in creativity education

Understanding Creativity

• Posted June 25, 2020
• By Emily Boudreau

Understanding the learning that happens with creative work can often be elusive in any K–12 subject. A new study from Harvard Graduate School of Education Associate Professor Karen Brennan , and researchers Paulina Haduong and Emily Veno, compiles case studies, interviews, and assessment artifacts from 80 computer science teachers across the K–12 space. These data shed new light on how teachers tackle this challenge in an emerging subject area.

“A common refrain we were hearing from teachers was, ‘We’re really excited about doing creative work in the classroom but we’re uncertain about how to assess what kids are learning, and that makes it hard for us to do what we want to do,’” Brennan says. “We wanted to learn from teachers who are supporting and assessing creativity in the classroom, and amplify their work, and celebrate it and show what’s possible as a way of helping other teachers.”

Create a culture that values meaningful assessment for learning — not just grades

As many schools and districts decided to suspend letter grades during the pandemic, teachers need to help students find intrinsic motivation. “It’s a great moment to ask, ‘What would assessment look like without a focus on grades and competition?’” says Veno.

Indeed, the practice of fostering a classroom culture that celebrates student voice, creativity, and exploration isn’t limited to computer science. The practice of being a creative agent in the world extends through all subject areas.

The research team suggests the following principles from computer science classrooms may help shape assessment culture across grade levels and subject areas.

Solicit different kinds of feedback

Give students the time and space to receive and incorporate feedback. “One thing that’s been highlighted in assessment work is that it is not about the teacher talking to a student in a vacuum,” says Haduong, noting that hearing from peers and outside audience members can help students find meaning and direction as they move forward with their projects.

• Feedback rubrics help students receive targeted feedback from audience members. Additionally, looking at the rubrics can help the teacher gather data on student work.

Emphasize the process for teachers and students

Finding the appropriate rubric or creating effective project scaffolding is a journey. Indeed, according to Haduong, “we found that many educators had a deep commitment to iteration in their own work.” Successful assessment practices conveyed that spirit to students.

• Keeping design journals can help students see their work as it progresses and provides documentation for teachers on the student’s process.
• Consider the message sent by the form and aesthetics of rubrics. One educator decided to use a handwritten assessment to convey that teachers, too, are working on refining their practice.

Scaffold independence

Students need to be able to take ownership of their learning as virtual learning lessens teacher oversight. Students need to look at their own work critically and know when they’ve done their best. Teachers need to guide students in this process and provide scaffolded opportunities for reflection.

• Have students design their own assessment rubric. Students then develop their own continuum to help independently set expectations for themselves and their work.

Key Takeaways

• Assessment shouldn’t be limited to the grade a student receives at the end of the semester or a final exam. Rather, it should be part of the classroom culture and it should be continuous, with an emphasis on using assessment not for accountability or extrinsic motivation, but to support student learning.
• Teachers can help learners see that learning and teaching are iterative processes by being more transparent about their own efforts to reflect and iterate on their practices.
• Teachers should scaffold opportunities for students to evaluate their own work and develop independence.

Additional Resources

• Creative Computing curriculum and projects
• Karen Brennan on helping kids get “unstuck”
• Usable Knowledge on how assessment can help continue the learning process

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What is creativity in education?

• Curriculum integration
• Health, PE & relationships
• Literacy (primary level)
•   Practice: early literacy
• Literacy (secondary level)
• Mathematics

Diverse learners

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Instruction and pedagogy

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Human beings have always been creative. The fact that we have survived on the planet is testament to this. Humans adapted to and then began to modify their environment. We expanded across the planet into a whole range of climates. At some point in time we developed consciousness and then language. We began to question who we are, how we should behave, and how we came into existence in the first place. Part of human questioning was how we became creative.

The myth that creativity is only for a special few has a long, long history. For the Ancient Chinese and the Romans, creativity was a gift from the gods. Fast forward to the mid-nineteenth century and creativity was seen as a gift, but only for the highly talented, romantically indulgent, long-suffering and mentally unstable artist. Fortunately, in the 1920s the field of science began to look at creativity as a series of human processes. Creative problem solving was the initial focus, from idea generation to idea selection and the choice of a final product. The 1950s were a watershed moment for creativity. After the Second World War, the Cold War began and competition for creative solutions to keep a technological advantage was intense. It was at this time that the first calls for STEM in education and its associated creativity were made. Since this time, creativity has been researched across a whole range of human activities, including maths, science, engineering, business and the arts.

The components of creativity

So what exactly is creativity? In the academic field of creativity, there is broad consensus regarding the definition of creativity and the components which make it up. Creativity is the interaction between the learning environment, both physical and social, the attitudes and attributes of both teachers and students, and a clear problem-solving process which produces a perceptible product (that can be an idea or a process as well as a tangible physical object). Creativity is producing something new, relevant and useful to the person or people who created the product within their own social context. The idea of context is very important in education. Something that is very creative to a Year One student – for example, the discovery that a greater incline on a ramp causes objects to roll faster – would not be considered creative in a university student. Creativity can also be used to propose new solutions to problems in different contexts, communities or countries. An example of this is having different schools solve the same problem and share solutions.

Creativity is an inherent part of learning. Whenever we try something new, there is an element of creativity involved. There are different levels of creativity, and creativity develops with both time and experience. A commonly cited model of creativity is the 4Cs [i] . At the mini-c level of creativity, what someone creates might not be revolutionary, but it is new and meaningful to them. For example, a child brings home their first drawing from school. It means something to the child, and they are excited to have produced it. It may show a very low level of skill but create a high level of emotional response which inspires the child to share it with their parents.

The little-c level of creativity is one level up from the mini-c level, in that it involves feedback from others combined with an attempt to build knowledge and skills in a particular area. For example, the painting the child brought home might receive some positive feedback from their parents. They place it on the refrigerator to show that it has value, give their child a sketchbook, and make some suggestions about how to improve their drawing. In high school the student chooses art as an elective and begins to receive explicit instruction and assessed feedback. In terms of students at school, the vast majority of creativity in students is at the mini-c and little-c level.

The Pro-c level of creativity in schools is usually the realm of teachers. The teacher of art in this case finds a variety of pedagogic approaches which enhance the student artist’s knowledge and skills in art as well as building their creative competencies in making works of art. They are a Pro-c teacher. The student will require many years of deliberate practice and training along with professional levels of feedback, including acknowledgement that their work is sufficiently new and novel for them to be considered a creative professional artist at the pro-c level.

The Big-C level of creativity is the rarefied territory of the very few. To take this example to the extreme, the student becomes one of the greatest artists of all time. After they are dead, their work is discussed by experts because their creativity in taking art to new forms of expression is of the highest level. Most of us operate at the mini-c and little-c level with our hobbies and activities. They give us great satisfaction and enjoyment and we enjoy building skills and knowledge over time.  Some of us are at the pro-c level in more than one area.

The value of creativity in education

Creativity is valuable in education because it builds cognitive complexity. Creativity relies on having deep knowledge and being able to use it effectively. Being creative involves using an existing set of knowledge or skills in a particular subject or context to experiment with new possibilities in the pursuit of valued outcomes , thus increasing both knowledge and skills. It develops over time and is more successful if the creative process begins at a point where people have at least some knowledge and skills. To continue the earlier example of the ramp, a student rolling a ball down an incline may notice that the ball goes faster if they increase the incline, and slower if they decrease it. This discovery may lead to other possibilities – the student might then go on to observe how far the ball rolls depending on the angle of the incline, and then develop some sort of target for the ball to reach. What started as play has developed in a way that builds the student’s knowledge, skills and reasoning. It represents the beginning of the scientific method of trial and error in experimentation.

Creativity is not just making things up. For something to meet the definition of creativity, it must not only be new but also relevant and useful. For example, if a student is asked to make a new type of musical instrument, one made of salami slices may be original and interesting, but neither relevant nor useful. (On the other hand, carrots can make excellent recorders). Creativity also works best with constraints, not open-ended tasks. For example, students can be given a limit to the number of lines used when writing a poem, or a set list of ingredients when making a recipe. Constrained limits lead to what cognitive scientists call desirable difficulties as students need to make more complex decisions about what they include and exclude in their final product. A common STEM example is to make a building using drinking straws but no sticky tape or glue. Students need to think more deeply about how the various elements of a building connect in order for the building to stand up.

Creativity must also have a result or an outcome . In some cases the result may be a specific output, such as the correct solution to a maths problem, a poem in the form of a sonnet, or a scientific experiment to demonstrate a particular type of reaction. As noted above, outputs may also be intangible: they might be an idea for a solution or a new way of looking at existing knowledge and ideas. The outcome of creativity may not necessarily be pre-determined and, when working with students, generating a specific number of ideas might be a sufficient creative outcome.

