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THE CONNECTED MIND Imagination and Creativity in Education
Geneveive Whitecross / [email protected] / 2017
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Written and Created by Geneveive Whitecross 2017
Inspired by the brilliance of Adam Staples, ACU
Cover art by Emily Whitecross
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CONTENTS
IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY DEFINED .............................................................. 3
Imagination ......................................................................................................... 3
Nurturing Imagination in Learners ..................................................................... 3
Creativity ............................................................................................................. 3
Encouraging Creativity ........................................................................................ 3
BENEFITS OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY ........................................................ 4
Benefits of Imagination and Creativity for Society ............................................. 4
Benefits of Creativity for Students...................................................................... 4
LINKS TO CURRICULUM .......................................................................................... 5
Australian Curriculum ......................................................................................... 5
Aboriginal Ways of Learning ............................................................................... 6
HABITS AND HABITATS OF CREATIVITY .................................................................. 7
Habits of Creativity ............................................................................................. 7
Habitats of Creativity .......................................................................................... 7
THE ROLE OF SCHOOL LEADERS IN DEVELOPING A CULTURE OF IMAGINATION
AND CREATIVITY IN THEIR SCHOOL ........................................................................ 8
TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION ........................................... 9
Creative Uses of Technology .............................................................................. 9
Technology in Education ..................................................................................... 9
MAPPING AND IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY IN EDUCATION ......................... 10
A Survey of Creativity ....................................................................................... 11
References ............................................................................................................ 12
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IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY DEFINED
Liu and Noppe-Brandon (2009) define ‘imagination as the capacity to conceive of
what is not’ and, ‘creativity, in turn, is imagination applied.’
IMAGINATION
All people have an imagination. Small children are particularly imaginative,
divergent thinkers. It is the responsibility of educators to nurture student’s
imaginations so they are capable of becoming the innovators of the future.
Imagination in education is not a luxury. It is the foundation of all original
thought.
NURTURING IMAGINATION IN LEARNERS
In the same way a tiny seed has the potential to grow into something as complex
and awesome as a flower or a tree if nurtured by a patient gardener, so too, if
people’s imaginations are nurtured, they have the potential to form the
foundation of great creative expression or innovation.
Educators can nurture student’s imaginations by encouraging them to
- Be curious and ask questions
- Observe details and identify patterns
- Make connections
- View situations from alternative perspectives
- Reflect on new connections that have formed
Great ideas are unlikely to occur in isolation. For ideas to grow into something
worthwhile, students need opportunities to make connections with their subject
matter, with their peers and with their teachers.
CREATIVITY
Two conditions are necessary for an endeavour to be considered creative.
Creativity requires originality and value.
ENCOURAGING CREATIVITY
All people have the capacity to express themselves creatively. Some people may
engage in creative behaviours more instinctively than others but everyone can
develop the habits that will increase their creative expression. Creativity does
not belong only to the realm of the creative arts. Creative expression is the
foundation of all great inventions, creative thinking is necessary for problem
solving and innovation.
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Click here to view Steven Johnson’s TED talk on where good ideas come from.
BENEFITS OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY
BENEFITS OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY FOR SOCIE TY
Imagination is the foundation of all innovation. Without it, our society would not
have the benefit of the amazing inventions or technologies that permeate our
daily lives. We would not have a rich tapestry of cultural heritage recorded
through the creative arts over centuries. We would not have medical
advancements or ever evolving methods of combating the effects of climate
change around the world.
Perhaps most importantly though, imagination in its most transformative and
revelatory capacity allows each of us the opportunity to empathise with other
people even though we have not shared the same experiences. It allows each of
us to connect with our fellow humans for the benefit of our entire global society.
The tireless efforts of imaginative, creative people around the world, who are
driven to connect with and improve the lives of others is the best reason for our
society to hope for a brighter future. Educators have a responsibility to nurture
the imaginations and creative behaviours of learners so they grow into the
innovators of tomorrow. Educators have an opportunity to inspire young people
to see their connection to the world around them and to encourage them to
discover the unique ways they can make a valuable contribution to the society
they live in.
BENEFITS OF CREATIVITY FOR STUDENTS
When educators present learning experiences in a creative format, student
engagement with the content is likely to increase. When students have
opportunities to apply their imaginative and creative capacities, they are more
motivated to be in school.
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LINKS TO CURRICULUM
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
In the Australian Curriculum, (v8.3 F-10 Curriculum), creative thinking involves
- learning to generate and apply new ideas in specific contexts
- seeing existing situations in a new way
- identifying alternative explanations
- seeing or making new links that generate a positive outcome
This includes
- Combining parts to form something new
- Sifting and reefing ideas to discover possibilities
- Constructing theories
- Acting on intuition
- Constructing objects
Critical thinking can produce
- complex representations and images
- investigations
- performance
- digital and computer-generated output
- virtual reality
Click on this link to see examples of critical and creative thinking in the Australian
curriculum.
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ABORIGINAL WAYS OF LEARNING
The 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning provides an intuitive framework for delivering
curriculum content in a way that encourages creative learning.
The key areas of focus are
-Story Sharing: Approaching learning through narrative.
-Learning Maps: Explicitly mapping/visualising processes.
-Non-verbal: Applying intra-personal and kinaesthetic skills to thinking and
learning.
-Symbols and Images: Using images and metaphors to understand concepts and
content.
-Land Links: Place-based learning, linking content to local land and place.
-Non-linear: Producing innovations and understanding by thinking laterally or
combining systems.
-Deconstruct/Reconstruct: Modelling and scaffolding, working from wholes to
parts Watch then do).
-Community Links: Centring local viewpoints, applying learning for community
benefit.
