Angus Fletcher - The 2022 E. Paul Torrance Lecture

The 2022 E. Paul Torrance Lecture
Why are Children More Creative than Computer AI--Until They Go to School?
Angus Fletcher, Professor of Story Science, The Ohio State University
For decades, researchers have observed: children get less creative the longer they attend school. In this talk, I'll explain why--and what we can do about it. I'll reveal how children's creativity is rooted in a neural process that cannot be reproduced by computer AI. I'll detail my work with US Special Operations to up-train that neural process in adults. I'll present my lab's new findings on how the training can restore creativity in elementary students. And I'll propose that we devote less time in school to critical thinking and mindfulness--and more time to causal thinking and art.
Angus Fletcher Professor of Story Science at Ohio State's Project Narrative, the world's leading academic institute for the study of stories. His research on how narrative can boost empathy, courage, and creativity has been called "mind-blowing" by Malcolm Gladwell and "life-changing" by Brene Brown. His most recent books are Wonderworks (Simon & Schuster, 2021) and Storythinking (Columbia University Press, 2023). His current research partners include various Fortune 50s, public schools, and US Special Operations.
The E. Paul Torrance Lecture, sponsored by the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development at the University of Georgia's Mary Frances Early College of Education annually brings together scholars, professionals and creative artists to discuss a wide range of topics and themes that are informative about the nature of creativity. It was established in 1985 to honor Dr. E. Paul Torrance, a native Georgian and pioneer in research on the identification and development of creative potential.
The University of Georgia
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