Running head: FOSTERING CREATIVITY

Fostering Creativity

Andrea Rico

Eastern Illinois University

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The topic of creativity has interested education scholars for decades, however, the new

economic demand for creative thinkers is driving educators to revisit the research as they seek

methods for teaching creative thinking skills and ways to foster creative environments. This

research paper will discuss the literature pertinent to teacher traits and behaviors, which foster

creativity in the classroom. It is important first to address the demand for creative thinkers as

they will significantly contribute to the global economy. After establishing the need for creative

thinkers, this paper will examine the idea that creativity can be developed in a proper educational

setting. Lastly, this paper will review suggestions for teaching models and instructional strategies

that foster creativity.

Recently, teachers, education experts, and business leaders developed a new set of 21st-

century learning skills. These are skills students need to learn to be successful in life and work.

According to the Framework for 21st Century Learning (n.d), there is a focus on creativity,

critical thinking, communication and collaboration as these skills are essential to prepare

students for the future (Framework for 21st-century learning section, para 1). Creative thinkers

are needed in every facet of the global economy. Due to, as Pink (2006) put it, a competitive

marketplace overflowing with material abundance, the outsourcing of professional jobs requiring

knowledge and analytical skills to lower-earning foreign workers and the increased performance

of mathematical and analytical work by computers (as cited in Gustina, & Sweet, 2014, p. 47).

Creativity is such a critical skill; it was chosen as the most vital factor for future success by

1,500 global CEOs in a 2010 survey mentioned by Cadle (2015).

Although, creativity is being viewed as an essential skill to prepare students for the

future, the literature indicates that teachers and schools are not producing creative students.

Cadle (2015) points out that there is a widening gap between what students are learning in school

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and the demands of the economy in terms of creativity. If creativity is in such high demand, what

can teachers and schools do to produce more creative thinkers?

Susnea, Vasiliu, & Spiridon (2014), Esquivel (p. 187, 1995), Zimmerman (2009), and Lin

(2011) agree everyone has the potential to be creative and this potential needs to be fostered in

educational settings. Moeller, Cutler, Fiedler, & Weier (2013) further assert that the only way to

unlock student creativity and encourage them to take intellectual risks is by creating a space

where that can happen (p. 60). Hence, schools and teachers are responsible for establishing an

environment that will foster creativity, but what factors should be considered when establishing a

space that fosters creativity?

According to Lin (2011) there are three factors, which determine a creative environment:

the teacher mindset, the social environment, and the instructional methods. The most important

factor is the teacher because he or she determines the social climate of the classroom and the

instructional methods employed. Teachers who are the most successful in fostering creativity

according to Esquivel (1995), have the following qualities, a sense of humor, are open and

accepting, have a willingness to share a personal side, are spontaneous in the classroom, have

relationships with their students, show enthusiasm, show empathy, and are creative and

imaginative (p.190). Lin (2011) claims teachers who model these qualities and work to develop

these qualities in their students are fostering a safe social climate.

Pruitt (1989) sustains that in this type of environment students will be granted: the

freedom to fail, the freedom to change, and the freedom to enjoy and create (p. 53-54).

Students need the freedom to fail because creativity involves risk and students will only take

risks in a safe environment. Nelson (1966) elaborates on the idea of a safe environment by

explaining that teachers can create a place of psychological safety for the student by deferring

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judgment of work and providing high doses of encouragement. This will allow students to

progress creatively in their work without the fear of failure or judgment.

In addition to the freedom to fail, students need the freedom to change, in other words,

students need variety. Some ways teachers can incorporate variety into the class is by being

flexible in the planning and execution of lessons, releasing some control over to students, and

changing the physical environment (Pruitt, 1989).

Furthermore, students also need time and space to create. Pruitt (1989) explains, for

students to receive the benefits of an innovative environment, it is necessary for instructors to

prevent the barrier of time from rushing the birth of new ideas and approaches (p. 53). He urges,

when planning lessons, teachers should consider the creative process and allow enough time for

ideas to develop fully. Nelson (1966) further emphasizes the need for time and flexible planning,

and explains that it means that teachers have time to complete lessons; children have time to

finish their work dream, to attempt new tasks, to elaborate the details of a composition,

musical score or painting, or time just to think (p. 134). He insists, flexibility in scheduling is

crucial if exploration is to be encouraged for premature closure stifles later creative attempts

(p. 134). Additionally, both Nelson (1966) and Pruitt (1989) stress the need for teachers to

provide space to students. They explain that students need enough space to feel free to explore

personal ideas with some degree of privacy.

Once a creative environment has been established, there are specific instructional models

and teaching strategies teachers can use to foster creative thinking. Esquivel (1995) presents

three instructional models for that emphasize the creative process; the Torrance Incubation

Model, Renzullis Enrichment Triad Model, and Treffingers Creative Productivity Model. These

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models describe the creative process and suggest teacher behaviors for each stage as a means to

foster creative thinking.

Scholars disagree on which models are most effective and at which age students should

learn specific aspects of the creative process. For example, Zimmerman (2009) thinks young

children should be taught general creativity processes and domain-specific activities later when

the students are mature enough to commit to a particular field of interest. Scholl (1967) on the

other hand, believes teachers should not place limits on what students can do based on their age.

Although, researchers propose various ways to teach creativity, most of the creativity

learning models share problem-finding and problem-solving stages. Fasko (2010) along with

others believe problem-finding and solving tasks "stimulate creativity (p. 320). Similarly,

Hathaway (2013) emphasizes teaching students to be problem-finders. She argues that the goal

is to produce life-long learners, not life long-pupils, and adds that to accomplish this, students

needs to become efficient problem-finders, not just problem-solvers (p.12).

