I think my miniature golf project will give the students a perfect opportunity to display their creativity and/or innovation. There are a few requirements set forth that the students need to follow, mostly dimensions and shot types, therefore the creativity limitations are minimal.
One thing that I am still considering is the materials they can use. Do I leave it completely up to them (they buy/use whatever they have) or do I give them some materials to use? The one thing I am worried about with students purchasing materials is that some students' financial obligations are different from others. On the other hand if I provide the materials, that could limit their creativity a little bit.
Now that I mention it, I started thinking about this: Do limitations/requirements necessarily limit creativity? Sometimes with special limitations or more requirements, students have to be more creative/innovative in order to solve the problem. With less or random materials, students have to be more creative in their use. On the other hand, limiting the requirements allow for more openess in their creation. Interesting to think about... I guess it depends on the type of project and its goals.
Have a great week everyone!
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You bring up a good point, and I honestly can't tell you the answer. But it would seem to me that in some cases, yes, limitations could actually allow for more creativity. I think your project is already full of opportunities for creativity, though!
ReplyDeleteAs for providing materials, I would at least OFFER some materials for students to use, just so that those who cannot afford other materials will have another option. It's smart of you to think that way! :)
Have a great week!
I agree with Sarah - I can't give you a straight answer about this, either. I think it would depend on the student/group as to how the limitations or requirements would affect creativity.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of at least offering a suggestion for materials. Then students will have the option to use the basic or minimum requirements for materials or to think "outside the box" and come up with their own materials. Either way the students can still be creative.
Another problem I could foresee would be when it came time to evaluate the projects. You would almost need someone who did not know anything about the materials offered to judge fairly. At least then the judge would not see the basic materials being used and think that that student/group did not make an effort to improve their project by using other materials. I could be way off base here but it was just a thought that I had.
Good luck!
You do have a dilema on your hands! I agree with the comment you made saying that by limiting the materials they are allowed to use you could enhance their creativity. I took an art class during my undergrad and we did one project where we could only use recycled items. I ended up making a pretty decent castle out of shoeboxes and zaxby's to-go cups. It was interesting to see what kinds of things we could make by reusing things. It's pretty green, too. Also, some parents who might not be in the financial situation to where they can buy the resources to build the mini golf course would appreciate the recycled idea. If you did want to provide them with anything, maybe you could provide them with the green felt that will be like the turf. That way they will have some sort of resemblance.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!