Myths about creativity

It is important that students are aware of the components that make up creativity, but it is also critical that students understand what creativity is not, and that the notion of creativity has been beset by a number of myths. The science of creativity has made great progress over the last 20 years and research has dispelled the following myths:

• Creativity is only for the gifted
• Creativity is only for those with a mental illness
• Creativity only lives in the arts
• Creativity cannot be taught
• Creativity cannot be learned
• Creativity cannot be assessed
• Schools kill creativity in their students
• Teachers do not understand what creativity is
• Teachers do not like creative students

The science of creativity has come a long way from the idea of being bestowed by the gods of ancient Rome and China. We now know that creativity can be taught, learned and assessed in schools. We know that everyone can develop their creative capacities in a wide range of areas, and that creativity can develop from purely experiential play to a body of knowledge and skills that increases with motivation and feedback.

Creativity in education 

The world of education is now committed to creativity. Creativity is central to policy and curriculum documents in education systems from Iceland to Estonia, and of course New Zealand. The origins of this global shift lie in the 1990s, and it was driven predominantly by economics rather than educational philosophy.

There has also been a global trend in education to move from knowledge acquisition to competency development. Creativity often is positioned as a competency or skill within educational frameworks. However, it is important to remember that the incorporation of competencies into a curriculum does not discount the importance of knowledge acquisition. Research in cognitive science demonstrates that students need fundamental knowledge and skills. Indeed, it is the sound acquisition of knowledge that enables students to apply it in creative ways . It is essential that teachers consider both how they will support their students to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in their learning area as well as the opportunities they will provide for applying this knowledge in ways that support creativity. In fact, creativity requires two different sets of knowledge: knowledge and skills in the learning area, and knowledge of and skills related to the creative process, from idea generation to idea selection, as well as the appropriate attitudes, attributes and environment.

Supporting students to be creative

In order for teachers to support students to be creative, they should attend to four key areas. Firstly, creativity needs an appropriate physical and social environment . Students need to feel a sense of psychological safety when being creative. The role of the teacher is to ensure that all ideas are listened to and given feedback in a respectful manner. In terms of the physical environment, a set of simple changes rather than a complete redesign of classrooms is required: modifying the size and makeup of student groups, working on both desks and on whiteboards, or taking students outside as part of the idea generation process can develop creative capacity. Even something as simple as making students more aware of the objects and affordances which lie within a classroom may help with the creative process.

Secondly, teachers can support students to develop the attitudes and attributes required for creativity , which include persistence, discipline, resilience, and curiosity. Students who are more intellectually curious are open to new experiences and can look at problems from multiple perspectives, which builds creative capacity. In maths, for example, this can mean students being shown three or four different ways to solve a problem and selecting the method that best suits them. In Japan, students are rewarded for offering multiple paths to a solution as well as coming up with the correct answer.

Thirdly, teachers can support the creative process . It begins with problem solving, or problem posing, and moves on to idea generation. There are a number of methods which can be used when generating ideas such as brainstorming, in which as many ideas as possible are generated by the individual or by a group. Another effective method, which has the additional benefit of showing the relationships between the ideas as they are generated, is mind-mapping. For example, rather than looking at possible causes of World War Two as a list, it might be better to categorise them into political, social and economic categories using a mind map or some other form of graphic organiser. This creative visual representation may provide students with new and useful insights into the causes of the war. Students may also realise that there are more categories that need to be considered and added, thus allowing them to move from surface to deep learning as they explore relationships rather than just recalling facts. Remember that creativity is not possible without some knowledge and skills in that subject area. For instance, proposing that World War Two was caused by aliens may be considered imaginative, but it is definitely not creative.

The final element to be considered is that of the outcomes – the product or results – of creativity . However, as with many other elements of education, it may be more useful to formatively assess the process which the students have gone through rather than the final product. By exploring how students generated ideas, whether the method of recording ideas was effective, whether the final solutions were practical, and whether they demonstrated curiosity or resilience can often be more useful than merely grading the final product. Encouraging the students to self-reflect during the creative process also provides students with increased skills in metacognition, as well as having a deeper understanding of the evolution of their creative competencies. It may in fact mean that the final grade for a piece of work may take into account a combination of the creative process as observed by the teacher, the creative process as experienced and reported by the student, and the final product, tangible or intangible.

Collard, P., & Looney, J. (2014). Nurturing creativity in education . European Journal of Education, 49 (3), 348-364.

Craft, A. (2001). An analysis of research and literature on creativity in education : Report prepared for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

Runco, M. (2008). Creativity and education . New Horizons in Education, 56 (1), 96-104.

[i] Kaufman, J. C., & Beghetto, R. A. (2009). Beyond big and little: The four C model of creativity .  Review of General Psychology,  13(1), 1-12.

By Tim Patston

PREPARED FOR THE EDUCATION HUB BY

Dr Tim Patston

Dr Tim Patston is a researcher and educator with more than thirty years’ experience working with Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education providers and currently is the leader of consultancy activities for C reative Actions . He also is a senior adjunct at the University of South Australia in UniSA STEM and a senior fellow at the University of Melbourne in the Graduate School of Education. He publishes widely in the field of Creative Education and the development of creative competencies and is the featured expert on creativity in the documentary Finding Creativity, to be released in 2021. 

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What creativity really is - and why schools need it

Associate Professor of Psychology and Creative Studies, University of British Columbia

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Although educators claim to value creativity , they don’t always prioritize it.

Teachers often have biases against creative students , fearing that creativity in the classroom will be disruptive. They devalue creative personality attributes such as risk taking, impulsivity and independence. They inhibit creativity by focusing on the reproduction of knowledge and obedience in class.

Why the disconnect between educators’ official stance toward creativity, and what actually happens in school?

How can teachers nurture creativity in the classroom in an era of rapid technological change, when human innovation is needed more than ever and children are more distracted and hyper-stimulated ?

These are some of the questions we ask in my research lab at the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia. We study the creative process , as well as how ideas evolve over time and across societies. I’ve written almost 200 scholarly papers and book chapters on creativity, and lectured on it worldwide. My research involves both computational models and studies with human participants. I also write fiction, compose music for the piano and do freestyle dance.

What is creativity?

Although creativity is often defined in terms of new and useful products, I believe it makes more sense to define it in terms of processes. Specifically, creativity involves cognitive processes that transform one’s understanding of, or relationship to, the world.

There may be adaptive value to the seemingly mixed messages that teachers send about creativity. Creativity is the novelty-generating component of cultural evolution. As in any kind of evolutionary process, novelty must be balanced by preservation.

In biological evolution, the novelty-generating components are genetic mutation and recombination, and the novelty-preserving components include the survival and reproduction of “fit” individuals. In cultural evolution , the novelty-generating component is creativity, and the novelty-preserving components include imitation and other forms of social learning.

It isn’t actually necessary for everyone to be creative for the benefits of creativity to be felt by all. We can reap the rewards of the creative person’s ideas by copying them, buying from them or simply admiring them. Few of us can build a computer or write a symphony, but they are ours to use and enjoy nevertheless.

Inventor or imitator?

There are also drawbacks to creativity . Sure, creative people solve problems, crack jokes, invent stuff; they make the world pretty and interesting and fun. But generating creative ideas is time-consuming. A creative solution to one problem often generates other problems, or has unexpected negative side effects.

Creativity is correlated with rule bending, law breaking, social unrest, aggression, group conflict and dishonesty. Creative people often direct their nurturing energy towards ideas rather than relationships, and may be viewed as aloof, arrogant, competitive, hostile, independent or unfriendly.

Also, if I’m wrapped up in my own creative reverie, I may fail to notice that someone else has already solved the problem I’m working on. In an agent-based computational model of cultural evolution , in which artificial neural network-based agents invent and imitate ideas, the society’s ideas evolve most quickly when there is a good mix of creative “inventors” and conforming “imitators.” Too many creative agents and the collective suffers. They are like holes in the fabric of society, fixated on their own (potentially inferior) ideas, rather than propagating proven effective ideas.

Of course, a computational model of this sort is highly artificial. The results of such simulations must be taken with a grain of salt. However, they suggest an adaptive value to the mixed signals teachers send about creativity. A society thrives when some individuals create and others preserve their best ideas.

This also makes sense given how creative people encode and process information. Creative people tend to encode episodes of experience in much more detail than is actually needed. This has drawbacks: Each episode takes up more memory space and has a richer network of associations. Some of these associations will be spurious. On the bright side, some may lead to new ideas that are useful or aesthetically pleasing.

So, there’s a trade-off to peppering the world with creative minds. They may fail to see the forest for the trees but they may produce the next Mona Lisa.

Innovation might keep us afloat

So will society naturally self-organize into creators and conformers? Should we avoid trying to enhance creativity in the classroom?

The answer is: No! The pace of cultural change is accelerating more quickly than ever before. In some biological systems, when the environment is changing quickly, the mutation rate goes up. Similarly, in times of change we need to bump up creativity levels — to generate the innovative ideas that will keep us afloat.

This is particularly important now. In our high-stimulation environment, children spend so much time processing new stimuli that there is less time to “go deep” with the stimuli they’ve already encountered. There is less time for thinking about ideas and situations from different perspectives, such that their ideas become more interconnected and their mental models of understanding become more integrated.