Some other more specific teaching strategies and teacher behaviors suggested by the

research include: brainstorming (Davis, 1967), attribute listing, idea checklists, case studies, and

simulation (Esquivel, 1995), collaboration and possibility thinking (Lin 2011), visual thinking

strategies (Moeller, Cutler, Fiedler, D, & Weier, 2013), use of open-ended materials (Drew &

Rankin, 2004), visual metaphor (Heid, 2008) and play (Zimmerman, 2009).

From the literature reviewed it is apparent, that creativity is in high demand and that

creativity is a skill educators can teach using various models and instructional techniques. While

there is an abundance of research on the topic of creativity, the literature also suggests, that

colleges, schools and teachers are ill prepared to teach creativity. An emphasis on creativity

requires changes in all many areas of the educational system. To begin, colleges need to create

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classes to educate future teachers on the methods of teaching creativity. In addition, there is a

desperate need for a sound framework for teaching creativity. There also appears to be a need for

teacher and student instructional materials to be used to develop creativity. In terms of

assessment and accountability, scholars also need to develop a solid method for assessing

creativity. Finally, teachers, will most definitely need help from outside of the classroom if they

are to produce creative students. Thus, school administrators need training on how to provide

flexible time and space, and adequate materials to foster creative student endeavors at their

schools.

How do we incorporate these concepts into art education practice?

Once an environment that fosters creativity has been established, there are many ways to

incorporate creativity into the classroom. One guide, which can help a teacher incorporate

creativity into daily lessons is the Torrance Incubation Model for Teaching and Learning. This

model involves three creative stages with suggested teacher practices for each phase

(Esquivel,1995). The 1st stage is the Heightened Anticipation stage, 2nd stage is the Deepening

Expectations stage, and the 3rd stage is the Keeping it Going stage.

During the first stage, teachers prepare the student to be focused and motivated by

providing attention getting and warm-up activities. Some examples of these activities include:

presenting ambiguities or uncertain ideas, asking questions to raise expectations, stimulating

curiosity, looking for different viewpoints, giving clues or hints, and asking provocative

questions to stimulate new idea (Esquivel, 1995, p. 192).

During the second stage, teachers should engage students to analyze and reflect on the

problem. Some suggested activities for this stage include: heightening awareness, practicing

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elaboration of ideas, using mysteries as curriculum content, stressing divergent thinking,

introducing surprises, and developing imagery and imagination (Esquivel, 1995, p.192).

In the last stage, teachers need to encourage students to show persistence in generating

new ideas. A few strategies for this stage include: playing with ambiguities, deepening

awareness, of gaps or missing pieces, challenging students to respond constructively, requiring

experimentation, examining fantasies to find solutions to real problems and encouraging future

projects (Esquivel, 1995, p. 193).

To supplement instructional models, there are specific teacher behaviors that can boost

creativity. Hathaway (2013) suggests teachers consider the following:

Embrace opportunities for students to learn from mistakes. Dont work out the
problems ahead of time for them in an attempt to produce no fail projects.
If the teacher chooses the medium, the student chooses the subject or vice versa.
Withhold exemplars, which can encourage imitation and hinder the development
of original ideas and approaches.
Permit self-initiated exploration.
Offer flexible deadlines.
Model artistic behavior: find time, in and outside the classroom, to make art of
your own (p. 12).

What remaining questions and problems do you have about the topic?

After reviewing the literature, I have a few questions. First, as a teacher I am aware of the

decisions I can make to foster creativity, but I think I need the support from school

administrators and other teachers to help my students reach their creative potentials. How can I

encourage administrators or other teachers to plan with creativity in mind? Second, research

shows schools are not currently designed to foster creativity. With the pressures of standardized

testing and tiny school budgets in mind, how can we redesign schools to provide more time,

space, materials, and funds to foster creativity? Also, who is responsible for insisting schools

make these changes and helping them allocate funds? Lastly, it would extremely helpful if

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teachers had a published guide or textbook to help teach and assess creative thinking. Who is in

charge of developing these instructional materials for creativity? Maybe I should conduct more

research, create and publish them myself.

Some problems I had while researching this topic was the lack of a clear and concise

definition of creativity. I think this lack of specificity is why there is an abundance of research on

creativity, and yet no widely accepted method by which to apply it in the educational realm.

Also, I noticed a large gap of research missing from the 1970s through to the 1990s. Perhaps the

lack of research was influenced by the educational reforms and lack of interest at the time.

Overall, it was difficult to find recently published literature on teaching creativity or creative

thinking skills. Creativity is such a popular topic in education at the moment, so I know the

information is out there. Perhaps, I was looking in the wrong place. Nevertheless, this was an

interesting topic that I would love to explore further.

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References

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creativity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 9(2), 172-177.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/aca0000019.

Davis, G. (1967). Teaching Creativity. The Clearing House, 42(3), 162-166. Retrieved October

1, 2015, from JSTOR.

Drew, W., & Rankin, B. (2004). Promoting Creativity for Life Using Open-Ended Materials. YC

Young Children, 59(4), 38-45. Retrieved October 6, 2015, from JSTOR.

Esquivel, G. (1995). Teacher behaviors that foster creativity. Educational Psychology Review,

7(2), 185-202. Retrieved October 5, 2015, from JSTOR.

Fasko, D. (2010). Education and Creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 13(3-4), 317-327.

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