Evaluating the impact of Brainstorming and Scamper technique on promoting the creativity of architectural design skills

Creativity or Innovation is a controversial issue in various scientific fields, especially educational sciences and psychology. If we consider design as an imaginative creation of pre intended possible form of things to achieve different humanistic purpose; in this process, Creativity, as a multilevel concept, can be thought as a process that, although formed in the human minds, but is has also objective appearance in architectural patterns, methods and designs. In recent decades, the creativity concept Investigation, its functions and its influence on learning - as well as the ways of teaching creativity - have become a matter of great importance. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the levels of basic and altered creativity in the architectural design studio (3) course, based on the four main components of Torrance Creativity Thinking Test (Fluency, flexibility, originality and Elaboration) and Scamper tecnique.

The required data of this research were collected by using the experimental research method in the form of the pre-test and post-test design through both Torrance's test  and drawing sketch among the students of Ardabil Azad university in the second semester of the academic year 2017-2018.  The research sample consisted of 40 students divided into two groups with two individual instructors. In first step, by using the pre-test, the level of students' creativity in each of 4 dimensions was measured. Then, in order to evaluate altered creativity, the first group was trained by common training - approved in higher education- and the second group instructed and evaluated through the experimental intervention – implementation of creativity training program (Teaching Brainstorming technique) in 6 sessions, by Related exercises. Finally, in second step, by using Scamper technique, drawing sketch test was given to both groups.

Statistical data were analyzed by running both MANOVA and ANOVA techniques in SPSS. The Results obtained from the implementation of the experimental method, showed statistically significant difference between the experimental group and the control group (common and approved method of training) at the levels of Torrance creative thinking components. And among 4 components of Torrance creative thinking, Fluency has been improved by creativity training techniques more than other components in both multiple choice and sketching tests. In fact, it could be deducted that students, were able to draw more ideas related to the subject of design, after learning creative techniques in the post-test step, which showed an increase in the fluid level of creativity of this group. Also, based on data analysis, the originality dimension is at a lower level than other components.

While creativity based instruction enhances architectural design skills and impacts on all   components of creativity (Fluency, flexibility, originality and Elaboration), the current teaching method not only can undermine the students' originality but also may lead the design process to imitation. In addition, in the originality dimension, due to factors which has influence on it such as time and space, the student's experience, adequate practice and group interaction, it is suggested to consider each of these components in assessment techniques.