“The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old questions from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.”—Albert Einstein

This is a guest column by Beth Willis Miller. If you’d like to submit a guest post to Blogging Bistro, check out the guidelines.

When I served as the Florida Department of Education State Consultant for Gifted Education, I was frequently asked to provide technical assistance to school districts regarding strategies to improve creative and critical thinking skills. In this blog post, I have identified some strategies with practical action steps to help you develop your imagination in social media.

Strategies for Developing Your Imagination

Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, and Elaboration are the four primary strategies for developing and improving creative thinking or imagination.

1.  Fluency is the ability to think of many answers to a question, to list many possible solutions to a problem, or to generate a number of responses. Fluency is being able to think of lots of plans or ideas. You are fluent when you can:

• Think of a long list of reasons for…
• Make a very long list of…
• List many uncommon uses for a common thing, like…

2.  Flexibility is the ability to change your way of thinking about a problem or situation. It is the ability to think of alternative ideas and to adapt to different situations. You are flexible when you can:

• Think of an alternative to…
• Think of another way to…
• Invent an interesting way to…

3.  Originality is the ability to think of fresh or unusual designs, ideas, responses, or styles. People who are original are independent and creative in their thoughts and actions. They create things that are new, different, or unique. You are original when you can:

• Suggest a unique name for…
• Devise a tool that will help you…
• Design a…

4.  Elaboration is the process of expanding an idea by adding detail. To elaborate, you must understand the original idea and see a way to clarify or improve it by adding specific details. You are elaborating when you add to, enlarge, enrich, or expand descriptions, designs, drawings, explanations, instructions, reports or stories. You are using elaboration when you can:

• Add extra details to…
• Tell more about…
• Explain in greater detail…

Beth Willis Miller, former Florida Department of Education State Consultant for Gifted Education, has a Master’s Degree in Education, and currently serves in special ministries at the First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Florida. Married to Jack for 36 years, Beth is the mother of two, a daughter, Tracy (30), and a son, Jason (18).