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Creativity is essential to innovation, novelty, and sustenance. This research involves the study of creativity in education, specifically through the training of teachers and future teachers to apply theories of creativity in instructional design. Teacher Education students were exposed to creativity theory and conditioned to apply theory in developing learner creativity in lesson and project design. Creativity theories were included in an online course in cognition and critical thinking in education as foundational psychological frameworks to apply in educational practice and in the design of creative activity in the course. Participants studied and applied creativity frameworks in instruction and learning design in the form of lessons and projects. Lesson Designs were full-length lessons with applications of creativity theory. Project Designs were group projects incorporating creativity theory into an educational resource. Uses of creativity theory in lessons and projects were analyzed for understanding and application of theory.

Creativity , Instructional Design , Teacher Training , Online Education

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1. Introduction

Creativity is necessary to inventive thinking in any domain, and underappreciated in many formal educational environments. All solution making and construction require creative thinking. Yet, almost no schools teach for creativity or train teachers to teach for creativity. The following study explores the value of creativity in educational design in teacher training, and is part of a sequence of studies investigating critical thinking in education. The research was embedded in an online course in critical thinking in teaching and learning in a California school of education. Creativity theories were examined for their utility in education and applied in the design of creation activities integrated into the course. A previous paper (Kaplan, 2017) describes the course. Included in the course were frameworks guiding design, critical thinking content, construction based assignments intended to engage use of theory in design, and collaborative communication. Course skill and learning outcomes include critiquing creativity theories in teaching and learning and applying theories in education.

While there are incredible signs of remarkable creation, there is also evidence everywhere we are in need of creativity development. It has been suggested there is a crisis in creativity thinking, with a decrease in creativity thinking scores (Kim, 2011) , suggesting a need for creativity in education. There has been much discourse over creativity in educational institutions internationally (Hall, 2010; Wise & Ferrara, 2015) . Sternberg, 1996, 2006, Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2003, discuss the nature of creativity and its importance in intelligence. Jausovec and Jausovec (2011) examine the brain and creativity in education. Creativity theorists have advocated for teaching for creativity at all levels of education and training (Werry, 1949; Antonietti, Colombo, & Pizzingrilli, 2011; Griffiths, 2014; Shaheen, 2010; Brundrett, 2007) , including in the design of educational learning environments (Davies, Jindal-Snape, Collier, Digby, Hay, & Howe, 2013; Richardson & Mishra, 2018) . Lindstrom (2006) questions and considers how we can assess creativity. Craft (2001) and Spendlove (2008) offer reviews of a range of creativity and education advocacies and projects, and Scott, Leritz and Mumford (2004) provide a review of the effectiveness of its training.

The overarching objective of this research is to encourage and evaluate creativity in education, specifically through the training of teachers and educators to incorporate creativity in the practice of developing learners and learning environments. A further objective is to develop the online instructional technologies to support creativity development. This paper describes the participants, instruments and procedure, analysis and results of applying creativity in education in teacher training.

2.1. Participants

Participants were students enrolled in online critical thinking in teaching and learning courses at a California school of education over the course of several Terms. Twenty-one of sixty students volunteered to include their work in the study, five male and 16 female. The participant body was composed of teachers and teachers in training of multiple ethnicities on intern and student teaching tracks in special education, single subject in varying subject areas, multiple subject credentials, and Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL). Participants included two Multiple Subject candidates, fourteen Single Subject candidates including two in Math, two in English, three in Physical Education, two in Science, two in Language, two Educational Specialists, two undeclared, and one TESOL candidate. Selection was determined by required participation in the course and volunteering for the study. The volunteers were representative of the course participants and teacher candidates in the school.

Table 1 . Participant make-up.

Table 1 shows a number count for participant make-up out of 21 volunteers, 16 female and 4 male, from 60 participants

2.2. Instruments and Procedure

This study was inside of a sequence of readings and assignments and primarily consisted of two assignments: a weekly module focused on creativity and intelligence in the 7 th module of an 8 module term, and a final project incorporating all theory covered throughout the course, including creativity application. The study instruments were part of an online course in critical thinking in an Intelligence and Creativity Module. Instruments included creativity readings and assignments made up of lesson design and project activities. Lesson designs required selection of a topic to teach based upon State Standards with a design incorporating the reading. Project designs were culminating group or individual work incorporating creativity theory into projects.

The weekly module creativity lesson design prompt stated: Select three-to five-insights from the principles of intelligence and creativity. Incorporate these insights into one of the following: Your Psychology & Cognition Lesson Plan from Week One, A revised Psychology & Cognition Lesson plan from previous weeks, or a new lesson plan that could be used to support your Unit Plan assignment. Support your lesson plan design with suggestions from the readings this week. Submit your lesson plan to the Intelligence & Creativity Lesson Plan assignment submission forum by Friday.

The final project design prompt stated: Imagine there is a school-wide goal to integrate critical thinking in teaching and learning in the classroom. Create an instructional website covering a specified unit of instruction for students, administrators, and parents at the grade level(s) of your shared interest, on the topic of your shared interest, incorporating learned theories and applications. Incorporate or provide resources and support for the studied elements in your Unit Plan: Psychology and cognition, Behaviorist theories, Constructivism and Piagetian theories, Vygotsky’s and Bruner’s theories, Learning theory and social cognitive theory, Cognitive and metacognitive development, Intelligence and creativity. Write a 1200- to 1500-word paper that describes how each of the above elements was incorporated into your Critical Thinking Unit Plan. Include references to course readings. Create a 2- to 3-minute narrated and animated presentation to the school district highlighting the main points of your Critical Thinking Unit Plan and instructional website. Include references to course readings.

Participants completed activities individually and in groups during the course of the week of the module and submitted their assignments online. Project and lesson designs were received through online submissions in digital word or web format. Participant designs were analyzed for content.

2.3. Analysis

Student constructions were analyzed for creativity theory understanding and referencing and application of creativity theory in education. Referencing to theory and application of theory in lesson design were counted and analyzed for quality of design. Projects were analyzed for theory referencing and application in project design. Types of application of theory were reviewed in lessons and projects.

3. Intelligence and Creativity Module

Creativity research, resources, and assignments were designed into Module 7 of an 8 Module Term. Module 7 is a unit on intelligence, emotional intelligence, and creativity in critical thinking. The goal of the module is to provide an overview of intelligence, emotional intelligence, and creativity theories. Learning objectives include analyzing ideologies of intelligence and determining how to effectively apply the ideologies of intelligence in lesson plans and project designs. The components of all Modules and Module 7 are described in a previous paper (Kaplan, 2017) . Module 7 is also described below.

The module is made up of readings, forums, and assignments. Readings include Sternberg and Grigorenko (2003) , Goleman (1996) , Cherry (2016) , Sternberg (1996, 2006) , and Gardner (1995) . Readings present foundational theories in Intelligence, Emotion, and Creativity. Assignments include brainstorming in project groups over how to incorporate intelligence and creativity theories into project design, researching technology for project, selecting insights from intelligence and creativity theorists and incorporating into lessons designed in previous assignments, and providing meaningful feedback to classmates’ lesson designs. The Module 7 lesson prompt is described in the Instrument and Procedure section, as is the final project prompt.

4.1. Applications in Lesson Designs

Participants embedded creativity into lesson designs in a multitude of thoughtful applications. One lesson incorporated a creative activity in the creation of a graph. Another supported creative activity in recognizing and understanding emotion. One design involved analyzing and creating messages in music. One lesson used color to develop spatial intelligence in mathematical thinking. Another lesson used of a variety of visuals and manipulatives to grow creative thought. Another lesson focused on building on past skill and knowledge as recommended by Sternberg. A 2 nd grade lesson employed open assignments to support creativity. Another participant designed acting out of different types of learning. A lesson on language learning was designed to represent language and culture through a creative artifact.