This “going deep” process has been modeled computationally using a program called Deep Dream , a variation on the machine learning technique “Deep Learning” and used to generate images such as the ones in the figure below.

The images show how an input is subjected to different kinds of processing at different levels, in the same way that our minds gain a deeper understanding of something by looking at it from different perspectives. It is this kind of deep processing and the resulting integrated webs of understanding that make the crucial connections that lead to important advances and innovations.

Cultivating creativity in the classroom

So the obvious next question is: How can creativity be cultivated in the classroom? It turns out there are lots of ways ! Here are three key ways in which teachers can begin:

Focus less on the reproduction of information and more on critical thinking and problem solving .

Curate activities that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, such as by painting murals that depict biological food chains, or acting out plays about historical events, or writing poems about the cosmos. After all, the world doesn’t come carved up into different subject areas. Our culture tells us these disciplinary boundaries are real and our thinking becomes trapped in them.

Pose questions and challenges, and follow up with opportunities for solitude and reflection. This provides time and space to foster the forging of new connections that is so vital to creativity.

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Creativity in education.

• Anne Harris Anne Harris RMIT University
•  and  Leon De Bruin Leon De Bruin RMIT University
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.383
• Published online: 26 April 2018

Creativity is an essential aspect of teaching and learning that is influencing worldwide educational policy and teacher practice, and is shaping the possibilities of 21st-century learners. The way creativity is understood, nurtured, and linked with real-world problems for emerging workforces is significantly changing the ways contemporary scholars and educators are now approaching creativity in schools. Creativity discourses commonly attend to creative ability, influence, and assessment along three broad themes: the physical environment, pedagogical practices and learner traits, and the role of partnerships in and beyond the school. This overview of research on creativity education explores recent scholarship examining environments, practices, and organizational structures that both facilitate and impede creativity. Reviewing global trends pertaining to creativity research in this second decade of the 21st century, this article stresses for practicing and preservice teachers, schools, and policy makers the need to educationally innovate within experiential dimensions, priorities, possibilities, and new kinds of partnerships in creativity education.

• creative ecologies
• creative environments
• creative industries

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How does a creative learning environment foster student creativity? An examination on multiple explanatory mechanisms

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Scholars and educators have acknowledged the importance of the learning environment, especially the creative learning environment, on student creativity. However, the current understanding is far from complete to paint a clear picture of how a creative learning environment can stimulate students’ creative outcomes in the classroom. Drawing on Amabile’s componential theory of creativity, the present research aims to test how a creative learning environment can foster undergraduate creativity through three distinct mechanisms (i.e., learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing). A total of 431 students and their teachers from a Chinese university completed questionnaires. The results generally supported the theoretical model in which a creative learning environment is significantly associated with student creativity by enhancing students’ learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing. Implications for theory and educational practice, limitations of the present study, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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Introduction

Creativity is becoming increasingly important in modern society (Beghetto and Kaufman 2014 ; Richardson and Mishra 2018 ; Yeh et al. 2012 ). Specifically, as students are the key drivers of societal development, universities around the world have been taking on the mission of fostering creative individuals and producing creativity. Accordingly, researchers and educators are attempting to identify predictors that facilitate student creativity, such as teacher behaviors (e.g., encouragement and other teacher behaviors) (Chan and Yuen 2014 ). More recently, researchers have begun investigating the role of the classroom environment (Tsai et al. 2015 ). Notably missing from the literature is a thorough examination of the creative learning environment, despite suggestions by scholars that student creativity can be nurtured by educators who focus greater effort on building a learning environment that highlights the value of creativity (Davies et al. 2013 ; Richardson and Mishra 2018 ). Therefore, a major purpose of this study is to address the connection between a creative learning environment and student creativity by identifying several important intervening mechanisms.

In building a model linking a creative learning environment and creativity, we further draw on the dynamic componential theory of creativity (Amabile and Pratt 2016 ), which suggests that desirable contexts can induce creativity by influencing multiple personal motivations and behaviors. This foundational theory highlights the exploration of personal motivations and social exchanges as mediators in creativity research. Thus, I propose three mediating mechanisms with high potential to help explain the linkage: learning goal orientation , network ties , and knowledge sharing . Specifically, learning goal orientation, referring to students who believe in learning, understanding, and development as ends in themselves (Lerang et al. 2019 ), illustrates students’ internal motivation in seeking knowledge to produce creative outputs (D’Lima et al. 2014 ). As the framework of achievement goal theory highlighting both the personal and contextual aspects of goals, creativity scholars have found that the learning environment in the classroom may form students’ perceived goal orientation, and the goal orientation of students may in turn generate various learning behaviors and outcomes (Peng et al. 2013 ). In line with literature on the significance of student motivation (Meece et al. 2006 ; Schuitema et al. 2014 ), scholars are calling for examining the mediating effect of learning goal orientation in linking the creative learning environment and student creativity.

As students learn in a group and/or classroom, interactions among each other may also be embedded in broader social networks; therefore, the ties among students within social networks can improve the quality of information received (Hommes et al. 2012 ). Network ties represent students’ relations with their teachers and classmates within an academic environment (Chow and Chan 2008 ), which was found not only to be composed of factors in class but also to impact students’ outcomes. Despite the attention given to the acknowledgment that encouraging personal interactions can benefit students more from diverse information exchange in generating creativity (Cheng 2011 ), knowledge on whether network ties can transmit the influence of a creative learning environment on student creativity is still limited.

Finally, scholars have acknowledged that when students are sharing their knowledge, they tend to utilize the knowledge-based resources in the classroom and after class to facilitate their creative activities (Yeh et al. 2012 ). Since creativity theoretically requires various types of knowledge and information (Amabile 2012 ), previous research has indicated that improving university students’ creativity is based on knowledge-management, which involves the process of converting knowledge and creating new knowledge (Van Den Hooff and De Ridder 2004 ), as well as the process of sharing relevant information, ideas, suggestions, and expertise with others (Bartol and Srivastava 2002 ). However, studies thus far fail to provide a clear picture to evidence whether learning contexts may stimulate students’ creativity via knowledge sharing. Taken together, we propose that learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing can mediate the relationship between student creativity and a creative learning environment. Figure 1 shows the hypothesized model.

The hypothesized model

Literature Review and Hypotheses Development

Creative learning environment and student creativity.

Creativity is generally conceptualized as individual’s ability to generate new ideas (e.g., Amabile 1996 ; Liu 2017 ; Tsai et al. 2015 ). For example, Amabile’s ( 2012 ) definition of creativity—i.e., the production of ideas that are both novel and useful—has been widely used in the educational research area. In the current study, we follow this line of literature, and define creativity in learning as the ability to create new robust ideas and novel ways of dealing with a learning problem, which emerge from discussion and interaction between peers (Rodriguez, Zhou, & Carrió, 2017). To cultivate student’s creativity in the context of classroom, scholars suggest to encourage students to ask more questions, to investigate the causes, effects, and consequences of their observations, and to generate more high-quality questions (Barrow, 2010). Accordingly, it is critical to understand how to effectively boost student creativity with regard to the learning context.

There is reasonable evidence from a number of studies indicating that creativity can be stimulated by contextual factors (Kozbelt et al. 2010 ). Among such factors as classroom interaction and teachers’ positive behaviors and attitudes (Beghetto and Kaufman 2014 ), an important characteristic of teachers is strong facilitation skills. That is, teachers, as supportive facilitators, can inspire students to become intellectual risk-takers and creative problem solvers. Consistently, scholars suggest that creative learning is a key element in the creative process (Chappell and Craft 2011 ); thus, students need to be provided creative learning opportunities in the classroom environment (Richardson and Mishra 2018 ). Therefore, school environments that support and actively accelerate students’ creative expression can promote students’ engagement in creative activities (Davies et al. 2013 ; Tsai et al. 2015 ).

Based on the arguments above, the present study proposes a specific learning environment—i.e., a creative learning environment—that may directly boost students’ creativity. A creative learning environment in class is characterized as valuing ideas, indicating that students are not only allowed but also encouraged to take sensible risks and make mistakes during the learning process (Mishra 2018 ); therefore, students are highly supported in reaching their creative potential (Chan and Yuen 2014 ). For example, in a review of a classroom learning environment, researchers found that when studying in a creative learning environment at school, students are likely to continue to develop their skills and professional knowledge, which significantly spurs the development of their creative responses (Davies et al. 2013 ). As a result, students have more creative achievements (Mishra 2018 ). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

The creative learning environment is positively related to student creativity.

Learning Goal Orientation as a Mediator

Goal orientation is the reason or purpose for a person’s involvement in tasks (VandeWalle et al. 2001 ). Importantly, as a key dimension of individual goal orientation, learning goal orientation has been found to be formed by desirable environments (Schweder et al. 2019 ) and to benefit individuals’ processes of producing creative outcomes (Malmberg 2008 ; VandeWalle et al. 2001 ). For example, scholars empirically illustrated that a learning environment (e.g., a classroom structure characterized as contingency-contract) facilitated students to set more learning goals (Self-Brown and Mathews 2003 ), which then increased individuals’ effort investment towards more achievements(Pintrich 2000 ; Schweder et al. 2019 ). Considering the conceptual and empirical evidence, we propose learning goal orientation as a mediator in the relationship between student creativity and a creative learning environment. Since a creative learning environment is characterized as providing support and resources (Davies et al. 2013 ), individuals are given more opportunities to become interested in and enjoy a learning activity. Thus, when learning in this situation, it is emphasized that students can extend their abilities through greater effort (Richardson and Mishra 2018 ) and can seek out opportunities to practice and improve their skills (Lerang et al. 2019 ), leading to greater achievement.