Image and key areas of focus retrieved from http://8ways.wikispaces.com/
15/5/17
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HABITS AND HABITATS OF CREATIVITY
A creative school culture is evident in the output and attitudes of students and
educators. Creative schools are vibrant and there is a high level of engagement
which leads to improved academic standards. A creative learning environment
exists when learners are encouraged to engage in creative behaviours within a
stimulating and engaging setting. While some people may seem to possess more
creative talent than others, all people can increase their engagement in creative
behaviours.
Students are likely to develop the habits of creativity if they are given
opportunities to engage in creative behaviours, if they are encouraged to engage
in creative behaviours and if they are rewarded when they think and behave
creatively (Sternberg, 2007).
HABITS OF CREATIVITY
Teachers can encourage students behave creatively by
-encouraging them to be curious and to learn to ask the right questions
-encouraging the sharing of ideas and choosing which ideas to pursue
-helping students find what they love to do
-encouraging students to believe in themselves and be willing to take risks
-helping students to understand that anything worthwhile will take time and
effort to achieve
-encouraging students to be comfortable with not knowing while they participate
in enquiry
-encouraging students to share their ideas with other people to make
connections
-help students value successes and failures for their teaching potential
HABITATS OF CREATIVITY
For creative learning to occur, an inclusive learning environment is necessary.
Teachers first need to discover their own ways of expressing themselves
creatively. When curriculum content is presented in an interesting way, student
engagement and enjoyment will increase and more effective learning will occur.
In a creative learning environment, teachers pass control for learning to students
and become co-collaborators on a journey of inquiry. A creative learning
environment is one where ideas are valued and respect for one another is
valued. Learning is made relevant to students in a creative learning environment
as student interests guide the direction of inquiry there is a differentiation in
learning for different learners. An inclusive learning environment is calm with a
high level of energy and on task engagement with learning. When creative
learning is occurring, students feel validated for their efforts and achievements.
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THE ROLE OF SCHOOL LEADERS IN DEVELOPING A CULTURE OF
IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY IN THEIR SCHOOL
School leaders have a responsibility to articulate their vision for their school
community and to endeavour to passionately implement that vision.
When developing an imaginative, creative school culture, school leaders need to
consider balancing the value they place on each area of the curriculum and
encouraging collaboration between curriculum areas, between students and
their peers, between students and teachers and between age groups.
Click here to view Ken Robinson’s TED talk on developing a culture of creativity in
schools.
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TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Most children are fascinated with technology and as digital natives, they seem to
have a natural affinity with it in its varying forms. Technology can be a source of
frustration if students use it as a form of distraction, but it can alternately be an
amazing tool that can allow for new forms of creative expression. When
educators view technology more like a paintbrush than a television screen or a
fast source of information there can be great benefits in terms of student
engagement with learning and in terms of creative expression.
CREATIVE USES OF TECHNOLOGY
Students can use technology to
- write blogs and connect with other people and their ideas all over the world
-tell stories and share them with other people
-organise their ideas and record their thoughts through mind-mapping tools
-create cartoons and comic strips
-record audio and video to enhance their presentations
TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
Technology also has the power to connect creative teachers with students
around the world who might otherwise not have access to life transforming
powers of education.
The video below gives an example of what is possible when students are
connected to education through technology.
Click here to view Sugata Mitra’s TED talk on the benefits of technology in
education.
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MAPPING AND IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY IN EDUCATION
When developing a culture of imagination and creativity in a classroom or in a
whole school, it is important to collect information that provides evidence of a
starting point and then to continue to collect evidence that provides information
about progress.
There are many ways to collect this information.
-Creating a portfolio of evidence is one useful way to map imagination and
creativity. A portfolio could include photographs of students engaged in learning
activities, video or audio recordings of student’s attitudes, surveys of student’s
ideas and understandings. To see progress, evidence will need to be collected at
regular intervals including the beginning of a unit of work, at significant points
throughout a unit and towards the end of a unit.
-Sharing successes and failures in developing a culture of creativity will help spark
ideas and discussion and will help teachers and learners engage more fully with
the creative process and will help them make meaningful connections.
-Evidence of a creative school culture can be seen in the level of engagement of
learners and teachers.
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A SURVEY OF CREATIVITY
How do you define imagination? _______________________________________
How do you define creativity? _________________________________________
What lessons/activities do you find engaging? ____________________________
What lessons/activities do you not enjoy? ________________________________
How do you like to express your ideas? __________________________________
Do you notice a higher level of engagement with some lessons compared with
other lessons? ______________________________________________________
What factors do you feel are responsible for the varying levels of participant
engagement? ______________________________________________________
What are you curious about? __________________________________________
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REFERENCES
Anonymous. (n.d.). Retrieved from 8ways: http://8ways.wikispaces.com/
Department of Education and Training. (n.d.). Retrieved from Australian
Curriculum:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/curriculum/f-
10?y=F&y=1&y=2&y=3&y=4&y=5&y=6&y=7&y=8&y=9&y=10&s=LA&s=L
T&s=LY&c=4&layout=2#page=1
Department of Education and Training. (n.d.). Critical and Creative Thinking.
Retrieved from Australian Curriculum:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/critical-
and-creative-thinking/introduction/introduction
Johnson, S. (2010, July). Where good ideas come from. Retrieved from TED:
https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_johnson_where_good_ideas_come_
from
Liu, E., & Noppe-Brandon, S. (2009). What, Why and How: What Imagination Is.
In Imagination First: Unlocking the Power of Possibility (p. 19). Lincoln
Centre Institutes.
Mitra, S. (2010, July). The child-driven education. Retrieved from TED:
https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education
Robinson, K. (2010, Feb). Bring on the learning revolution! Retrieved from TED:
https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution
Sternberg, R. (2007, May). How Can We Develop Creativity in Children? Retrieved
from Research Gate:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237103683_Creativity_as_a
_Habit