In a 9 th - 12 th meiosis mitosis Science lesson, creativity was applied by production and viewing of a video and by including bodily kinesthetic physical acting out of the process with verbal and nonverbal information incorporated. A 4 th grade history lesson on WWII and Japanese culture included an option to choose your own adventure through the material. An Algebra lesson was designed for students to work to creatively graph and find creative solutions in Algebra. A 6 th grade lesson on the number system was designed to support dynamic thinking through collaborative idea exchange and asking questions with more than one way of answering. A 10 th grade Algebra lesson encouraged collaborative pair share and independent work building upon past work.

A 9 th - 12 th grade Physical Education circuit training class supported pursuing ideas that are unknown or out of favor but have potential and persisting in resistance against the grain. Video with visual and audio instruction is employed to creatively present material in an 8 th grade Geometry lesson. One lesson in 11 th grade literature incorporated learning about issues and concepts that morph or creatively expand thinking such as transcendentalism. A 7 th - 8 th grade ESL lesson involved creatively learning vowel sounds through music and song. A 9 th - 12 th grade special education lesson designed a sharing environment to encourage creativity through sharing. A physical education lesson incorporated design of a creative fitness plan.

Table 2 . Reference and application of theory in lesson designs.

Table 2 shows a number count for whether Creativity theories were referenced and applied in Lesson Designs out of twenty one participants.

4.2. Applications in Project Designs

Participants included creativity in project designs in a range of applications. One project design involved designing a bar graph in a math lesson. A project on decoding messages in the media involved exploration of political activism through media and art. An adjective game for middle school students engaged students in identifying adjectives that describe images. One project on healthy eating asked students to create nutrition labels on healthy food. In a project on world travel, networking, and communication in language learning, creativity is considered in the design by applying Sternberg’s suggestion of creativity to be enhanced by bringing past knowledge to new experiences in learning about language food and travel online. In a project focused on money investment and banking in 12 th Grade economics, creativity is incorporated into activity by including song writing about the economy.

In a unit designed to teach high school students research, independent learning activities activate creativity in pattern observation and analysis. In a project based learning unit to teach parents and teachers about problem based learning, a student unit has students choosing their own adventure and create a presentation of their adventure story. In a project to support students in math test taking and learning, creativity was considered to reduce emotional anxiety by having students create schedules for studying and learning aids. In a project on relationship development intervention with children with autism for teachers, teachers are recommended to consider keeping lessons more open ended with more dynamic thinking with problem solving through varying kinds of scenarios, and experiences and showcasing of more than one way toward a solution with multiple perspectives.

In an emergency in athletic training unit, designed to know how to save an athlete’s life, creativity is suggested to be applied by providing information in a different way and new options for student expression. In a unit plan designed for alternative assessment, creativity is considered in encouraging creative assessments with more creative ways to show mastery. In a project on physical fitness, creative intelligence is exercised by encouraging students to create exercise plans.

Table 3 . Reference and application of theory in project designs.

Table 3 shows a number count for whether Creativity theories were referenced and applied in Project Designs out of twenty one participants.

5. Conclusion

Creativity is fundamental to human thought development and survival. Creativity theories are important in supporting instruction and learning, and elevation of teacher understanding and learning design. This course was successful in inspiring teacher candidates to analyze and apply creativity theory to instruction. Upon reading theories in creativity, teacher education candidates referenced and applied theories in creative ways to develop creativity in study and learning in lesson designs and final projects. Some applications of creativity theory which arose as beneficial to teaching, included employing open assignments, building upon past knowledge in the development of new experiences, creating and/or investigating an artifact, such as creating study skills resources, presentations, media messages, and cultural artifacts, encouraging dynamic thinking through varying scenarios, showcasing multiple solutions, and considering mind expansive concepts. The results of this study suggest creativity theories should be included in the teaching of teachers in developing their knowledge and skills needed to shape student development, particularly creativity development. Teacher and teacher candidate designs resulted in inspiring learning circumstances for advancing creative activity and thinking through expansive and transcending ideas and action.

The course was successful in cultivating creativity in educational design. The course developed participant thinking about creativity and participant designs. Participants understood and applied theory in a range of creative designs intended to support creativity. A future study could assign the experience differentially with a control group to make a causal claim about course efficacy. The current study does not measure learning from the creativity design in K-12 students for whom the lessons and projects are designed, though does in course participant creations. Another future study could investigate how the teacher constructed designs influence learning in the classroom. Broader work might consider how creativity training and thought can be incorporated into all institutions. Care and consideration should be given to cultural norms and conventions in expanding creatively by investigating and using caution with boundaries.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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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

Usable Knowledge

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Creative Teaching and Teaching Creativity: How to Foster Creativity in the Classroom

Posted By: Lauren Cassani Davis December 17, 2018

“Describe the tongue of a woodpecker,” wrote Leonardo Da Vinci on one of his to-do lists, next to sketching cadavers, designing elaborate machines, and stitching costumes. Da Vinci filled over 7,000 notebook pages with questions, doodles, observations, sketches, and calculations. He nurtured creativity as a habit and skill every day—and it paid off. Da Vinci’s work reshaped multiple disciplines, from science, to art, to engineering.

I was intrigued when my co-teacher suggested using “Da Vinci” notebooks in our 2nd grade classroom. The idea was simple: students keep notebooks, independent of any academic subject, where they can try creative exercises and explore personal passions. I ordered a stack of bound notebooks for the occasion.

Within a week, the results astounded me. Whenever a student’s thinking diverged from our lesson objectives, or their question glimmered with the spark of a potential new interest, we sent them to their Da Vinci notebook. “Write it down!”—a refrain chanted countless times a day. One day, we did a “100 questions challenge,” inspired by the book How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci by Michael Gelb. The goal: Write 100 questions, in one sitting, about anything . The 2nd graders asked questions like: How does your brain work? Why do we have music? Do tiny people live on atoms? Why am I not a tiger? How do keys open door locks? Why do things have to die? Why did Beethoven write an ode to joy if he was so grumpy? Why aren’t all cars electric?

By the end of the year, the Da Vinci notebooks were gloriously full. One 2nd grader had designed and sketched a fleet of zombie-apocalypse vehicles. Another wrote poem upon poem, practicing techniques she’d learned earlier in the week. Another took insightful notes on her day-to-day observations of our classroom. Despite many trips between home and school, only one child lost their notebook all year—no mean feat for 7-year-olds.

The Da Vinci notebooks weren’t just for students. We teachers kept them too. Joining in on the creative chaos with our students, we logged our own curiosities and passions. As I scribbled poems, sketched the plant on my desk, and recorded questions about who invented the fountain pen, I was re-immersed in the joy of the learning process. I’m convinced the notebook made me a more engaged teacher, especially on challenging days. There’s no way to know with certainty what the effects of these notebooks were. But the creative attitude of Da Vinci began to take root in our classroom—in our students and in us as educators.

Creativity is often paid lip service, but in reality, most schools are currently experiencing a “creativity gap” —with significantly more creative activity occurring outside of school. Numerous psychologists argue that creativity is not just an enrichment or add-on in the classroom: It is a definable, measurable, set of psychological skills that enhance learning and will be necessary in the 21st-century workforce.

Do your students regularly display and develop their creativity while in your classroom? Are you in touch with your own creativity as a teacher?

Here are some steps you can take to reflect—and some strategies you could try.

Why schools need to prioritize creativity

A well-accepted definition of creativity is the generation of a new product that’s both novel and appropriate in a particular scenario. (A product could be an idea, an artwork, an invention, or an assignment in your classroom.) There isn’t just one way for a person to “be creative,” or one set of characteristics that will differentiate “the” creative person. Instead, many experts think of creativity as a set of skills and attitudes that anyone is capable of: tolerating ambiguity, redefining old problems, finding new problems to solve, taking sensible risks, and following an inner passion.

Some researchers distinguish between several stages of creativity. Most people are familiar with “Big-C” creativity: rare ideas of extraordinary people, like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, or Einstein’s paradigm-shifting theories of theoretical physics. But there are also everyday forms of creativity: “Mini-c” creativity, when a person learns something new and their understanding of the world changes, and “Little-c” creativity, when a person’s life become embedded with everyday creative thoughts and actions.