Creative outputs, theoretically, require abilities and skills to generate novel ideas and solutions (Amabile 1996 ); therefore, learning and developing new knowledge are essential to be creative in class. Consistent with this stream of reasoning, scholars have claimed that an individual’s learning goal orientation can stimulate actions to improve his or her creative competencies (Gong et al. 2009 ). That is, students who have a strong learning goal orientation act more proactively and respond positively to problems and challenges through their knowledge of learning (Chan and Yuen 2014 ). Consequently, these students may experience higher levels of internal motivation to devise creative ideas (Shin et al. 2012 ).

Taken together, we hypothesize the mediating effect of learning goal orientation in the creative learning environment-creativity relationship. Specifically, the space within a classroom that is capable of being used flexibly to promote students’ learning can facilitate the development of learning goal orientation among students, which in turn offers them resources to become creative. Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

Learning goal orientation mediates the relationship between a creative learning environment and student creativity.

Network Ties as a Mediator

A glance at the academic and wider educational literature reveals that social capital emphasizes personal interactions in terms of social ties (Dawson 2008 ). Scholars specify that creating a creative learning environment in the classroom can promote interaction among students because they can observe an open mindset and good communication climate (Mishra 2018 ). For instance, researchers in the area of tie strength suggest that strong ties involve higher emotional closeness, whereas weak ties are more likely to be nonredundant connections and, thus, to be associated with nonredundant information (Granovetter 1977 ; Perry-Smith 2006 ). Thus, the space within a classroom that is capable of being used flexibly to promote students’ learning can contribute to building their network ties.

Previous studies have also indicated that students’ social capital is an important asset to promote their creativity (Eid and Al-Jabri 2016 ). Specifically, when students build personal ties within their surroundings (e.g., with classmates), they are more willing to make contact with other students because of their common interests in the classroom (Liu et al. 2017 ), which eventually increases their ability not only to solve problems but also to reformulate problems and solutions creatively. Moreover, it is clear that social network ties facilitate new connections among students and teachers, in that they provide individuals with an alternative way to connect with others who share their interests or relational goals (Ellison et al. 2006 ; Parks and Floyd 1996 ). These new connections may result in an increase in achieving their goal in a creative way (Beghetto 2010 ; Soh 2017 ).

Taken together, the mediator of network ties is proposed in the relationship between creativity and a creative learning environment. Specifically, when the class is characterized as promoting learning in a creative way, students are more likely to build a strong network tie. As a result, they tend to be connecting with others (e.g., classmates, and teachers) who may not only provide useful information or new perspectives but also emotional support (Ellison et al. 2007 ), and then put more efforts into creative activities. Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

Network ties mediate the relationship between creative learning environment and student creativity.

Knowledge Sharing as a Mediator

Knowledge sharing is generally defined as activities through which various types of knowledge (e.g., information and skills) are exchanged and disseminated among people, units, communities, and/or organizations (Bukowitz and Williams 1999 ). Previous education literature has significantly highlighted the importance of knowledge sharing in the classroom (Eid and Al-Jabri 2016 ). Specifically, students accumulate their knowledge through integrating information, experience, and theory from their surroundings (Chang and Chuang 2011 ). That is, when students are studying in a learning environment characterized as having supportive relationships between teachers and learners, students are more likely to interact with others in the group and to share knowledge and experiences. As a result, their performance in class is significantly improved (Eid and Al-Jabri 2016 ). We therefore expect a positive effect of a creative learning environment on student knowledge sharing.

Based on the previous research findings, we further expect that knowledge sharing can stimulate student creativity in class. Specifically, the shared knowledge can improve individuals’ capabilities of forming new knowledge, refining old knowledge, as well as synthesizing more knowledge in the future (Yeh et al. 2012 ). As researchers have suggested, the more knowledge is shared, the more nonoverlapping information emerges from other students within the group (Chow and Chan 2008 ; Eid and Al-Jabri 2016 ; Richter et al. 2012 ). In this situation, students can receive the benefits of collective wisdom, which provides information contributing to their explicit knowledge and subsequently enhancing their creativity (Yeh et al. 2012 ). Therefore, knowledge sharing can leverage students’ engagement in creative activities.

Taken together, we argue that when students are learning in a conducive environment characterized as highlighting creative learning, they have more willingness to share their knowledge with their classmates; therefore, they have more opportunities to access to diverse knowledge and information, which trigger their creative ideas to solve problems. Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

Knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between a creative learning environment and student creativity.

Sample and Procedure

The participants in the current research were 431 undergraduates in their third year of studies and their teachers from a university in the central region of P.R. China. Before submitting our questionnaires to the undergraduate students, one of the authors asked the dean of the university about whether creativity is encouraged in the classroom. We received the information that creativity was present throughout the courses in all projects and work carried out in School of Business, especially in the two departments—i.e., department of tourism management and department of business administration. Students in the two majors were educated to pursue creative, problem-solving and flexible capabilities that today’s employers demand. Specifically, educators have practically highlighted, and scholars have theoretically found that creativity is significantly required for students both in tourism management and business administration majors (e.g., Blau et al. 2019 ; Liu 2017 ).

Next, the teachers of undergraduate students in the two departments also sent us the confirmation that they not only paid attention to help students develop creative problem-solving skills, but also encouraged students in the class to be creative in learning. Afterwards, teachers were asked to help collect data. Specifically, questionnaires were sent to 440 undergraduate students during their classes, and they were asked to complete the survey. The participants were completely unaware of the goals and aims of the research, and they did not have any prior training in creativity. The teacher in the class announced that all the questionnaires were confidential and would be used only for research. None of the items on the scale had correct answers; the students were to answer each item according to their own perceptions. Subsequently, the teacher received all the questionnaires; and then the teacher rated each student’s creativity. Finally, the teacher sent all the questionnaires to one of the authors directly.

After deleting nine incomplete questionnaires, we received 431 validate responses from undergraduate students (98% response rate). In total, 69.7% of the students were female; 41.8% of the students majored in tourism management, and 58.2% majored in business administration.

Measurements

In order to obtain reliable information from the respondents, existing measures with established validity and reliability from previous literature were selected to operationalize all constructs in our study. In addition, all the scales were widely used in education and creativity research fields. All the variables are assessed with a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = totally disagree; 5 = totally agree). We used the back-translation procedure (Brislin 1986 ) to translate the English version into a Chinese version. The specific measurements of these constructs’ reliability and convergent validity can be found in Appendix Table 1 .

Creative Learning Environment

The creative learning environment was adapted from Richardson and Mishra ( 2018 ) and measured using 14 items to portray students’ perceptions of the creative learning environment in the class. An example of items is “Multiple ways of knowing and learning are encouraged in class”. The scale had a reliability of 0.91.

Learning Goal Orientation

Following previous studies (Lerang et al. 2019 ), the scale with four items adapted (Skaalvik 1997 ) was used to assess students’ learning orientation in the current study (χ 2 / df  = 3.35/2; TLI = 0.98; CFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.04). An example of items is “In class I want to learn something new”. The scale had a reliability of 0.90.

Knowledge Sharing

A 3-item scale (Yeh et al. 2012 ) was used to measure knowledge sharing. “In my class I know who I can contact for specific questions,” is an example of a question from this measure. The scale had a reliability of 0.88.

Creativity-Enhancing Network Activities

Reflecting students’ creativity-enhancing network activities with their classmates, network ties were assessed using a three-item scale (Chow and Chan 2008 ). An example of items is “In general, I have a very good relationship with my classmates”. The scale had a reliability of 0.92.

Student Creativity

The teacher was asked to rate student creativity with a 4-item creativity scale (Farmer et al. 2003 ). An example of items is “This student seeks new ideas and ways to solve problems”. The scale had a reliability of 0.86.

Control Variables

Following previous studies (e.g., Peng et al. 2013 ; Schweder et al. 2019 ), we controlled for students’ age (in years) since past research has indicated that individual learning may vary across student ages. Moreover, because these participants (i.e., students) are from different research backgrounds, we controlled their major (1 = tourism management; 2 = business administration).

Analytical Strategy

We first conducted preliminary analyses to establish the factors’ discriminant validity in the current study. Furthermore, we tested our hypotheses using a PROCESS program developed by Preacher et al. ( 2007 ) in SPSS because it facilitates path analysis-based moderation analyses as well as their combination as a “conditional process model” by using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. Specifically, we, in the first step, test the mediation effects through applying OLS regression analyses in the PROCESS program to generate the direct and indirect effects. In the next step, as several methodologists have recently recommended using a bootstrap approach to obtain confidence intervals (CIs), we tested the mediation hypothesis through a bootstrapping procedure with 10,000 samples. Since this research aims to unfold the different mechanisms in the creative learning environment-creativity association, in the following analyses, we controlled for other mediators, testing a specific mediator to further validate the mediating effects.

