Creative problem solving for college classroom attendance policies

Creative Problem Solving

The human condition appears to be creative in nature. Porter (2010) suggested that "ideas appear to arise by chance only when people are actually looking for them. It does not happen to people who are not curious or inquiring or who are not engaged in a hard search for opportunities, possibilities, answers or inventions, " (p.5). The purpose of this paper is to explain a created problem using the Creative Problem Solving Process (CPS). Specifically, this paper will focus on refining the solutions that were presented in an earlier essay.

Original Issue

Within a particular college class room, some of the students regularly come late to the class and left early. These same students also took extended long breaks and were absent from class most of the time. This was not acceptable by the students who always arrived on time and left at the end of the classes. The students who failed to follow rules and did not attend complete class should not have 18 weekly hours reported in the system. The perceived imbalance recognized by the "honest" students was brought to the attention of the professor and a solution was demanded.

Initial Solutions

To fix this problem, the students and teacher came to a mutual agreement:

• Students who want to leave early will also have to arrive early as the teacher will be available for them.

• All students will come back from break on right time.

• Sign in and sign out system will be honestly used by all the students.

• All the students would keep a record of their attendance and will calculate on 1st class of each month, the number of hours they require for completing 90% attendance.

Evaluation of the Argument

This new take on the program is much more relaxed yet promotes that a student's education is the individual's responsibility, not the teacher and certainly not the classmates' either. This is a creative approach that steps outside the norms of the situation in which the problem was created. When a class turns into an argument about attendance, something has gone very wrong, requiring a new philosophical approach to the problem.

Revised Argument

Education is the responsibility of the students themselves, attendance is not mandatory to succeed and does not ensure a student's success. Grades will reflect the knowledge gained in the course. This new approach to the problem places the responsibility on the student to learn, not to attend class, this is what education is about.

Refined Solution with Implementation Plan

The classroom rules were poorly constructed from the start. The teacher will reconstruct the grading plan where no credit will be given for attendance at all.

Step 1 Working Out the Details

A new syllabus containing the breakdown of the course will be produced. Previous grades regarding attendance will be eliminated. This material will be submitted by the teacher through the normal channels to receive any necessary authorization.

Step 2: Finding Imperfections and Complications

The teacher should have the right to alter any grade he deems fit for any reasons he sees fit in case of exceptions that are unforeseen. Nothing is perfect and attempts to include contingencies for every scenario are futile.

Step 3: Making Improvements

The teacher and students are now much more responsible for their own actions. If for some reason this is found unacceptable, the teacher will periodically talk with students who need extra help.

Final Solution

The simplest and yet most effective solution appeared to have been kept out of sight due to preconceived notions about educational responsibilities. Creative Problem Solving attempts need to challenge old ideas to vet their worthiness .