It may also be instructive to think about what creativity is not:

• Just for artists, writers, and painters. It’s an attitude and way of problem-solving that applies across domains, from engineering, to biology, to business.
• Necessarily a result or sign of mental illness. While there may be connections between creativity in individuals with certain disorders, beware anecdotal stories of ear-slicing artists and hot-headed scientists.
• A fixed trait that only some people possess.
• The same as IQ. Even students who are not intellectually “gifted” can be highly creative.
• Beyond measurement. While no single test is perfect, there are many ways to assess (and improve) creativity.

Many experts in psychology and education argue that creativity skills are psychological skills needed for success in school and in the future workforce. As such, schools have a duty to teach them and value them. One 2010 survey found that over 1,500 executives valued creativity as the most crucial business skill in the modern world. In a knowledge economy where rote tasks are can be completed by machines, and almost all information is available with one click, students need to be ready to learn independently, and constantly adapt, innovate, and creatively problem-solve in the workplace.

Creativity also directly enhances learning by increasing motivation , deepening understanding, and promoting joy. Intrinsic motivation is essential to the creative process—and relies on students pursuing meaningful goals. “Create” is at the top of Bloom’s taxonomy for a reason: By noticing broader patterns and connecting material across academic disciplines, creative thinking can facilitate deeper cross-curricular learning. As Alane Jordan Starko points out in the book Creativity in the Classroom, the strategies that support creativity—solving problems, exploring multiple options, and learning inquiry—also support depth of understanding.

Robert Sternberg has argued that creativity can predict college success above and beyond just what we get from standardized test scores: In one study of students taking the GRE, higher scores correlated with higher creativity. Beyond academic achievement, creativity can make learning more fun—leading to joy and positive emotional engagement in students. (Watch out for what Jonathan Plucker, a professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Education, calls “Listerine” approach to education—that “serious and boring” is the only way towards productive learning.)

Develop your students’ creativity in the classroom

Creativity requires a safe environment in which to play, exercise autonomy, and take risks. As teachers, it’s up to us to establish this kind of supportive classroom. Here are some suggestions from psychologists and educators for how to develop and nurture your students’ creativity:

• Create a compassionate, accepting environment. Since being creative requires going out on a limb, students need to trust that they can make a mistake in front of you.
• Be present with students’ ideas. Have more off-the-cuff conversations with students. Find out what their passion areas are, and build those into your approach.
• Encourage autonomy. Don’t let yourself be the arbiter of what “good” work is. Instead, give feedback that encourages self-assessment and independence.
• Re-word assignments to promote creative thinking. Try adding words like “create,” “design,” “invent,” “imagine,” “suppose,” to your assignments. Adding instructions such as “Come up with as many solutions as possible” or “Be creative!” can increase creative performance.
• Give students direct feedback on their creativity. Lots of students don’t realize how creative they are, or get feedback to help them incorporate “creative” into their self-concept. Explore the idea of “creative competence” alongside the traditional academic competencies in literacy and mathematics. When we evaluate something, we value it! Creating a self-concept that includes creativity.
• Help students know when it’s appropriate to be creative. For example, help them see the contexts when creativity is more or less helpful—in a low-stakes group project versus a standardized state assessment.
• Use creative instructional strategies, models, and methods as much as possible in a variety of domains. Model creativity for students in the way you speak and the way you act. For example, you could say “I thought about 3 ways to introduce this lesson. I’m going to show you 2, then you come up with a third,” or show them a personal project you’ve been working on.
• Channel the creativity impulses in “misbehavior.” For students who are often disturbances, see if you notice any creativity in their behavior. Perhaps that originality could be channeled in other ways?
• Protect and support your students’ intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation fuels creativity. Several studies have shown that relying on rewards and incentives in the classroom can undermine intrinsic motivation to complete a task—an effect called “overjustification.” To avoid this, Beth Hennessey, a professor of Psychology at Wellesley College, suggests that educators try to limit competitions and comparison with others, focusing instead on self-improvement. Experiment with monitoring students less as they work, and provide opportunities for them to pursue their passion when you can.
• Make it clear to students that creativity requires effort. The creative process is not a simple “aha” that strikes without warning. Tell students that truly creative people must imagine, and struggle, and re-imagine while working on a project.
• Explicitly discuss creativity myths and stereotypes with your students. Help them understand what creativity is and is not, and how to recognize it in the world around them.
• Experiment with activities where students can practice creative thinking. Many teachers have suggestions for creative activities they’ve tried as warm-ups or quick breaks. “ Droodles,” or visual riddles, are simple line drawings that can have a wide range of different interpretations, and can stimulate divergent thinking. “Quickwrites” and “freewrites” can help students to let go of their internal censor. As part of reviewing material, you could have kids use concept cartooning , or draw/design/paint visual metaphors to capture the essence of complex academic information.

Teachers: Develop and nurture your own creativity

As creativity scholars Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire write in their book Wired to Create: “Creativity isn’t just about innovating or making art—it’s about living creatively. We can approach any situation in life with a creative spirit.” Teaching is, through and through, a creative profession.

Teachers who can model creative ways of thinking, playfully engage with content, and express their ideas, will beget creative students. Students need to see teachers who have passions, whether it’s drawing, mathematics, painting, biology, music, politics, or theater. That contagion of passion and positive emotion is a hotbed for creative thought. Creatively fulfilled teachers may also be happier teachers. One study in the Journal of Positive Psychology suggests that engaging in a creative activity—doodling, playing a musical instrument, knitting, designing—just once a day can lead you into a more positive state of mind. This positive state of mind will sustain you, and spread to your students.

Here are some ways teachers can develop and nurture their own creativity:

• Be aware of your own limiting misconceptions about creativity. Examine your own attitude toward creativity and help yourself grow by thinking about alternative solutions.
• Experiment with new ways of teaching in the classroom —could you try a new arts integration lesson you’ve always been afraid to try? What about trying a new hands-on STEM investigation?
• Take a risk to express your creative side. Often, I’ll doodle something on the board as an attention-getter, or to deliver the morning message. Having a meerkat or a dragon telling students to put their backpacks away is much more likely to amuse, plus it’s a chance for me to challenge myself artistically every day.
• Treat lesson planning as the creative exercise it is. Every day, you face new constraints in the form of the needs and preferences of the specific learners in your classroom. Have you heard your students debating a certain issue during recess or in the hallway? Have you noticed their attention focused on a particular new gadget, fad, or current events issue? Find a way to weave it into a lesson.
• Develop personal creative rituals. In her classic 1992 book on developing personal creativity, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron writes about the “artist’s date”: “a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist.” As Cameron puts it, “the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend against all interlopers. … A visit to a great junk store, a solo trip to the beach, an old movie seen alone together, a visit to an aquarium or an art gallery—these cost time, not money. Remember, it is the time commitment that is sacred.”
• Try meditation practices that encourage creative thought, such as “open-monitoring” meditation. One study found that those who practiced focused-attention meditation performed better on a test of convergent thinking, while those who practiced open-monitoring meditation performed better on a test of divergent thinking.
• Seek solitude. Spending time in solitude is essential to nourishing your creativity. Set aside some time to be alone, away from the distractions of technology and others who may rely on you.
• Travel . One study found that cross-cultural experiences can increase measures of creative thinking.
• Switch up your daily routines. Challenge your conventional ways of thinking by taking a different route to work, listening to a new genre of music, go to a museum and check out a style of art you’re unfamiliar with. Changing your environment and breaking out of habitual thought can shake your mind out of its rut.
• Embrace ambiguity. You’re probably teaching your students to embrace error, take risks, and learn from failure. See your own teaching as an extension of the same process. Embrace the gray areas, the ambiguities. “Ambiguity tolerance” is a key component of creativity.

