Promoting creativity in education -- from policy to practice

Abstract

In the 21 st century, our global community is changing to increasingly value creativity and innovation as driving forces in our lives. This paper will investigate how educators need to move beyond the rhetoric to effective practices for teaching and fostering creativity. First, it will describe the nature of creativity at different levels, with a focus on personal and everyday creativity. It will then provide a brief snapshot of creativity in education through the lens of new policies and initiatives in Queensland, Australia. Next it will review two significant areas related to enriching and enhancing students' creative engagement and production: 1) influential social and environmental factors; and 2) creative self-efficacy. Finally, this paper will propose that to effectively promote student creativity in schools, we need to not only emphasise policy, but also focus on establishing a shared discourse about the nature of creativity, and researching and implementing effective practices for supporting and fostering creativity. This paper has implications for educational policy, practice and teacher training that are applicable internationally.

Using Social Networking and Virtual Reality to Harness Creativity in Students in E-learning Situations

“…for a particular concept to be learnt or explored. Other creativity theories reveal concepts that are instrumental in developing and demonstrating creativity, such as self-efficacy [9,10]. Self-efficacy is simply one's belief in one's skills and capabilities.…”

Curriculum Differentiation’s Capacity to Extend Gifted Students in Secondary Mixed-ability Science Classes

“…For example, HAS need to create and analyse information, rather than to simply summarise it. This teaching Process priority within CD fosters the generation of new knowledge, rather than simply the memorisation of old knowledge (Berger, 1991;DeHaan, 2009;Lassig, 2009a;Watters & Diezmann, 2003). Gentry and Gable (2001) noted several key factors in providing a differentiated curriculum for HAS, including the development of an appropriately stimulating Environment, with a high level of interest, challenge, and choice.…”

“…It involves considering a wide range of characteristics (Munro, 2003;Szabos,1989;Winner, 1996). In addition, the potential number of these students is increased by the inclusion of creative high ability thinkers (Lassig, 2009a;Piirto, 1992). The potential sample increases again when identifying, and including, HAS who might be gifted underachievers (Reis, & McCoach, 2000;White, Graham, & Blaas, 2018).…”

The Courage to Let Go of Certainties: A Comparative Study Exploring Realities Relating to Creativity in Australian Secondary Schools

“…Kozbelt, Beghetto, and Runco themselves note that 'variation…which encompasses the subjective experience of the moment of a private, minor insight by an extraordinary individual as well as the greatest achievements of human genius' demonstrates just how difficult creative categorisation is (2010, p. 21). Hence, a shift in the last 50 years has found an increasing respect for the 'unambiguously creative, as well as everyday creativity' that is seen to be increasing stifled by mass education (Burnard, 2006;Lassig, 2009;Runco & Albert, 2010;Robinson, 2011). This has led to a more cooperative approach amongst fields such as in the Philosophical Psychology journal that develops links.…”