Preliminary Analyses

Before testing hypotheses, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine discriminate validity using AMOS 21.0. The results are shown in Appendix Table 2 . We evaluated the fit of our models based on five primary fit indices, as suggested by Hu.

Bentler (1999): the χ 2 test of model fit, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) with its respective confidence intervals, the comparative fit index (CFI), and the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI). The results show that the hypothesized five-factor model provided a better fit to the data ( χ 2 [198] = 323.82, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.04) than other alternative models (Hu and Bentler 1999 ): a three-factor model combining network ties and knowledge sharing ( χ 2 [236] = 1748.77, CFI = 0.84, TLI = 0.81, RMSEA = 0.12), a two-factor model combining learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing ( χ 2 [238] = 1931.58, CFI = 0.82, TLI = 0.79, RMSEA = 0.13), and a one-factor model combining all the variables ( χ 2 [241] = 2444.94, CFI = 0.77, TLI = 0.73, RMSEA = 0.15).

Appendix Table 3 shows the descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and Cronbach’s alphas for all the variables.

Hypotheses Testing

To test the hypotheses, we employed an SPSS macro program (Hayes 2012 ) to estimate the mediation effects. Specifically, we used Model 4 in PROCESS, which generates direct and indirect effects in mediation, where total effects, direct effects and indirect effects are estimated by means of OLS regression analyses. Appendix Table 4 shows the results.

Regarding testing H1, in Model 1, the creative learning environment was positively associated with student creativity ( β  = 0.79, p < 0.001), supporting H1. Regarding testing H2, H3 and H4, in Model 2, the creative learning environment was positively associated with learning goal orientation ( β  = 0.45, p < 0.001) after controlling network ties and knowledge sharing. In Model 3, the creative learning environment was positively associated with network ties ( β  = 0.33, p < 0.001) after controlling learning goal orientation and knowledge sharing. In Model 4, creative learning environment was positively associated with knowledge sharing ( β  = 0.14, p < 0.05) after controlling learning goal orientation and network ties. Moreover, when the independent variable (i.e., creative learning environment) and the three mediators (i.e., learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing) were entered in the regression model (i.e., Model 5), the independent variable (learning goal orientation, β  = 0.25, p < 0.001; network ties, β  = 0.033, p < 0.001; knowledge sharing, β  = 0.14, p < 0.001) and the mediators were positively related to student creativity. That is, the relationship between the creative learning environment and creativity was partially mediated by the three mediators.

To further examine the mediating effects, we conducted a bias-corrected bootstrap (10,000 resamples) analysis. The results (in Appendix Table 5 ) showed that the indirect effect of the creative learning environment on creativity through learning goal orientation was 0.11 (95% CI = 0.064, 0.163), supporting H2; through network ties was 0.11 (95% CI = 0.056, 0.170), supporting H3; and through knowledge sharing was 0.02 (95% CI = 0.001, 0.049), supporting H4.

Aiming at opening the black box of how a creative learning environment can contribute to student creativity, the current study proposes and tests a mediation model that examines the relationship between a creative learning environment and student creativity through multiple intervening mechanisms. The results show that a creative learning environment is positively related to student creativity through improving students’ learning goal orientation, knowledge sharing, and network ties concurrently.

Theoretical Implications

The main aim of the present study was to investigate how a creative learning environment can foster student creativity in class through multiple intervening mechanisms. There are several implications of this study that will enrich the current literature. First, this study fills the gap regarding the potential influence of a creative learning environment on creativity. Although previous studies have conceptually suggested that a learning environment that promotes creative activities in class boosts students’ academic outcomes (Davies et al. 2013 ; Richardson and Mishra 2018 ), there is less empirical evidence to establish the benefits for creativity. Thus, this study answers scholars’ call to “provide clear evidence of the effectiveness of creative learning environments” (Davies et al. 2013 , p.89) by theorizing about the positive influences of a creative learning environment on undergraduate students’ creativity.

Moreover, this study represents one of the first attempts to simultaneously examine distinct mechanisms from a different perspective to explain how a creative learning environment elicits student creativity. Specifically, drawing on the dynamic componential model, the findings extend the current understanding of learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing as distinct mediators. In recent years, scholars have increasingly argued that identifying multiple mechanisms can comprehensively reveal the effectiveness of contextual predictors for creativity (Amabile and Pratt 2016 ). Nevertheless, few studies have either explored the possibilities of various mediators simultaneously or focused on undergraduate students’ creativity. This study deepens our understanding of the processes involved in generating student creativity in which a creative learning environment can increase students’ learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing concurrently to further boost their creativity.

Educational Implications

According to the findings, creating a learning environment should consider creative aspects to effectively enhance student creativity in class. Specifically, teachers can encourage students to learn and think creatively (e.g., taking risks, building free and open communication channels, supporting creative ideas, and allowing more freedom and choice while students complete their assignments). Moreover, as students’ learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing are key mediators for transferring the benefits of a creative learning environment, teachers should place value on the understanding of concepts and emphasize student effort over course grades (Lerang et al. 2019 ). In doing so, teachers can build students’ learning goal orientations more in the direction of creative achievement. Regarding the development of students’ network ties, they can be provided with training programs to develop their abilities to manage individual social connections and those of others, thus enabling them to study effectively while developing collaboration skills in class. Finally, teachers can consistently highlight the importance of exchanging and sharing new knowledge, which can help students acquire novel information to enhance their learning processes and effectiveness in a creative manner.

Limitations

There are several limitations in this research. First, the cross-sectional research design cannot entirely rule out the problem of causality (e.g., student creativity may facilitate the process of building a creative learning environment in class). Thus, future research can employ more sophisticated testing to determine the direction of causality. Second, as the findings indicated the partial mediation effects, studies in the future can include other mediators (e.g., collective learning behaviors) that may comprehensively explain the effectiveness of a creative learning environment on student creativity. Finally, regarding the sample of undergraduate students in China in the present study, further research with other samples (e.g., postgraduate students) can extend the generalizability of the findings.

As providing education on creativity is a major challenge and a high priority for future course design for students, determining how to boost student creativity has been the subject of scholars’ attention. This study proposes and examines whether and how multiple mechanisms can mediate the effect of a creative learning environment on undergraduate creativity. The research findings indicate that a creative learning environment can significantly enhance students’ learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing, which in turn facilitate their creativity. The direct implication is that researchers and educators should be more concerned about building creative learning environments and helping students in their development of a learning goal orientation, network ties, and knowledge sharing.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant number WK2160000013).

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Wenjing Cai

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Fan, M., Cai, W. How does a creative learning environment foster student creativity? An examination on multiple explanatory mechanisms. Curr Psychol 41 , 4667–4676 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00974-z

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Issue Date : July 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00974-z

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5 Reasons Why It Is More Important Than Ever to Teach Creativity

• Education Leadership

On the laundry list of skills and content areas teachers have to cover, creativity doesn’t traditionally get top billing. It’s usually lumped together with other soft skills like communication and collaboration: Great to have, though not as important as reading or long division.

But research is showing that creativity isn’t just great to have. It’s an essential human skill — perhaps even an evolutionary imperative in our technology-driven world.

“The pace of cultural change is accelerating more quickly than ever before,” says Liane Gabora , associate professor of psychology and creative studies at the University of British Columbia. “In some biological systems, when the environment is changing quickly, the mutation rate goes up. Similarly, in times of change we need to bump up creativity levels — to generate the innovative ideas that will keep us afloat.”

From standardized tests to one-size-fits-all curriculum, public education often leaves little room for creativity, says EdNews Daily founder Robyn D. Shulman . This puts many schools out of sync with both global demand and societal needs, leaving students poorly prepared for future success.

What can education leaders do about it? For starters, they can make teaching creativity a priority. Here are five reasons to encourage teachers to bring more creativity into the classroom:

1. Creativity motivates kids to learn.

Decades of research link creativity with the intrinsic motivation to learn. When students are focused on a creative goal, they become more absorbed in their learning and more driven to acquire the skills they need to accomplish it.

As proof, education leader Ryan Imbriale cites his young daughter, who loves making TikTok videos showcasing her gymnastics skills. “She spends countless hours on her mat, working over and over again to try to get her gymnastics moves correct so she can share her TikTok video of her success,” says the executive director of innovative learning for Baltimore County Public Schools.

Students are most motivated to learn when certain factors are present: They’re able to tie their learning to their personal interests, they have a sense of autonomy and control over their task, and they feel competent in the work they’re doing. Creative projects can easily meet all three conditions.

2. Creativity lights up the brain.

Teachers who frequently assign classwork involving creativity are more likely to observe higher-order cognitive skills — problem solving, critical thinking, making connections between subjects — in their students. And when teachers combine creativity with transformative technology use, they see even better outcomes.

