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Creativity in Elementary Science

Prof. Douglas Newton, PhD, DSc

Durham UniversitySchool of EducationLeazes RoadDurham DH1 1TAEngland

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• NB This is an abbreviated version of the presentation: Creativity in Elementary Science.

All content © D.P. Newton 2010

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Assessing creativity

• “Assessing creativity is impossible!”• “Assessing creativity puts people off being

creative.”BUTIt identifies strengths and weaknesses and soenables lessons to match needs and supportlearning:

i.e. Assessment for Teaching is worthwhile

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Studies of teachers’ conceptions of creativity showed that

• they believe assessing scientific creativity is difficult

• they ‘didn’t know where to start’

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Intuitive, holistic assessment

• Studies have found this approach easy and reliable, e.g. art, music, stories.

0 0.9 1.0

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Assessing the scientific creativity of children’s explanations

I think it’s because the

battery has to warm up.

The bulb won’t come on because the battery’s not

high enough.

It’s because the wire’s too thin.

Not enough electric can get

through.

It’s broke again.

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What we found

What we found What we expected

0 0.2 0.9 1.0

They barely agreed with each other.

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Creativity

Activity which produces something:

Essential aspects• Intentionally that is• More or less new or novel and• Appropriate, plausible, or

functional

Desirable aspects• ethical • elegant

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Why did the assessment fail?

“I know that explanation’s right so …

but … there’s a bit of imagination in that … oh, err …

It’s hard to decide! No, that’s still the best one!”

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Why did the assessment fail? Novel Plausible Elegant

Art

Science

Architecture

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What we found (2)

Adding novelty, plausibility and elegance together

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Some conclusions and questions

• Assessing scientific creativity isn’t easy.• The outsider-insider theory could have

potential.• Assessing components of creativity

seems more productive.• Will training help? • Is it easier in some aspects of science?

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If you want to know more about creative thinking in elementary science, see:

Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2009), Some student teachers’ conceptions of creativity in school science, Research in Science and Technological Education, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 45-60.

Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2009), What teachers see as creative incidents in elementary science lessons, International Journal of Science Education, iFirst, pp. 1-17.