Another teacher in my school also used Da Vinci notebooks in his 4th grade classroom, and we eagerly traded stories. As I flipped through his class’s responses to the 100 questions challenge, I saw thoughts like: Why do we sleep? When will the world end? Why are we addicted to candy? How was Morse code invented? Why did we invent schools? How does poison kill you? Why do we love?

One question caught my eye: “Why don’t woodpeckers get brain damage?” I smiled at the creative coincidence. Perhaps Da Vinci wondered the same thing in his notebook centuries ago.

For more tips and resources on bringing creativity into your classroom, see the APA professional development module for teachers, Creativity in the Classroom .

About the author.

Lauren Cassani Davis

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Creativity and technology in teaching and learning: a literature review of the uneasy space of implementation 

• Published: 11 January 2021
• Volume 69 , pages 2091–2108, ( 2021 )

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• Danah Henriksen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5109-6960 1 ,
• Edwin Creely 2 ,
• Michael Henderson 2 &
• Punya Mishra 1  

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Internationally, creativity is a widely discussed construct that is pivotal to educational practice and curriculum. It is often situated alongside technology as a key component of education futures. Despite the enthusiasm for integrating creativity with technologies in classrooms, there is a lack of common ground within and between disciplines and research about how creativity relates to technology in teaching and learning—especially in the uncertain space of classroom implementation. This article provides a critical thematic review of international literature on creativity and technology in the context of educational practice. We identify four essential domains that emerge from the literature and represent these in a conceptual model, based around: (1) Learning in regard to creativity, (2) Meanings of creativity, (3) Discourses that surround creativity, and (4) the Futures or impacts on creativity and education. Each of these clusters is contextualized in regard to emerging technologies and the developing scope of twenty-first century skills in classroom implementation. We offer conclusions and implications for research and practice.

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Henriksen, D., Creely, E., Henderson, M. et al. Creativity and technology in teaching and learning: a literature review of the uneasy space of implementation . Education Tech Research Dev 69 , 2091–2108 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09912-z

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Artificial Intelligence

Unlocking the power of creativity and ai: preparing students for the future workforce, by abbie misha     mar 20, 2024.

Image Credit: lohloh / Shutterstock

Teaching creativity and creative thinking in K-12 has always been valued but often challenging to implement. Many standards and curricula don’t call out creativity explicitly, and teachers aren’t often trained on how to teach and assess creative thinking. As such, many students enter college and the workforce not having enough practice in key critical thinking skills that they need to be innovative problem-solvers and effective communicators.

The past two years have witnessed a notable surge in the use of artificial intelligence within education, marked by increased investment, deployment and integration into various educational practices . This surge has prompted a growing exploration of AI's potential to more easily bring creativity into the classroom, exemplified by the emergence of AI-powered tools capable of generating text, images, music and video with no coding necessary. However, amid this advancement, some educators new to teaching creative thinking wonder if creative AI will enable, or replace, students’creative thinking for students.

Recently, EdSurge webinar host Carl Hooker discussed with field experts about opportunities and challenges to fostering creativity in the classroom with AI, defining creative thinking beyond traditional artistic pursuits, addressing equity and ethical considerations, reimagining the role of teachers in the AI-enhanced classroom and helping students get jobs and careers that rely on creative and AI skills. Webinar panelists Stacie Johnson , leader of professional development at Khan Academy, Pat Yongpradit , chief academic officer at Code.org and leader of TeachAI , and Brian Johnsrud , global head of education learning and advocacy at Adobe , each offered unique and valuable perspectives on the intersection of AI and creativity.

EdSurge: Some people feel that being creative means being artistic and, therefore, claim to be “not creative.” How would you respond to that?

Johnsrud: The World Economic Forum this past year reported that creative thinking is the number-one skill needed across industries globally in the next five years . By creative thinking, they do not mean they need people who can draw and paint well. Instead, creative thinking is the ability to create and innovate something that has value. What that skill looks like is brainstorming lots of different ideas, evaluating those ideas, designing and iterating, getting feedback, collaborating and sharing ideas effectively. That end-to-end process is creative thinking.

How can we help educators overcome the fear of the unknown regarding AI?

Johnson: This is a new phenomenon, so we have to acknowledge the emotions and the feelings that come from that [fear]. One thing we can do to support teachers is make AI accessible in a practical way to educators, [making it as easy as] asking about what's for dinner tonight or how I can plan my vacation. We need to do this before we try to apply it to the already overburdened, busy work schedule of educators, who need to experience the tool and build up their comfort. It falls on us as leaders and professionals to be committed to providing ongoing support and being a thought partner with the people on the front lines who bring AI to kids.

Yongpradit: I often get to engage with policymakers and education leaders, and I would say that the most helpful thing to do is to get them interacting with the tools in a relevant way, connecting to something they're actually working on right now. If policymakers and education leaders can see how valuable the tools can be for [achieving] their existing goals, then they're hooked and more open to having the AI conversations and passing on that support to all the school districts and teachers whom they serve.

Watch the full “Unlocking the Power of Creativity and AI: Preparing Students for the Future Workforce” webinar on-demand now.

What are the equity and ethical considerations when it comes to AI use?

Johnson: If we want to ensure equitable access, I want to really hammer home the point that teachers need training. AI isn't just a new tool; it is a shift in pedagogy. Training a couple of times a year during these PD days is not enough. Teachers need strategies and thought partnerships. They need to feel empowered and have ongoing support to bring AI into the classroom in a developmentally appropriate way that is best for their students.

AI can bring access in a way that we've never had before. The challenge facing us right now is ensuring that this access gets to everyone without widening that digital divide. As industry leaders and educational leaders, we have to be really intentional about focusing on historically underrepresented communities and doing whatever we can to ensure that access starts there and that we're empowering every community.

Yongpradit: The equity concern is more than the idea of a burgeoning AI divide in terms of access to the internet, devices and even the people who can teach students about this technology. Michael Trucano from the Brookings Institution commented that the divide we will see is where some kids get taught just by AI, and other kids get taught by AI plus a human, which is obviously way better .

Johnsrud: There are a lot of economic and career opportunities for students to have a very different future than their parents or grandparents did — if they have the assistance of AI. But if students have to learn about AI tools on their own because they don't have access to them in the classroom, that's an equity concern. It's not that AI will take their job; it's that someone using AI might get that job.

How will the role of a teacher evolve as AI becomes more prevalent in learning? Or are we overemphasizing the transformative nature of this tool?

Johnson: It will be transformative, but I would actually flip that question back to the teams developing this technology. As we design these technologies for schools and teachers, we should focus on addressing the problems faced by the teacher, learner, classroom, and school. We have a responsibility to really explore that to its fullest potential. AI can’t replace teachers; it lacks the human connection. Teachers inspire, mentor and understand students' unique individual needs. AI can aid and empower teaching, which will be transformative, but it can't replicate those human elements that really have an impact on students' lives.

How can educators address the concern about students using AI to cheat?

Yongpradit: There is research out of Stanford that found that the prevalence of cheating overall remained the same with the introduction of ChatGPT . Basically, a cheater is going to cheat; ChatGPT is not pushing students to cheat. So, we need students to understand: Hey, you're going to graduate and get a job, and you're not going to be able to perform if you keep on cheating; you're going to pay the price at some point.

Johnsrud: We have a lot of history of technology in the classroom that we can learn from. The fear when calculators were introduced in the math classroom wasn't just that students were going to cheat; it was that the reliance on calculators was going to affect the development of their conceptual mathematical-thinking skills; by the time they got to calculus, maybe they wouldn’t be able to do conceptual math because they relied on calculators. That wasn't the case. Using calculators increased mathematical thinking skills, but not just by themselves; there was a lot of really thoughtful pedagogy on when and how to introduce calculators.

