The creative chain of activities towards educational management transformation

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore a formative intervention project that was developed for the Municipal Secretariat of Education in São Paulo, Brazil for the broad development of all levels of educational management (teacher educators, coordinators, principals, teachers and students). Thus, the creative chain of activities is a key theoretical framework for promoting critical collaboration in order to cross the boundaries of educational management organization. Design/methodology/approach The authors use data from the Management in Creative Chains Project (Liberali, 2012), as a way to enable the wide development of all levels of educational management. Data comprise formative meetings in which different educational managers system take part in two settings, the regional board with 25 schools and one of the participating schools. The analysis is based on thematic content and argumentative organization, and on critical situations and the potentials they entailed. Findings The study guides to the conclusions of the process of creative chain as a possibility to expand management in the educational system and its community. Research limitations/implications Every time there is a change in the mayors, there are changes in the way of addressing school management in the city. However, after the project, considerations about the needs of the communities became part of the public policy regardless of who is in charge of the city and its educational system. Practical implications This study can be used for transformation in the management and teaching and learning activities and improvement of the school-community relation. Social implications Socially this study can lead to improvement in the quality of life in the community and at school. Originality/value Differently from a top down educational management, which enables a reproductive chain, educational management in a creative chain, considering the community needs, enables subjects to become interdependent to expand and transform the activities in the educational system and hence the communities’ reality.

Conceptualising Creativity and Innovation in the Role of Primary Sector Headteachers

“…Within the literature, we also noted an emphasis being placed on process and product when defining Cr&Inn. For example, Lemos and Liberali [37] identify creativity as a process involving transformation activities and the production of new outcomes. Similarly, Wang et al [35] also identify innovation as a process regarding school-based curriculum design, whereas Anderson-Butcher et al [38] consider process which includes new protocols, routines, and operational procedures; and, product innovation, involving new programs, services, and structures.…”

“…Although the mixed methods study (n = 171), draws from a range of professionals across the school community, they conclude that networks aid opportunities to innovate. Likewise, Lemos and Liberali [37], draw from a range of school stakeholders to examine the impact of the Creative Chain project to provide an alternative to top-down management, they conclude that the collaborative project endorsed community involvement to create and share meaning to produce something novel. Despite these two studies drawing from a range of participants beyond, but including, headteachers, they provide some evidence highlighting the benefits to Cr&Inn brought about by networking and collaboration.…”

“…For example, Hameiri et al [53] highlight a decrease in role risk when challenging existing structures for those who have sufficient knowledge. Mifsud [46] (p. 239), suggests that networks distribute risk by providing 'a testbed for new ideas'; and, Lemos and Liberali [37] note risk-taking involves everyone in the collaboration. Once again, we see the importance of the environment and the social arena.…”

Unleashing the creative spark: the mediating role of employee work engagement on the relationship between employee training and creativity

“…Since workplace creativity is the source of organizational innovation, it is regarded as being of utmost importance for the performance of organizations (Amabile, 1996). The research by Lemos and Liberali (2019) explores the process of educational management transformation through a case study. The study identifies a creative chain of activities that contribute to this transformation.…”

Construção colaborativa de um fluxo de atendimento a crianças e adolescentes expostos ao trabalho: aplicação do método de estimulação dupla

“…Such a collective process of transforming an activity is also seen as 'collaborative agency' -when people motivated to solve a problem meet in order to create a conjoint object 8 . These meetings happen in 'chains of creative activities', in which people engage to produce meanings shared with different partners in new creative activity 9,10 .…”