Creative work helps students connect new information to their prior knowledge, says Wanda Terral, director of technology for Lakeland School System outside of Memphis. That makes the learning stickier.

“Unless there’s a place to ‘stick’ the knowledge to what they already know, it’s hard for students to make it a part of themselves moving forward,” she says. “It comes down to time. There’s not enough time to give them the flexibility to find out where the learning fits in their life and in their brain.”

3. Creativity spurs emotional development.

The creative process involves a lot of trial and error. Productive struggle — a gentler term for failure — builds resilience, teaching students to push through difficulty to reach success. That’s fertile soil for emotional growth.

“Allowing students to experience the journey, regardless of the end result, is important,” says Terral, a presenter at  ISTE Creative Constructor Lab .

Creativity gives students the freedom to explore and learn new things from each other, Imbriale adds. As they overcome challenges and bring their creative ideas to fruition, “students begin to see that they have limitless boundaries,” he says. “That, in turn, creates confidence. It helps with self-esteem and emotional development.”

4. Creativity can ignite those hard-to-reach students.

Many educators have at least one story about a student who was struggling until the teacher assigned a creative project. When academically disinclined students are permitted to unleash their creativity or explore a topic of personal interest, the transformation can be startling.

“Some students don’t do well on tests or don’t do well grade-wise, but they’re super-creative kids,” Terral says. “It may be that the structure of school is not good for them. But put that canvas in front of them or give them tools so they can sculpt, and their creativity just oozes out of them.”

5. Creativity is an essential job skill of the future.

Actually, it’s an essential job skill right now.

According to an Adobe study , 85% of college-educated professionals say creative thinking is critical for problem solving in their careers. And an analysis of LinkedIn data found that creativity is the second most in-demand job skill (after cloud computing), topping the list of soft skills companies need most. As automation continues to swallow up routine jobs, those who rely on soft skills like creativity will see the most growth.

“We can’t exist without the creative thinker. It’s the idea generation and the opportunity to collaborate with others that moves work,” Imbriale says.

“It’s one thing to be able to sit in front of computer screen and program something. But it’s another to have the conversations and engage in learning about what somebody wants out of a program to be written in order to be able to deliver on that. That all comes from a creative mindset.”

Nicole Krueger is a freelance writer and journalist with a passion for finding out what makes learners tick.

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The importance of embedding creativity in education

Creativity in an educational context is often thought of in terms of creative subjects such as music, art, and drama. These subjects certainly nurture creativity, but creativity is an integral part of teaching and learning across all subjects. It involves an active curiosity when seeing something for the first time and how we react to it. Sometimes this involves an element of risk-taking, which can be developed in the safe environment of learning.

Cultivating creative thinking amongst students is highly dependent on creative leaders being visible within the learning and work environments. For this reason it’s important that creative leadership is evident from primary school to high school or college, and on into higher education. Creative thinking should be encouraged amongst all stakeholders and considered a valuable quality that initiates individuals into responding flexibly and adaptively in their problem-solving and decision-making.

Creative leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic

The ongoing impact of the global pandemic upon the learning environment and how educational institutions respond, means that the need for school leadership which takes a creative approach is greater than ever. In the introduction to the final report on the Creating Socially Distanced Campuses and Education Project launched by Advance HE, it is noted that there are five faces of transformational leadership that have come to the fore:

• Crisis leadership
• Courageous leadership
• Compassionate leadership
• Collaborative leadership
• Creative leadership

Elaborating upon creative leadership, Doug Parkin, Principal Adviser for Leadership and Management at Advance HE, says,

“The academic endeavour is at its core a creative one. Even very technical and rigorously precise research has a creative basis. From the most complex curriculum review challenge to the most wicked interdisciplinary research question, creativity and positivity unlocks human potential at every stage. It ignites ideas, inspires, and develops focus, commitment and energy. And leadership can and should complement this by being creative and using creativity as the basis for communication, positivity and engagement.”

He also quotes Kimsey-House et al when he writes “People are naturally creative, resourceful and whole.” This is an important point as people sometimes believe that they are not creative when being creative is an inherently human trait that often simply hasn’t been developed. Continued professional learning and development can support head teachers and staff in fostering creative processes so that they can use them both in their approach to management and their teaching practice.

Expressing creativity in teaching

Teacher creativity can be expressed through preparation and development, originality and novelty, fluency, freedom in thinking and acting, sensitivity to problems, and flexibility in finding alternative solutions to problems. School leaders and principals are key role models in promoting creativity in the education system and when they lead by example, it’s easier for creative learning to take hold amongst both teachers and students. Professor Louise Stoll from the UCL Centre for Educational Leadership states that, “Creative leaders…provide the conditions, environment and opportunities for others to be creative.”

No matter how many inputs and initiatives towards creative learning are suggested by staff or students, if headteachers do not embrace a creative methodology, the outputs will be subpar. For this reason, leadership development is also a critical factor in school improvement through creativity. Those who are creative know that a school culture in which stakeholders are always learning only leads to more creativity, and that creativity is itself a vital part of facilitating learning – it becomes a virtuous cycle.

An interesting case study that involved both pupils and teachers is that of Manorfield Primary School in Tower Hamlets. Head teacher Paul Jackson explained in an article in Headteacher Update,

“We engaged an architect to design us a model classroom that would put teaching and learning at the centre. Pupils and teachers worked with him on ideas. The idea was that if that worked, it would become a ‘lab’ where we tested things and if they worked we would roll it out elsewhere. Our children visited hotels and offices to get design ideas and then reported their ideas back to the architect. The result was the transformation of a previously cluttered classroom into a modern, light, and airy space and we’re now applying the lessons that we learned to the conversion of two redundant offices into a new, inspiring Key Stage 1 library area. I think it was a good example of using outside expertise to challenge our thinking.”

This kind of creative work is hugely beneficial to learners of all ages, but particularly to young minds. By involving them in the shaping of their environment, their opinions on high level decision-making are validated. The children are the ones who will primarily be learning in the school space, so letting them know that their input is important has a positive impact on their learning and sense of agency. When learning spans both the classroom and real-world scenarios, creativity can really come to fruition as students see the real-life effect of their decisions.

How important is creativity in education?

Creativity is sometimes referred to as one of the key competencies of the 21 st century and is also intrinsic to sustainable development. 

As the world increasingly faces challenges related to climate change, the education of the next generation is pivotal in helping to cultivate innovative thinking and problem solving to address sustainability issues. Creative education is not just a more fun and resourceful way of learning, it helps prepare children and young adults for creative work and the challenges of everyday life.

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The educational sector is changing in the wake of Covid-19 and the weak points that the pandemic restrictions exposed in the current structures of pedagogy. Educational leaders want their schools to be more resilient and their staff and students to be actively learning and collaborating beyond the restraints of traditional learning methodologies. When it comes to the success of remote learning, there are more dynamic ways to share information than simply through webinars, and creativity has shown how limits can be overcome.

If you’re looking for professional development that lets you consider these challenges of teaching and many more, while exploring creative leadership styles and leadership roles, a master’s in education could be for you. Find out more about the learning opportunities offered by a 100% online MA Education Leadership and Management and how you can register today.

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Why is Creativity Important in Education?

At its core, creativity is the expression of our most essential human qualities: our curiosity, our inventiveness, and our desire to explore the unknown. As we navigate an increasingly complex and changing world, promoting creativity in education is more important than ever before.

Prisma is the world’s most engaging virtual school that combines a fun, real-world curriculum with powerful mentorship from experienced coaches and a supportive peer community

The Importance of Creativity

We are all creative people, whether you think of yourself as creative or not. It takes creative thinking to paint a picture, but it also takes creative thinking to figure out the right formula to use in a spreadsheet, to invent a twist on a chocolate chip cookie recipe, or to plan a birthday party. But some people are more practiced and comfortable in the creative process than others.

At its core, creativity is the expression of our most essential human qualities: our curiosity, our inventiveness, and our desire to explore the unknown. Using creativity, we are able to push the boundaries of what is possible, imagine new worlds, and find solutions to the most pressing problems facing our society.

In a world where automation looms to take over all but the most innovative tasks—ones that truly require unique thinking—how can we make sure the next generation is capable of creatively solving these problems? We founded Prisma precisely because we were concerned traditional forms of education weren’t up to the challenge of creating future innovators.

In this post, we will explore the importance of creativity in the education system, the role of creativity in students' emotional development, and the ways in which it can be taught .

Creativity in Education

Despite the vital role creativity plays in our lives, it is often undervalued and neglected in our educational system. We are taught to memorize facts and figures, follow rules and procedures, and conform to the expectations of others. This approach may produce technically proficient students, but it fails to cultivate the spirit of creativity at the heart of true innovation.

In a rapidly evolving world with increasing automation, the ability to think creatively and come up with innovative solutions to problems is critical. This is particularly true in education, where fostering creativity can help students develop important critical thinking skills, as well as prepare them for the 21st-century workforce.

