)”
6.3.2 Patenting the technical invention
6.3.3 Copyright for social invention
:: Module 7 – Creative Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
This module describes the nature, sources and structures of problems. It examines the main elements
of creative problem-solving and decision-making processes, and briefly explains inventive problem-
solving tools, techniques and procedures.
7.1 Nature of Problems
7.1.1 Defining the Problem
7.1.2 Sources of Problem
7.1.3 Structure of Problems
7.2 Creative Problem-Solving Process
7.2.1 The Problem-Solving Process
7.2.2 Creative Problem-Solving: I•I•I•S•I Variables
7.2.3 Creative problem-solving tools and techniques
7.3 Creative Decision-Making Process
7.3.1 Creative Decision-Making: D•C•C•O (DeCCO) Variables
7.3.2 Elements of a Decision
7.3.3 Creative Decision-Making Tools and Techniques
7.3.4 Implementing the Decision
:: Module 8 – Ideation Exercises and Invention Development Workshop
This module offers the training participants opportunities to show their inherent and/or acquired (learned)
creative thinking abilities by creating invention ideas (technical or social inventions) and developing the
ideas into patentable or operable forms.
 Explanation of the workshop objectives, procedures and expected outputs
8.1 Ideation Exercises – Group exercises in generating new ideas for an “invention”
8.1.1 Objectives, procedures and outputs of the exercise
8.1.2 Idea generation: Generating and developing an invention idea
8.1.3 Idea selection: Selecting the best invention idea
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8.2 Invention Development Workshop – Developing an invention idea into “patentable” or


“operational/applicable” form
8.2.1 Objectives, procedures and output of the invention development workshop
8.2.2 Developing the invention idea into patentable form
8.2.3 Developing the social invention idea into operable/applicable form
 Presentation of Workshop Results/Outputs

 Course Summary and Feedback


:: Closing Session
 Awarding of Certificates
:: Fellowship

OTHER TRAINING COURSES


of the
Likhaan Institute
Aside from this Basic Course, other training courses offered by Likhaan Institute
of Creatology and Innovation (LICI) and The InventSchoolTM International (TISI)
Program include the following: 1) Advanced Course in Creativity, Inventive
Thinking and Technological Innovation (CITTI) focusing on creativity in invention
development and “inventological” problem solving; 2) Special Course on
Intellectual Property System, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Patents; 3)
Inventerprise (Invention Enterprise) dealing with invention-based enterprise
development and innovation management; and 4) Scientific and Technological
Creativity (SciTeC) under The InventSchoolTM International Program. LICI also
offers bachelor’s certificate courses such as: 1) Bachelor’s Certificate Program
(BCeP) on creatology and innovation, a two-trimester course of 26 weeks, and 2)
Bachelor’s Diploma Program (BDiP) on creatology and innovation, a three-
trimester course of 39 weeks.

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