As part of the DeSIRe Project aimed at enhancing soft skills within higher education institutions of Armenia and Georgia, two tailored in-house training sessions were conducted under Module 5: Creative Thinking and Problem Solving Skills. These sessions targeted two distinct groups – academic/administrative staff and students – and were designed using the Training of Trainers (ToT) model and co-creation framework, incorporating practices and materials developed during the LUT training.

Session 1: Training for Academic and Administrative Staff

Duration: 2 hours
Purpose:
This session aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of creativity in an academic context, introduce practical problem-solving tools, and demonstrate methods for integrating creativity into teaching and institutional practices.

Structure and Activities:

• Welcome and Introduction
  The trainer presented the goals of the DeSIRe project and outlined the session’s objectives, emphasizing the growing need for creativity in education and the labor market.
• Interactive Session I: Understanding Creativity
  As an ice-breaker participants took the Torrance Test of Creativity to assess their creativity levels by completeing 12 images in a way that no image was the same.
• Interactive Session II: Creativity Tools
  The session introduced key creative thinking tools, including Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving), SCAMPER, and the Fishbone Diagram. Participants practiced these tools in pairs to solve a hypothetical university-related issue. Participants engaged in a divergent thinking icebreaker, the “How many uses?” paperclip game using SCAMPER model.
• Breakout Group Activity (25 minutes):
  Participants worked in groups to address a real institutional problem using Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats method. This activity was the highlight of the session as all the participants found this lateral thinking tool very efficient both in teaching and overall academic settings.
• Interactive Session III: Creativity Teasers
  Fun, hands-on challenges encouraged out-of-the-box thinking. Activities included solving physical puzzles and crafting a story using five random words within five minutes.
• Interactive Session III: Creativity in Teaching
  This segment focused on applying creativity in the classroom through engaging assignments, student involvement strategies, and curriculum design. Participants discussed best practices and challenges.
• Group Discussion and Wrap-Up:
  The session concluded with a discussion on barriers to creativity in higher education and strategies to foster a culture of innovation. Participants shared reflections, evaluated the session, and received additional resources for further reading.
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Session 2: Training for Students

Duration: 1.5 hours
Purpose:
This session was designed to cultivate creative thinking among students, introduce them to structured problem-solving tools, and engage them in activities that foster innovation and collaboration.

Structure and Activities:

• Welcome and Introduction
  The trainer introduced the session, highlighted the relevance of creativity in students’ academic and professional lives, and outlined the goals of the DeSIRe project.
• Interactive Session I: Understanding Creativity
  Students took the Torrance Test of Creativity to assess their creativity levels by completeing 12 images in a way that no image was the same.
• Interactive Session II: Creativity Tools
  Students were introduced to the Six Thinking Hats, TRIZ, SCAMPER, and brainstorming techniques. In groups, they applied the Six Thinking Hats method to analyze and solve a given problem.
• Interactive Session III: Creativity Teasers
  Fun, hands-on challenges encouraged out-of-the-box thinking. Activities included solving physical puzzles and crafting a story using five random words within five minutes.
• Discussion and Wrap-Up
  Participants discussed how creativity supported their solutions, reflected on improvements, and shared insights. The session ended with a motivational message to adopt a creative mindset and explore suggested readings.

Materials Used:
Visual toolkits, design worksheets, posters, creativity books and video.

Common Assessment Ideas for Both Groups:

• Reflective journals documenting creative thinking use
• Peer reviews of problem-solving outcomes
• Evaluation rubrics for creativity, practicality, and teamwork
• Concept mapping to represent thinking processes

These two sessions successfully introduced participants to essential creative thinking concepts and methods, equipped them with practical tools, and fostered a collaborative environment for innovation in both teaching and learning contexts.

Common Assessment Ideas for Both Groups:

• Reflective journals documenting creative thinking use
• Peer reviews of problem-solving outcomes
• Evaluation rubrics for creativity, practicality, and teamwork
• Concept mapping to represent thinking processes

These two sessions successfully introduced participants to essential creative thinking concepts and methods, equipped them with practical tools, and fostered a collaborative environment for innovation in both teaching and learning contexts.