Creativity=Critical Thinking

“There’s no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would forever be repeating the same patterns.” -Edward de Bono

What does creativity have to do with critical thinking ? At its core, creativity is about problem-solving . This is a skill becoming increasingly important right now as the world rapidly changes. To keep up with these changes, young people need to be able to come up with creative ways to solve problems, and be able to adapt to new situations quickly.

At Prisma, learners engage in a workshop called Collaborative Problem-Solving twice per week. These workshops might involve a critical thinking simulation, like when learners had to choose which businesses to invest in, Shark Tank style; or a science simulation where they had to figure out how to power a city using a combination of resources. In real life, much of creative problem solving happens in teams, yet in many traditional schools, kids are asked to solve problems on their own.

To build the form of creativity that leads to innovative thinking, learners need complex, interesting problems to solve. Education needs to figure out ways to design these kinds of authentic problems to prepare learners to succeed.

Creativity & Social Emotional Skills

“The most regretful people on Earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave it neither power nor time.” -Mary Oliver

One of the benefits of creativity is the role it can play in the development of emotional intelligence . As mentioned above, creativity is an essential part of what it means to be human. It feels good to make something and be proud of it! When learners are given the opportunity for creative expression, it can help them develop their self-esteem and build confidence .

Prisma learners complete a creative project every 6 weeks based on our interdisciplinary learning themes , and present their final projects during a celebratory “Expo Day.” LaShonda S., a Prisma parent, described how making a creative project for the first time impacted her son this way: “His sense of pride and accomplishment has gone through the roof. He has told all of our family and friends about his podcast.”

Building students’ creativity isn’t just about the warm and fuzzy feelings, though. Going through a creative process is tough, and can build resilience, grit , and tenacity. It’s much easier to follow step-by-step instructions than it is to brainstorm, ideate, and iterate on your own idea. Creative projects can help kids learn to take risks and embrace failure, which is always an important part of the creative process.

In addition, creativity can help students develop important social skills. When learners work on creative projects together, they learn to collaborate and communicate effectively. This is an important skill for the 21st-century workforce , where teamwork and collaboration are essential. Since Prisma is a virtual school, our learners go even further, learning how to collaborate on creative projects virtually with young people all over the world, much like many adults do in their jobs today.

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Role of Creativity in the Education System

The education system has not always prioritized creativity. In fact, many education systems around the world have placed a greater emphasis on rote learning and standardized testing than on creativity and innovation.

Chen Jining, the president of Tsinghua University in China, once described the dichotomy between “A students” And “X students.” “A students” were those who followed all the rules, achieved excellent grades from kindergarten through high school, and aced standardized tests. Jining noticed what these Chinese students often lacked, however, was an aptitude for risk taking, trying new things, and “defining their own problems rather than simply solving the ones in the textbook.” (Mitchell Resnick, Lifelong Kindergarten ). The kind of creative people who could do those things could be thought of as “X students.”

High-achieving students who lack creativity are a major problem for any society who wants to solve problems, invent solutions, and innovate. What kind of learning environment might create a society of “X students” rather than just “A students”?

Creative Thinkers in Education

Fortunately, there are many educators and thinkers working to promote creativity in education. Sir Ken Robinson made a splash when he argued in a highly popular TedTalk and other writing & speeches that traditional education systems kill creativity.

Prisma’s curriculum was inspired by Seymour Papert , a mathematician and computer scientist who was a pioneer in the field of educational technology. Papert believed technology could be used to promote creativity and empower students to learn in new and innovative ways. He also believed creativity was a key component of the learning process, and that students should be given the freedom to explore and experiment to develop their creative thinking skills. His philosophy that learners learn most when engaged in a process of “ hard fun ” inspired the design of Prisma’s engaging curriculum themes & creative projects.

Another influential thinker in the field of creativity in education is Peter Gray , a psychologist and author who has written extensively on the importance of play and creative expression in children's lives. Gray argues play and creativity are essential for children's emotional and cognitive development and that schools should prioritize these activities to promote social skills and academic success.

Assessing Creativity

Unlike standardized tests, which (arguably) provide a clear measure of students' knowledge and understanding, creativity is more difficult to assess. This prompts some educators to dismiss its importance. However, there are ways to measure creativity, such as through creative projects and assessments focusing on problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Before joining the founding team of Prisma, I researched creative assessment at Harvard. We discovered strategies such as assessing the process as well as the final product, allowing opportunities for peer & family feedback, and incorporating self-assessment and self-reflection helped reliably assess students’ creativity.

4 Ways to Teach Creativity

So how can teachers and homeschool parents foster creativity?

• Design a creative classroom environment , or make your home workspace more creatively inspiring. Of course, at a baseline, a creative learning environment may include materials like art supplies, building blocks, and maker tools, but kids can also be creative with digital tools like Procreate , TinkerCad , Canva , and plain old pen and paper. Remember, creativity is about ideas, not materials!
• Provide opportunities for brainstorming , encouraging students to come up with their own ideas. Instead of deciding in advance what learners will create and what the steps will be, consider coming up with the project together, or letting learners design their own . At Prisma, learners get multiple options each cycle for projects they can complete, and also have the opportunity to propose and design their own projects.
• Foster a creative mindset . This involves encouraging students to take risks and embrace failure, and helping them understand creativity is a process, not a product. At Prisma, this looks like using badges instead of traditional grades , and offering lots of opportunities for kids to reflect on not only what they made, but what they learned along the way. Don’t just give praise for what a learner completed, but their behavior during the process: for example, “I noticed how you changed your idea after you got peer feedback, what a great creative mindset!” instead of “Your drawing is really good!”
• Teach creative thinking skills explicitly . This can involve teaching students how to brainstorm effectively, how to find a creative flow state , and how to give & get feedback on their ideas. At Prisma, we use design thinking frameworks and teach learners the steps.

So what happens when schools decide to emphasize these strategies? Kids can do amazing things! As one Prisma parent describes, “ This year, my 10 year old designed her own ecosystem in TinkerCAD, started her own business with a functioning website, served as "Swedish Ambassador to the UN council" where she debated how to resolve the Syrian refugee crisis, coded her own game to educate others on Audio-Sensory-Processing-Disorder, and wrote her own fairy tale.”

Creativity is a critical component of education in the 21st century. By promoting creativity, you can help students develop important problem-solving and critical thinking skills, as well as foster their emotional and social development. While there are challenges to promoting creativity in the education system, there are also many educators and thinkers who are working to make creativity a priority in education. As we navigate an increasingly complex and changing world, promoting creativity in education is more important than ever before.

More Resources for Creative Education

Our Guide to Design Thinking For Kids

Our Guide to Entrepreneurship For Kids

Our Guide to Curiosity in Education

Our Guide to Interdisciplinary Education

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Lev Vygotsky 1931

The development of thinking and concept formation in adolescence

This text formed part of chapter 10 of Vygotsky, L. S. 1931: Pedologija podrostka [ Paedology of the Adolescent ]. Moscow-Leningrad: Uchebrio-Pedagogicheskoe lzdatel’stvo. Paragraphs five to 24 were with slight alterations republished in his Myshlenie i rech ’ [ Thinking and Speech ] (1934). As can be seen from its general format the book was intended to be used as a textbook for the (correspondence) courses at Moscow University. For a textbook Pedologija podrostka was surprisingly lopsided: the chapter from which this text is taken, for instance, covered no less than 130 pages, whereas other chapters totalled a meagre 15 pages. It seems, then, that Vygotsky used the textbook to publish the results of those investigations that were in the focus of his scientific interests at that time. A large part of the empirical work which is at the basis of his chapter was carried out by L. S. Sakharov, to whose memory the book was dedicated. Its theoretical orientation owes much to the work of Groos, Werner, Ach and others as Vygotsky himself acknowledges.

Imagination and creativity of the adolescent

This text was chapter 12 of Vygotsky, L. S. 1931: Pedologija podrostka [ Paedology of the Adolescent ]. Moscow-Leningrad: Uchebno-Pedagogicheskoe Izdatel’stvo. Parts of it (from part 2) have been translated into English on the basis of the Russian edition of Vygotsky’s Collected Works (Vol. 4, Moscow, 1984). See Vygotsky, L. S. 1991: Imagination and creativity in the adolescent. Soviet Psychology, 29. It is crucial to consider that the inclusion of Pedologija podrostka in the 1984 edition was itself abridged and its (abridged) translation into English was based on that version. The translation included here is made from the first Russian original published in 1931;

The Vygotsky Reader also has Introduction to the Russian translation of Freud’s Beyond the Pleasure Principle , and Tool and symbol in child development, by Vygotsky and Luria; Principles of social education for deaf and dumb children in Russia, The methods of reflexological and psychological investigation; The problem of the cultural behaviour of the Child; The socialist alteration of man; The development of thinking and concept formation in adolescence; Thought in schizophrenia; Fascism in psychoanalysis; the problem of the environment and The development of scientific concepts in school aged children by Vygotsky; The problem of the cultural behaviour of the Child, by Luria; Methods for investigating concepts by Leonid Sakharov; The development of voluntary attention in the child by Alexij Leont'ev.