For decades, this notion of authentic assessment has been on the table — this push to go beyond multiple choice with assessments that authentically evaluate what a student learns, how they learn and how they think. If it's really easy for your students to cheat and get an A on your assessment, is that an authentic assessment? An authentic assessment should be hard to cheat on because a student has to bring so much of themselves to it that it's kind of cheat-proof. I know that's not always easy to do, but I like that AI is pushing this vision of authentic assessments forward a bit.

Johnson: We have an obligation to think about transforming traditional assignments into something more interactive and problem-solving-based. We can make little changes to how we assess student understanding and emphasize fostering critical and creative thinking so that students are deeply engaged and working through iteration.

We also have an opportunity as educators to redefine the line between what cheating is and what efficiency is. When we find ourselves waiting for ChatGPT to come back online to write an email or a proposal but don't want our students to use that same sort of efficiency, we need to challenge our own thinking.

This article was sponsored by Adobe for Education and produced by the Solutions Studio team.

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The Role of Environmental Factors in Fostering Creativity in the Classroom

• Brooke Breti Graduate Student, University of Regina

Creativity is a set of skills, a form of thinking, and a way of meeting and excelling in the demands of the 21 st century. This article explores creative gaps and inadequacies that hinder the development of teacher and student creativity in classrooms. Drawing from various disciplines, this article explores the challenges schools face in nurturing creativity through an in-depth analysis of existing literature, research studies, and expert views on the subject of creativity in education. The author discusses how teachers play a pivotal role in nurturing students' creativity and the importance of empowering teachers, with a focus on equipping teachers with the necessary tools and knowledge. The author contends that empowering teachers to create transformative educational experiences creates students who are critical thinkers, problem solvers, and contributors to a dynamic and innovative society.

Keywords: Creativity, student, teacher, practical suggestions, classroom environment

Copyright (c) 2024 Brooke Breti

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Development of creativity in physical education teachers using interactive technologies: involvement and collaboration

Department of Physical Education, School of Teacher Education, Lishui University, Lishui, China

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The popularisation of an active lifestyle and sports is a hot topic today. The countries activate the interest of the population in physical culture introducing creative training activities in sports. The research highlights that it is important to develop creative thinking in physical education teachers. Thus, the main research goal is to analyse the influence of interactive technologies used to develop creativity among physical education teachers. The researchers use tablet computers with a video communication function for the experiment. All training sessions were conducted on the Zoom conferencing platform. The training took 6 months. The proposed training included power training, yoga, dance and gymnastics. At every third lesson, three respondents developed and presented their training programme for the rest of the group. Torrens creative thinking test was used to assess the results. The comparison of the training dynamics in men and women (P-value = 0.019 and 0.003, respectively ( p  ≤ 0.05)) proves the effectiveness of the proposed training techniques. It means that this technique is effective for sports activities and can be introduced in educational institutions. The scholars recommend using it in schools, universities and other educational institutions.

Introduction

The development of creative abilities is a vital issue for discussions and innovations. First of all, freedom of expression and creativity affects learning and decision-making in different spheres of life. Creative thinking facilitates the development of new techniques and findings (Zielińska et al., 2022 ). The development of such skills requires teachers to acquire relevant competences. Effective teaching methods affect the skills of students and freedom of thinking (Ayyildiz & Yilmaz, 2021 ). Physical education teachers are involved in a variety of activities daily. Interested training lessons have a positive impact on student’s motivation. It supports the interest of the population in sports. It will help to improve the health conditions of the population in the future and facilitates general physical activities (Uzunöz & Demirhan, 2017 ). Therefore, the development of creativity among physical education teachers is important at the local and global levels (Engdahl et al., 2021 ). In pedagogical science, a few methods of professional development exist. The main methods of professional development are: lecture-based learning (listening to various lecture courses), self-study (obtaining knowledge from video tutorials and literature on your own), and interactive learning, during which teacher-student interaction takes place. Physical education teachers should review them regularly to improve their teaching skills (Patti et al., 2015 ). The analysis of the physical education methods and training approaches reveals that many methods can be considered by scholars. The most popular methods include different training activities explaining the physical training to health groups. Physical education teachers learn about different health groups and physical loads that can be given to students of a certain group. During such training sessions, teachers learn how to evaluate health groups (Mujika, 2017 ). Different physical education courses for teachers exist where they learn about different training programmes. In most cases, they include knowledge about all muscle groups and exercises for strengthening the muscles (Krzysztofik et al., 2019 ). They include gymnastics and yoga lessons (Richardson et al., 2019 ). Such training takes place in real-time. However, innovative technologies allow teachers to learn these practices online. This encourages the development of new teaching programmes as well as the use of a large arsenal for visualising learning materials (Palvia et al., 2018 ). At the moment, Internet resources provide users with unlimited space, thus every individual has access to learning programmes. The development of multimedia technologies such as computers, tablets and even mobile phones facilitate online learning. Different gadgets allow users to be online at any convenient time and place. Thanks to this approach, it is possible to gain knowledge from anywhere in the world. The discovery of such opportunities increases people’s motivation for education (Goodrich, 2021 ). Many web-based applications are being developed for different purposes and teachers can conduct distance lessons and be engaged in self-education. Information technologies help teachers to exchange information and experience with colleagues and physical education teachers from other countries. The proposed method of communication is less costly and time-consuming. Also the exchange of information increases the level of progress in the field. These are the main advantages of multimedia teaching (Chandra & Palvia, 2021 ). The most popular multimedia training for physical education teachers are lessons through video conferencing platforms. This is due to the possibility of real-time visualisation, which allows both demonstration of the exercises and control over their correct execution. Therefore, by far one of the most used applications has become Zoom.

Using the video camera, teachers can conduct different forms of online training. Participants take part in the training and can watch their images on a common screen (Krutka et al., 2019 ). Teachers can conduct lectures without videoconferencing (Correia et al., 2020 ). In addition to training, pre-selected videos are available on different multimedia platforms for self-study. This technique helps to consolidate the material and acquire more knowledge in a short period. Nowadays, this approach is usually used in the methodology both for students’ independent work and for more in-depth study of the topic (Jung et al., 2019 ). The development of creativity based on such methods requires the analysis of teachers’ skills and further areas of improvement for different training programmes and the development of the individual approach to their students.

The proposed approach will help to develop a creative training programme and increase the motivation for lessons among students (Livy et al., 2022 ). The teachers training on how to apply an individual approach to learning and foster creative thinking has been introduced. Before that, it was necessary to familiarise teachers with the learning framework and demonstrate the real capabilities of the proposed training programmes. Improvisation techniques are helpful in different types of lessons and help students to acquire the necessary skills. One of the possible methods is to ask a physical education teacher to design the training programme based on the acquired knowledge and skills (Hickey et al., 2016 ). Only a few methods are available for teachers to improve their qualifications and teaching methods. However, multimedia technologies make it easier to learn new methods, acquire new skills, find and collect information on a particular topic. This opens up many possibilities for improving and creating new pedagogical methods. A confirmation of these factors can be seen in the number of new developments in recent years. Therefore, information technologies have become very popular in recent years (Rho & Kang, 2019 ).

The use of Internet resources and gadgets for teaching and improving the creative skills of physical education teachers is a hot topic in education. After all, the creative elements in sports attract more individuals and motivate them to train. More and more individuals will follow healthy lifestyle patterns. But how this approach affects the creativity skills of physical education teachers is not yet fully known. This is because there is not much research in this area, as the possibility of moving to an online learning format and its popularisation has not happened for a long time.

Literature review

Researchers from the National Taiwan Normal University analysed the impact of virtual reality technology on the development of creativity. Using virtual reality as a teaching tool in schools, the scholars have made the following conclusion: the proposed strategy has a positive impact on creative design and influences the transition from the traditional learning experience to reflection and abstract understanding of the given tasks. These qualities stimulate the development and application of innovations (Chang et al., 2020 ). Scientists from the University of Kafrelsheikh (Egypt) examined the role of multimedia technologies in the development of design skills and creativity. The experiment included students, where one group was taught using classical educational methods and the second group was taught using multimedia technologies. As a result, the second group achieved better results than the first one. The obtained results confirmed the advantages and illustrated the benefit of using gadgets and virtual reality to enhance students’ creativity skills (Elfeky & Elbyaly, 2021 ).

