The Paperclip

The Paperclip

The aim is to avoid self-censorship in the creative processes.

1. The teacher asks the students to list all the uses for a paperclip they can think of - this should take approximately 1 minute.
2. The teacher asks students to analyse their list by asking themselves the following questions:

• Have you thought of any ‘alternative’ uses for a paperclip? For example, to pick a padlock or the lock on a box that belongs to someone else.
• Have you written these uses down or have you thought that it was better not to, so as not leave any evidence?

3. The teacher brings the students together to discuss the following points:

• Do we censor ourselves when we think?
• When we thought-shower, is the most important thing the number of ideas generated?
• Should moral dilemmas have to be removed to reveal brilliant ideas that initially may seem absurd, disrespectful or crazy?

The activity could be done using online tools such as Padlet, Miro, Mural, virtual whiteboard and breakout rooms in Teams/Zoom.

Inspired by: https://thinkernautas.com/2-ejercicios-mas-creativo-tus-ideas-fluyan-mas-rapido (created by Guilford, 1967)