Future Problem Solving Program International Inc

FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING PROGRAM INTERNATIONAL (FPSPI) EQUIPS TODAY'S YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE VISION AND SKILLS NEEDED TO ANTICIPATE, UNDERSTAND, AND SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW. THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE ROOTED IN THE USE OF CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING WITHIN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. FPSPI IS AN OUTGROWTH OF DR. E. PAUL TORRANCE'S WORK IN 1974 WHEN HE CREATED FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING TO TEACH STUDENTS THE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS AND TO INSTILL IN THEM A POSITIVE VIEW OF THE FUTURE. TORRANCE COMBINED THE SIX-STEP CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS DEVELOPED BY ALEX OSBORN AND SYDNEY PARNES WITH SOME POTENTIAL ISSUES OF THE FUTURE. FPSPI CONSISTS OF FOUR COMPETITIVE COMPONENTS BASED ON THE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS. THE ORIGINAL COMPETITION FROM 1974 WAS RENAMED GLOBAL ISSUES PROBLEM SOLVING (2009) AND ADDRESSES FIVE TOPICS OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE EACH YEAR. SCENARIO WRITING (1976) INVOLVES CREATIVE WRITING IN WHICH STUDENTS PROJECT ISSUES OF TODAY TWENTY TO

ANNUALLY, THE FPS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HOSTS APPROXIMATELY 2200 PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT AS CHAMPIONS IN THE AFFILIATE PROGRAMS TO GATHER WITH OTHER COMPETITORS TO COMPETE FOR INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STATUS. IN 1979 45 TEAMS COMPETED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA IN TEAM BOOKLET COMPETITION (NOW TITLED GLOBAL ISSUES PROBLEM SOLVING). THE 2020 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HOSTED 242 GLOBAL ISSUES PROBLEM SOLVING TEAMS, 52 COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVING PROJECTS, 93 SCENARIO WRITERS AND 43 SCENARIO PERFORMERS.

THE CENTER FOR CREATIVE LEARNING IS BUILT ON MORE THAN FIVE DECADES OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND FIELD EXPERIENCE WORLDWIDE. A WIDE VARIETY OF OFFERINGS INCLUDE HIGH-QUALITY WEB-BASED AND PRINT RESOURCES, E-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WORKSHOPS, AND CONSULTING SERVICES ON CREATIVITY AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING (CPS). OUR WORK FOCUSES ON METHODS AND TOOLS FOR GENERATING IDEAS ("CREATIVE THINKING"), FOCUSING IDEAS ("CRITICAL THINKING"), AND SYSTEMATIC APPROACHES TO DEFINING AND SOLVING COMPLEX, OPEN-ENDED, REAL-LIFE PROBLEMS (CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, VERSION 6.1).

FPSPI PROVIDES DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION TO SERVE THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS, PROGRAMS, AND ONGOING EVALUATIONS TO STUDENTS TO IMPROVE FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES. FPSPI ENHANCES SKILLS STATED AS ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND PROVIDES AUTHENTIC EVALUATION TO STUDENTS USING RUBRIC BASED ASSESSMENTS. DR. TORRANCE WAS A VISIONARY WHO SAW THAT STUDENTS NEEDED TO FOCUS ON THEIR FUTURE WORLD LONG BEFORE THEY BECAME ADULTS MAKING THE DECISIONS OF RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, FPSPI HAS ATTRACTED ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS INTERESTED IN QUALITY EDUCATION AND THE MOTIVATION OF HIGH ACHIEVING THINKERS.