Vygotsky Archive

Spring Open House at ASU California Center spotlights creativity

In the historic lobby of the ASU California Center Broadway, guests sign in for the Herberger Institute Spring Open House on March 16. Photo by Travis Hutchison

More than 200 people attended Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts' Spring Open House on March 16 at the ASU California Center Broadway and Grand locations in downtown Los Angeles. Of that group, more than half were prospective students, including a group from Bakersfield, California, and a group from the United Kingdom. 

Throughout the day, a shuttle bus transported guests between the Grand and Broadway locations, which are only a few blocks away from each other.

Prospective students, their families and guests toured both buildings and attended a variety of workshops offered by The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, ASU FIDM and The Design School, including “The Power of Visual Storytelling,” “Rework the Dress Shirt” and “Mold Making,” as well as a keynote panel on how creatives industries are being reshaped by artificial intelligence and virtual reality, a panel on careers in the creative industry, and tours of the “Art of Costume Design in Film” exhibition at the ASU FIDM Museum.

ASU FIDM Assistant Program Director Miguel Barragan (at the lectern) speaks on artificial intelligence and virtual reality in the creative industries during a panel moderated by Julie Pilat and featuring Will Ayers and Nonny de la Peña (not pictured). 

Photo by Travis Hutchison

ASU FIDM Director Dennita Sewell greets students at the Herberger Institute's Spring Open House in downtown LA on March 16.

Guests at the open house experience "the Planar Studio screens" at ASU California Center Broadway. Learn more about the studio in this ASU News article .

A new wrap on the exterior of the ASU California Center Grand showcases the creative programs it is home to, including film, fashion and design.

More Arts, humanities and education

ASU Symphony Orchestra welcomes visionary conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush

Guest conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush will join Arizona State University’s Jason Caslor, director of bands, to lead the ASU Symphony Orchestra in their final concert of the season, “Trailblazers,” on…

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Amanda Barnette has a passion for art preservation.   That means that, for the past four years, the Arizona State University student’s schedule was filled with classes that fit her artistic bent:…

ASU+GSV Summit tackles big questions about AI, technology, education

Editor's note: We'll be updating this story daily throughout the summit. The annual ASU+GSV Summit kicked off in San Diego on Sunday, drawing thousands of leaders for a four-day event that focuses…

Nine from Art Department win 2024 Creative Arts Awards

The UW–Madison Division of the Arts has announced the recipients of the 2024 Creative Arts Awards, who will be recognized at special gala event on Tuesday, May 2, at the Hamel Music Center. Among the award winners are nine individuals with ties to the School of Education’s Art Department.

The Creative Arts Awards program enables the Arts Division to recognize and support research and outreach in all areas of the creative arts at UW–Madison. Eight awards are open to a variety of arts practitioners, researchers, students (both undergraduate and graduate), staff, and faculty from arts academic departments, co-curricular arts units, and programs. The gala awards ceremony, presented by the Division of Arts, is a celebration of diverse and groundbreaking creative arts research that spans disciplines and departments across UW–Madison.

This year’s event will hold even greater significance, as it will form part of the UW–Madison’s 175th Anniversary celebration.

The 2024 recipients of Creative Arts Awards include an Art Department alum, lecturer, and both undergraduate and graduate students:

Emily Mead Baldwin Award in the Creative Arts Anna Campbell, MFA alumna, Art Department, and associate professor, Department of Gender & Women’s Studies

Edna Wiechers Arts in Wisconsin Award Hannah O’Hare Bennett, lecturer, Art Department

David and Edith Sinaiko Frank Graduate Fellowship for a Woman in the Arts Anamika Singh, MFA candidate, 4D, Art Department

Graduate Student Creative Arts Awards Fatemeh Fani, MFA candidate, photography, Art Department Matthew Ludak, MFA candidate, photography, Art Department Caroyln Spears, MFA candidate, glassmaking, Art Department Devon Stackonis, MFA candidate, printmaking, Art Department

Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Arts Award Madelyn Mascotti, Art Department Abby Sunde, Art Department

“We’re proud of the diverse group of awardees from across UW–Madison faculty, staff, and students this year, who are doing groundbreaking and innovative research intended to benefit the communities we serve.” says Christopher Walker, director of the Division of the Arts and professor in the School of Education’s Dance Department. “There is a renaissance in the arts post COVID, and the Creative Arts Awards serves to recognize excellence and equip our talented recipients to lead the change and to go boldly with work that advances the Wisconsin Idea.”

The Creative Arts Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 2, at 5 p.m., in Mead Witter Concert Hall inside the Hamel Music Center, with a reception to follow.

Learn more about all of this year’s awardees .

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Arts education graduates find roles in other fields, creative workforce report finds

Only 20% of Illinois arts graduates work in arts jobs as their primary occupation.

CHICAGO – Creatively trained workers can be found in many professions outside the arts, with their unique skills and viewpoints ready to be tapped by willing employers, according to the first report of the Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership.

Focused on understanding and elevating the creative workforce in Illinois, the partnership is a collaboration between  Arts Alliance Illinois  and three entities within the University of Illinois System:  Discovery Partners Institute , the  College of  Fine  and  Applied Arts  at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the  College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts  at the University of Illinois Chicago.

The report used data from the U.S. Census Bureau to map the careers of creative talent in the state’s workforce. Broadly, it found that arts graduates find pathways both within and outside arts disciplines, with many lending creative talents to professions outside the creative industries.

Key findings include:

• Twenty-two percent of U.S. and 20% of Illinois arts graduates have primary occupations related to their field of study. Other arts graduates are applying their unique talents to other roles such as management, education, administration, and sales.
• Architecture (40%) and graphic design (29%) graduates are most likely to have primary occupations in the arts, while drama (10%) and art history (6%) graduates are among the least likely.
• More than one-quarter of music graduates (26%) end up working in education and one-fifth of art history graduates (20%) end up working in management occupations.
• Arts graduates are more likely to work outside their field than graduates of other majors like health care, information technology and education.

“Understanding these trends is pivotal for shaping the future of arts education and career preparation,” said Aisha Motlani, the author of the study. “Artists aren’t only to be found on stage or in studios, but they are also in boardrooms, classrooms and a host of other places. This prompts a rethinking of how we prepare and guide arts alumni.”

This report, the first released by this partnership, is also a first step towards building a long-term partnership between universities, nonprofits and industry that will achieve nation-leading and transformative improvements in how Illinois identifies, prepares, supports, trains and employs creative workers. Immediate next steps include interviewing creative professionals across occupations.

The partnership was launched in September. Motlani, who serves as the Illinois Creative Workforce research specialist, is housed within the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative at DPI, which produces research on Illinois education and workforce issues for impact on state policy and practice.

“Creatives bring so much to the table,” says Claire Rice, executive director of Arts Alliance Illinois. “Having Dr. Motlani on board to track their impact, assess their realities and factor their talents into the larger picture of our workforce landscape is a critical step toward improving professional pathways for creative workers in Illinois.”

“We are delighted to have Dr. Motlani at IWERC. Her dedicated work on creative training and jobs is contributing to our research arm on the Illinois workforce,” said Meg Bates,  IWERC director. “Her creative perspective also informs all of our education research from cradle to career.”

The full report is available  here . IWERC is hosting a webinar on May 2 at 1:30 p.m. CDT where audiences can learn more about the data. Please  register  to attend. For additional information on this research, contact Aisha Motlani at  [email protected]

Arts education graduates find roles in other fields, creative workforce report finds 

Iwerc releases first of five reports on computer science education in illinois , illinois climate researchers develop methodology to predict temperatures at street scale .

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ENGL 587 A: Topics in the Teaching of Creative Writing

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Home > Opportunities > Education Paid Internship – Fall 2024

Education Paid Internship – Fall 2024

Description.

The Center’s Education Department reaches over 300,000 individuals each year with a variety of programs designed to create sustainable creative arts experiences for children, teachers and families. The Education intern will gain hands on experience in many aspects of arts education by working on such programs as Segerstrom Center’s On Stage and Family Series performances, Disney Musicals in Schools and Arts Teach. Assignments may include planning and facilitating kid friendly pre- show activities, welcoming and assisting students and teachers for field trip performances, helping with masterclasses and teacher professional development sessions and researching and editing educational materials such as study guides, brochures and evaluations. Internship is greatly enhanced by attending events, which may include some weekend and evening events.

Internship Basics

· All internships are paid at the rate of $16 per hour.

· Internships require an average of 10 hours per week (built around your school schedule) over 12 weeks (120 hours total).

· ​Internships offer academic credit.

· Each semester includes 6-8 professional development sessions.

· Internships offer hands-on work experiences and opportunities to build a professional network.

Requirements

· Interns must be authorized to work in the U.S. and must be 18 years of age or older.

· Interns must be registered for credit from their college institution.

· Interns must be able to complete a minimum of 120 hours during the 12-week internship.

· Interns must be available to attend professional development sessions from 2pm-3pm on Fridays.

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