Students will be able to use specific AI-driven strategies to break through creative blocks and find new inspiration.
Key Ideas
Why Creative Blocks Happen
The "blank page" problem: Fear of starting.
Perfectionism: The fear of not creating something great.
Creative fatigue: Running out of fresh ideas.
Fixed perspective: Being stuck in one way of thinking.
AI Strategies for Breaking Blocks
Lowering the Stakes (The "Bad First Draft" Strategy): Ask the AI to "write a terrible first draft of a blog post about...". This removes the pressure of perfection and gives you something to react to and improve.
Forced Connections (The "Creative Catalyst" Strategy): Take your stuck idea and ask the AI to connect it to a random concept (e.g., "How would you design a user interface for a banking app if it were inspired by a beehive?"). The goal isn't a usable idea, but to shock your brain into a new perspective.
Perspective Shifting: Ask the AI to describe your problem from a different point of view. (e.g., "Describe this product from the perspective of a skeptical customer," or "Write a story about this from the perspective of the villain.")
Constraint-Based Generation: Give the AI a set of challenging constraints to work within. (e.g., "Write a poem about marketing automation, but it must be a haiku," or "Design a poster for a music festival using only two colors and no text.")
In-Lesson Activities
"Block Breaker" Simulation: Present students with a common creative block scenario (e.g., "You need to come up with a new feature for a popular app, but you have no ideas"). In groups, have them apply the AI strategies discussed to generate three potential starting points.
Personal Block Clinic: Have students write down a creative block they are currently facing. In a shared (but anonymous) document, have them use AI to apply one of the strategies to their block and share the result.
Talking Points
"A creative block is not a sign of failure; it's a sign that you need a new stimulus. AI is the ultimate stimulus on demand."
"The fastest way to get unstuck is to make a mess. Let the AI make the first mess for you."
"Think of these techniques as a form of creative exercise. You're stretching your brain in new ways."