The purpose of this chapter is to describe and demonstrate how structuring uncertainty can result in generative UxD learning opportunities aimed at preparing young people for unknown futures.

This chapter explores little-c, or everyday creativity, by providing an overview of the creative process. First, Graham Wallas’s initial model, which features the concepts of incubation and insight, is discussed. Then J. P. Guilford’s creative problem-solving model and subsequent additions and revisions are highlighted. I talk about the importance of problem finding before proceeding to the well-known concepts of divergent and convergent thinking. I proceed to discuss Paul Torrance and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, along with other divergent thinking measures. I finish up with a quick mention of associational thinking and the Remote Associates Test.

Although the development of creativity is an oft-stated goal for students, it is seldom infused into school curricula, nor are teachers explicitly trained on how to promote it within their classrooms, even in the context of selective programs. We have several goals for this chapter. The first is to describe our view of the current status of creativity education for advanced pre-university students, noting its minimal presence except in artistic domains. Second, we differentiate the concepts of gifted education and talent development, favoring the latter as the direction of the future for enhancing the role of creativity. Third, we address some challenges for applying creativity in the gifted and talented classroom.

This chapter focuses on mindfulness as a tool to build creativity in research. Researchers tend to be busy, rarely stopping to take the time to notice how they go about their research and why. This chapter argues that you can be more productive if you pay explicit attention to the behaviors, thoughts, and attitudes that comprise your research practice. By developing the ability to notice and accept what is happening, you can develop the ability to act more intentionally.

This chapter focuses on problem solving as a tool for creativity in research. While researchers have sophisticated analytic strategies for solving problems, research can stall because you are unclear what problem needs to be solved or are trying to solve the wrong problem. This chapter explores tools for identifying and framing tractable problems. It also discusses how you can become more comfortable with ambiguity, i.e., not knowing how you’ll move forward in a given situation.