The scientists from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology analysed the effectiveness of gadgets in physical education teaching. The results show that the number of educational materials on physical culture in multimedia format is increasing every year. Mobile technologies used in physical education help to acquire more knowledge and become more and more popular. The sports activities that can be taught effectively through multimedia resources are very limited. The main focus is on the development of dynamic sports. Therefore, the researchers discuss the limitations of teaching physical education using mobile applications (Yang et al., 2020 ). Researchers from Lishui University (China) investigated the impact of web platforms on the development of critical and strategic thinking in physical education. The sample included students from 18 to 35 years. Their task was to exercise regularly using a mobile application. As a result, the indicators of health outcomes, well-being, self-organisation, motivation and self-control increased among all respondents. The experiment helped all individuals to develop healthy eating habits and reduce fatigue (Qi, 2021 ).

The scholars of the University of Georgia (USA) investigated the outcomes of the integration of multimedia technologies in physical education. The scientists suppose that the proposed techniques are gaining popularity but they have not been developed yet. The researchers recommend providing teachers with more information about educational technologies. Not all educational institutions have the opportunity to purchase expensive equipment and have to initiate a Bring your device solution (Kim & Gurvitch, 2018 ). Researchers at Walailak University in Thailand examine the impact of physical activity on the creativity of young people. Nearly 1500 students took part in the experiment. A specialised programme of physical activity was developed for them including joint games, group sports, etc. Next, a specialised test for creativity helped to assess the skills of the respondents. The results showed that physical activity has an impact on thinking skills and the development of creativity (Piya-Amornphan et al., 2020 ). At the University of Alicante (Spain), the scholars examined the development of creative thinking in physical education students through body expression. The experiment was based on the analysis of body expression during lessons. The research used a specialised test for creative intelligence to evaluate the results. The intermediate testing showed that the best test results were found in women. However, by the end of the experiment, the indicators of creativity among the male and female participants were similar (Vidaci et al., 2021 ).

Researchers from Chengdu, Tangshan and Deyang (China) examined the relationship between the personal qualities of physical education teachers and the effectiveness of teaching. The results demonstrated that individual factors influence the teaching of creative design. The qualities such as extraversionness, pliability and openness of the teacher affected the teaching innovativeness. The support of the educational institution plays a vital role in the creative development among teachers (Deng et al., 2020 ). Kent State University (USA) introduced a specialised method of online learning in physical education. The strategy consisted of the interaction of physical education teachers with their students using multimedia technologies. It included training activities, exchange of practices and communication between students. Using the results, the scientists concluded that the transition to online learning was not an inferior method to the traditional teaching model. Therefore, researchers recommend teachers change their learning style and use more modern and convenient technologies (Sato & Haegele, 2018 ). Scientists from San Jose State University (California, USA) explored the prospects for online education in physical culture and sports. The popularity of multimedia technologies in education is increasing rapidly because they become a major indicator of the successful acceptance of information. Opportunities for online education are expanding both locally and globally. The proposed approach helps to introduce new educational programmes for students (Daum et al., 2021 ; Grigorkevich et al., 2022 ).

Researchers from Deakin University (Australia) analysed the prospects of online learning in sports. Unlike most of their colleagues, the researchers admitted that some sports have not used online resources yet. Scientists underlined that online learning was ineffective for learning specific skills. These skills included throwing, catching, and running. However, researchers found that such problems could be solved by introducing new teaching methods and specialised programmes for teachers (Lander et al., 2022 ). The literature analysis helped the scholars to identify the following factors. First, online physical education programmes have a positive impact on the development of creativity. Second, the proposed training stimulates teachers to introduce new teaching methods. Third, the training helps the scholars to exchange experience with foreign colleagues without using a lot of resources. However, not all sports activities could be taught remotely, using multimedia technologies. New technologies ensure an opportunity for further research of sports activities online.

Setting goals

The research goal was to analyse the influence of interactive technologies on the development of the creative potential of physical education teachers. The options and scope of the online education methodology focused on physical education were researched. The research purpose was to examine the impact of multimedia technologies on the development of creativity, the prospects and progress of this learning environment. The experiment took place at Lishui University, Department of Physical Education, School of Teacher Education. The main research tasks were to integrate multimedia technologies into a group of teachers of physical education. Specialised testing for creative thinking was used to evaluate and summarise the results. The testing helped to understand the effectiveness of the proposed technique and assess the progress of the experiment. An analysis of the prospects of the interactive teaching methodology for the development of creative qualities in physical education teachers was made.

Methods and materials

Research design and sample.

The scholars used randomised research to assess the impact of interactive technologies on the development of creative thinking among physical education teachers. The experiment was conducted at Lishui University, Department of Physical Education, School of Teacher Education. The sample involved 48 physical education teachers from 24 to 30 years (24 females and 24 males). The participants were randomly assigned to groups of twelve. It helped to acquire the material and learn the lessons. A specialised training and testing programme was developed for these groups.

Before the experiment, all respondents passed a specialised Torrens creative thinking test. The test reveals the abilities to perform certain tasks, combine different sources of information and solve different problems creatively. The test consists of several blocks. In this experiment, only a part of this test, known as The Torrens Tests of Creative Thinking , was used. It included some tasks without time limits. The first task was to draw a picture based on an oval image of any colour. The participant could choose any colour he liked. At the end of the drawing, the participant had to name the picture. The second task was to finish the ten proposed drawings. As in the first stage, the participants had to name the drawings. The third test consisted of a finished stencil with thirty repeating vertical lines. In their intervals, it was necessary to draw as many non-repeating patterns as possible. The results were evaluated according to five criteria: fluency, originality, development, resistance to closure, and the abstractness of the names. Fluency helps to assess the creative productivity of the participants. Originality is used to evaluate the uniqueness of creative thinking. Developments mean the ability to pay attention to details. The resistance to closure reflects the ability to be open to new ideas. The abstractness of the names reflects the ability to understand the essence of the problem and highlight its main points. Each indicator was rated from 0 to 10 points. After the evaluation of the results, the data were summarised (Humble et al., 2018 ).

A professional psychologist assessed the tests. The test was sent by e-mail to the respondents. They passed the test either by printing out a form with tasks or by completing a task using a graphic editor. The participants sent the test results by mail to a specialist who evaluated them. Such testing was carried out several times during the experiment. The research took 6 months. The lessons were conducted by teachers of physical culture and sports. The aim of the training was to conduct lessons 3 times a week for 3 h each with the four groups. The lessons were held remotely using tablet computers with the possibility of video broadcasting (Krause et al., 2018 ). Before the experiment, each participant received such a tablet by mail. For the broadcast, the Zoom application was used. The virtual classrooms were formed for the research (Powell et al., 2021 ). At a certain time, the respondents and the teacher joined the online lessons. The participants had to join the online video broadcast of the lessons. The lessons included different types of training such as power training, yoga, gymnastics and dance (Govindaraj et al., 2016 ; Kerr et al., 2019 ; Schupp, 2017 ). The last session of each week was improvisation. In turn, three students had to demonstrate their training programme prepared for the lesson. At the next improvisation lesson, another three of the respondents demonstrated their talents. The improvisation part was not critically evaluated.

Statistical processing and data analysis

A specialised software package for statistical analysis SPSS 26.0 was used to process and calculate the data. The interpretation of the final results was carried out using Microsoft Excel 2019. The Student’s t-test helped to compare the effectiveness of the proposed teaching approach in groups and the impact of sex on the overall research result. The Student’s t-test assessed the initial training level as the average pre-test result in both control groups. The post-test scores were compared and the research identified the difference between the groups. The statistically significant test level was set ( p  ≤ 0.05). For median analysis, 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The validity of the Student’s t-test was assessed by comparing the results with the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis in this study was a test for statistical normality. If the null hypothesis was rejected, then an alternative hypothesis was accepted, which indicated a difference in the results between the groups. Pearson’s test was used to measure statistical normality. For clarity, it is presented as a comparison between the overall pre-test and post-test results of both groups.

