Technology, Algorithms, and the Creativity Conundrum

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Educational theorists often distinguish between algorithmic thinking and creative thinking. Algorithmic thinking involves applying a formalized series of steps to solve a problem, while creative thinking usually refers to the genesis of a completely new piece of work. Creative thinkers invent and build things, while algorithmic thinkers apply formulaic solutions to situations that they recognize as belonging to a particular category of problem.

This is not to say that there is no crossover between these ways of thinking. The thought process involved in evaluating a situation and choosing which algorithm to apply can sometimes be a very creative process. Most often, however, we …