The research restrictions

The main research objective is to develop creative thinking among physical education teachers. The research is randomised and the initial development or lack of creativity is not taken into account. All calculations represent the arithmetic average of the sample. It does not give a complete understanding of how creative thinking develops in an individual using this teaching method. Additional research is required to analyse this aspect. Another nuance of the research is the duration of the effect of this technique since the final testing was not carried out. Further research is needed to investigate this issue.

Ethical issues

Before the experiment, all participants were informed about the goals of the research, the structure and time. The respondents were informed about the control tests. The respondents received all information in the electronic form to their e-mails, when applying for participation in the experiment. Further, their consent was received in a detailed form by e-mail.

Before the research, the scholars tested the creative thinking skills of all participants using Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. The test identified the initial level of creativity among the participants. The students were divided into groups by sex to better understand the development of creative potential in males and females. The final result had an average value in each group. The results were evaluated using the 10-point scale. The independent Student’s criterion helped to calculate and compare the results of the two groups.

In the groups, the average values of Fluency for males and females were 5 ± 0.816 and 4.25 ± 0.5, respectively. The significance level of indicators ( P -value) was 0.178 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It showed the results for the researched criterion. The scholars analysed the similarity of the results in both groups. Originality in both groups was 4.5 ± 0.577. The significance level was equal to 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). The results for this factor in males and females did not differ. Developments in the male and female groups were 4.5 ± 0.577 and 3.5 ± 0.577, respectively. The significance level ( P -value) was 0.05 ( p  ≤ 0.05). According to this criterion, the result in male participants was statistically higher than in females. The values of the Resistance to Closure of the male and female participants were 4 ± 0.816 and 5 ± 0.816, respectively. The results were not statistically significant. P-value was 0.134. In the groups, the difference was not statistically important. The abstractness of the names in the groups of males and females was equal to 3.5 ± 0.577 and 4.5 ± 0.577, respectively. The significance level for this criterion was 0.05 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It showed a significant difference between males and females for this criterion. The female participants showed higher results than the male participants. The final result in the control groups was 21.5 ± 30.406. P-value was 0.01. The null hypothesis was confirmed. The final results in the groups were identical. All data are shown in Table  1 .

Pre-testing results

* p  < 0.05

After the experiment, the final test to assess the critical thinking skills was made. The results of the final test showed no significant differences in the groups of males and females (7 ± 0.816) and (6.5 ± 0.577), respectively. The P-value was 0.36 ( p  ≤ 0.05). The results for this criterion in males and women were not statistically different. Originality in both groups was (7.5 ± 0.577). The significance level was 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). For this factor, statistical differences were not identified. The Developments criterion in the male group was 7.5 ± 0.577, and in the female group was 6 ± 0.816. P-value was 0.027 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It showed the statistical significance of the results. The results for this criterion were higher for the male participants than for the female participants. The Resistance to closure in men and women was (6.5 ± 0.577) and (8 ± 0.816), respectively. The significance level was 0.027 ( p  ≤ 0.05) and it had a statistical significance. In this case, the level of resistance to closure was higher in women than in men. The abstractness of the names in both groups was equal to (6.5 ± 0.577). P-value was 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). According to this criterion, no differences were found among men and women groups. The final result in the group of men was (35 ± 0.816), and in the group of women (34.5 ± 0.577). The scholars underlined that the data were similar statistically. The results are presented in Table  2 .

Final testing

The Student’s criterion helped to evaluate the effectiveness of the technique. The preliminary and final tests of the male and female groups were compared. P-value for the male group was 0.019 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It suggested that the results had statistically significant differences. In women, P-value was 0.003 ( p  ≤ 0.05). This result also indicated significant differences between the preliminary and final tests. Also in this comparison, Pearson’s test was applied to test statistical normality. When comparing both groups, the coefficient on this parameter was 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). This demonstrates a perfect positive correlation. The differences in the dynamics were identified and the scholars proved the effectiveness of the technique. The results are presented in Table  3 .

Assessment of the programme effectiveness

The scholars state that the proposed interactive learning methodology is effective for the development of creativity among physical education teachers. The research participants admit an increase in motivation to work during the current research. However, it should be taken into account that the experiment was randomised and it did not show the absolute accuracy of the results. Further research is required to clarify the results in specific areas.

Researchers from Australia have been analysed distance learning in dance education and its impact on the individual’s cognitive functions. The experiment involved participants from Australia and the UK. The interactive technologies helped the respondents to learn the art of dance. They connected to a common network using a specialised application and watched video broadcasting to learn the elements of choreography. At the end of the experiment, the proposed teaching method increases the physical, cognitive and creative potential of students (Huddy et al., 2021 ). The comparison of the two tests allows the scholars to conclude that the use of interactive technologies in teaching sports disciplines affects the development of creative thinking. The researchers from Australia identified the influence of dance on the development of creative thinking.

In the UK, researchers analysed the experience of using mobile technology to increase student learning and interest in dance. The scholars introduced a specialised methodology for teaching choreography based on a mobile application. The sample involved 42 respondents. They were taught to dance using interactive technologies. The researchers admitted that interactive technologies supported the expansion of different physical activities and facilitate the development of a more democratic environment. The integration of multimedia technologies in the educational process has improved the learning and motivated the participants to acquire knowledge and skills (Alexander et al., 2021 ). Scientists from the UK, similar to the present research, found that interactive technologies in teaching sports were important for the overall success of the training programmes. Both pieces of research concluded that participants were more motivated and engaged using multimedia technologies. The main difference between the experiments was in their goals. Researchers from the UK focused on improving the learning process, while the present research analysed the impact of multimedia technologies on the creative abilities of respondents. Scientists from the University of Melbourne (Australia) examined creative interpretations of physical education programmes. The researchers found that additional training was required to introduce new methods in sports and physical education.

The process of developing and integrating a strategy requires additional efforts for interpretation and adaptation. Teachers must be prepared for the additional workload to work effectively with these strategies. The experiment involved teachers from Finland, who used the methods of their Australian colleagues in their teaching practice. The results showed improvements in creative thinking skills in the teaching staff and students. The interest in physical culture by students was also identified (Quay et al., 2016 ). The research by scientists from Melbourne has the same methodology as the present one. Both experiments analysed the impact of new strategies on the development of creativity in sports. The main difference was the absence of integration of multimedia technologies to learning. Tarbiat Modares University (Iran) examined the impact of advanced multimedia software on the improvements of physical activity. The main health-related problem of the target population was a sedentary lifestyle that prevailed among the female population. An emphasis was on the importance of physical activity for health issues. The research was randomised. The research purpose was to analyse the impact of multimedia technologies on fitness and health. All respondents received an electronic media with the training video. According to the results, all participants of the experiment improved their physical fitness (Gholamnia-Shirvani et al., 2018 ). The similarity of the research is that Iranian scientists have proven the positive impact of the proposed solution on motivation and the effectiveness of multimedia technologies in physical training. The research discusses the importance of physical culture and its impact on health. However, the main difference between the experiments is the purpose of the research. The Iranian scientists examined the improvements in the physical fitness of the population. In this experiment, the scholars concentrated on the development of creative thinking. The scientists from Deakin University (Australia) investigated the possibility of maintaining physical activity using interactive technologies. They examined the role of digital platforms and their application under the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The research found that many applications have already been introduced to ensure physical fitness and allowed individuals to maintain an active lifestyle. Ready-made sports platforms with specific exercises are available for the population and video conferencing applications can also be used to conduct physical education lessons. Scientists suppose that such applications help individuals maintain an active lifestyle and popularise sports (Parker et al., 2021 ). A study by Australian researchers demonstrates the flexibility of interactive technologies in physical education and the promotion of active lifestyles among young people and adults. This study differs from the present study. However, it discusses the benefits of interactive education for physical activity and sport. The aforementioned information allows researchers to conclude that the integration of multimedia technology enhances creativity and shows itself as an effective method in sport. It is worth bearing in mind that not all of the works presented above specifically address the development of creative thinking with the help of this technique. Most research papers on this topic focus on the effectiveness of sport or motivation. Also, this article looks at the development of creativity among groups of people divided by gender. This gives an insight into which creative thinking criteria development is more typical for men and for women. Nevertheless, there are some limitations. First, not all sports can be analysed using interactive technologies. Secondly, most experiments are randomised, and it is not possible to study the effect of a fitness coach or a specific problem on fitness outcomes. Further research is needed to investigate this issue. Based on these limitations, further experiments in this area can be conducted. The proposed recommendations are intended for educators. They may also be of interest to the general population in the context of introducing such methodology as specialised courses and trainings.

The integration of multimedia technologies has a positive impact on the development of creative thinking among physical education teachers. The research results prove the effectiveness of the proposed strategy for sports. The fluency factor for the male and female groups did not show significant differences. Originality in the groups also did not differ greatly in the preliminary and final test results. The developments criterion for the male participants was higher than for females at both stages of the experiment. The results of the resistance to closure in the preliminary test and the final test were equal. However, at the final test, this factor in women was statistically higher than in men. The abstractness of the names in women was higher at the preliminary stage. The final test showed similar results in both groups. A comparison of both groups shows indistinguishable results of the experiment in men and women. The results for dynamics show significant statistical differences. The practical value of this research is that the new teaching methodology based on interactive technologies should be introduced in physical education. The uniqueness of the methodology is that it positively influences the development of creative thinking in individuals. Therefore, this strategy can be effectively used in schools, universities and other educational institutions. The integration of multimedia technologies in physical culture popularises an active lifestyle among the population. Various sports organizations can implement training courses using interactive technologies to attract more customers. This methodology can also be used for the exchange of experience between different countries. The theoretical uniqueness of the study lies in the comparison of the impact of the described methodology on different gender groups. This demonstrates the difference in both the impact and the perception of this pedagogical strategy. However, educators should bear in mind that the research is randomised and all calculations are of the average value, thus some inaccuracies may exist. There is no data available on how this technique can affect the development of the creative thinking of a particular individual. Further research is needed to analyse this problem. The present research paves the way for new research in this area.

Authors’ contribution

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Zhou Xing, and Yue Qi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Yue Qi and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Data availability

Declarations.

All participants gave their written informed consent.

The authors declare that the work is written with due consideration of ethical standards. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles approved by the Ethics Committee of Lishui University.

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. 

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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2024 Creative Teaching Awards

The Creative Teaching Awards are presented annually on behalf of the Office of Instruction to faculty who have demonstrated exceptional creativity in using either an innovative technology or pedagogy that extends learning beyond the traditional classroom or for their creative course design or implementation of subject matter that improves student learning outcomes in their courses. 

Lori Johnston (Photo by Jackson Schroeder/UGA)

Lori Johnston , a lecturer in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, has transformed Reporting I: Critical Skills for Reporting and Storytelling into a consistent and rigorous course that prepares students for careers in journalism. Each semester, she teaches 180 students how to report, write, and edit and builds their journalism skills through active learning opportunities such as mock press conferences and beat pitch competitions judged by professional editors and reporters. In spring 2023, she created a Beat Bingo game/exercise that encourages students to meet people on their reporting beats, seek out resources in and outside the college, and connect with faculty and former students. Johnston has also built valuable common resources for her students, including a web portfolio template in cooperation with the Center for Teaching and Learning that students will use throughout their academic career as well as a free, fully online textbook. Johnston has even created her own YouTube channel, “Skills for Storytelling and Reporting.”

Carol Britton Laws (Photo by Chad Osburn/UGA)

Carol Britton Laws , a clinical professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, is the creator and founding director of Destination Dawgs, UGA’s inclusive transition program for young adults with intellectual disabilities. She created Principles of Person-Centered Practices as a service-learning practicum class to teach undergraduate students about supporting people with disabilities. The course features online readings, videos, discussion, on-campus engagement, recorded journaling and the completion of a final reflection paper. Students volunteer a minimum of 30 hours as peer mentors, applying person-centered support practices to assist students in the Destination Dawgs program. Principles of Person-Centered Practices was intentionally created to promote active, experiential learning within the Disability Studies curriculum to improve critical thinking, problem-solving and professional communication. In end-of-course evaluations, students say they are proud of their role in the successes of their mentees.

Leslie Gordon Simons (Photo by Chad Osburn/UGA)

Leslie Gordon Simons , professor of sociology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, is transforming student happiness. Through innovative use of technology, she has designed a gamified simulation aimed at improving students’ engagement, application, and retention of material in her course, The Science of Happiness. The program focuses on life choices (e.g., use of leisure time, family arrangements, community characteristics) that students can make to improve well-being for themselves, their families and communities. The program produces a happiness score for each student, together with a breakdown of the relative impact of how their choices influence their score. Real-time feedback allows students to understand the results of their decisions and makes the learning experience interactive and fun. Survey data collected at the beginning and end of the semester indicated that students felt less depressed, overwhelmed, anxious and tense by the end of the course.

Nandana Weliweriya (Submitted photo)

Nandana Weliweriya , a lecturer in the physics and astronomy department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, has introduced problem-solving simulations and strategies in his physics classes to provide an immersive learning experience. He created interactive pre-lecture videos with embedded questions, encouraging active learning and deeper comprehension before students enter the classroom. Lab classes follow a three-part method: prediction, experiment and data collecting. First, students engage with simulations to predict outcomes. Then, they perform laboratory experiments to test their hypotheses. Then, they have a recitation or problem-solving section to directly apply their acquired knowledge to original problems. The course focuses on hands-on skills and continuous improvement for each student. If students miss questions on midterm exams, they can record a video explaining their errors and correct solutions for partial credit. This deepens student understanding and helps students practice communication skills.

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IOE - Faculty of Education and Society

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Creative Writing for Media

08 July 2024–11 July 2024, 10:00 am–4:00 pm

Creative Writing for Media is a short course designed to enable participants to practice creative writing skills and apply these to a range of media.

Event Information

Availability.

This course will help you gain a basic introduction to key concepts in narrative theory. By the end of the course, you will have developed a main character, central theme, and the beginning of a narrative, as well as core story concept. You will be equipped with the tools to pursue you ambitions further and understand the differences and similarities in how narrative works in multiple media formats.  

Course content

Each day will feature a combination of teaching and practical exercises:

Day 1: Intro and character 

• Introduce tutor 
• Set expectations for the course 
• Think about memorable characters 
• Inspiration session 
• Character as the seed of the story 
• Defining a main character 
• Getting to know your characters  
• Ticks, mannerisms, traits, flaws, ideals 
• Identifying dramatic need 

Day 2: Structure and dialogue 

• Classic 3-part structure 
• Story arc and beats 
• Plot points and devices 
• Themes as pivots and anchors 
• Creating a logline and synopsis 
• Show don’t tell 
• Dialogue and movement 
• Expository dialogue vs action dialogue 

Day 3: Writing technique and script formats 

• Transitions, Reveals, Pacing 
• Controlling the audience’s eye 
• Writing a script 
• Looking at different script-based media examples 

Day 4: Self editing and next steps 

• Refining the opening chapter and synopsis 
• Editing prose 
• Creating a proposal pack 
• Writer support networks 

Learning outcomes

This course will help you to:

• Build a foundational understanding of narrative theory 
• Have a practical demonstrable understanding of creative writing processes 
• Get a taster experience of approaches to writing for different media. 

Course structure

The course is delivered mainly as a practical workshop with some lectures/discussion.

Certificates

You'll get a certificate of attendance on completing the course.

Costs and booking

Price per participant is £925 and it includes course materials.

About the Speaker

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