Expecting the unexpected: a conceptual and practical framework for creativity in

higher education

Orison Carlile and Anne Jordan

CreativityNational and international policy goal

“Rethinking our society is a major challenge, and we need to bring in innovation and creativity to bring out people’s innate innovation and creativity.” (European Policy Centre 2009)

Education

Education required to teach

creativity

Rhetoric versus reality

Challenges conventional role

Daunting for learners and teachers

Associated with ‘creative’ subjects

Expected to meet all societal demands

Associated with innovation

Conceptualising creativity

‘creativity is a messy and slippery subject, embarrassing and hard to pin down’ (Pope 2005 xviii)

Need for rigorous analysis

Rob Pope Professor of English at Oxford Brookes University

Cognition

Possession

Genius

Innovation

Everyday

Social

Attributes

Product

Process

CreativityConstructs

Failure to make these distinctions leads to many conceptual and pedagogical problems

Creativity in education

Teaching

Creatively

Creativity

Creativity

of

for

Teaching for creativity

Practical framework

Range of disciplines Learner stages

Disciplinary Developmental

Pedagogical Environment

Flexible structures

Support for teachers and students

Assessment

CreativityValued

Recognised

Physical

Pedagogical

Managerial

Psychological

Practical

Product

Process

Creativity viewed as transferable skill

Creativity as transferable skill

Assumes subject expertise

Generic skill

Sequential process

Teachable

Assessable

Stages of creative process

Assumptions and attitudes Conceptualisation

Creation of ideas

Exploration of ideas

Evaluation of ideas

Challenging limiting assumptions

Thinking with diagrams and metaphors

Generating numerous novel ideas

Postponing premature judgement

Evaluating and selecting options

Divergence Exploration Convergence

Applying a random metaphor

Committing a murder

Building a house

Sailing a ship

Cooking a fancy meal

Going fishing

Going on a date

Taking a photograph

Going to a church service

Spreading propaganda

Having a baby

Colonising a territory

Sky-diving

Playing politics

Running a marathon

Training an animal

Putting out a fire

Dress-making

Going on a diet

Negotiating a contract

Conducting an orchestra

Camping in a wilderness

Prospecting for gold

Surfing the web

Starting a revolution

Fighting a disease

Doing stand-up comedy

Performing a magic trick

Planting a garden

Flower-arranging

Producing a TV programme

Sample tool 1

Environment Teacher Pedagogy Assessment

Classroom Individual Lecture Terminal exam

Field No teacher Field trips Presentation

Aeroplane Team teaching Didactic Self

Cruise ship Computer AI Problem-based None

Workplace Researcher Self directed Peer

Walking Self Experiential Portfolio

Gymnasium Guru Work-based Performance

Authentic Coach Peer learning Formative

Retreat centre Peer Discovery learning External

Virtual Artist Distance learning Group

Walking Craftsman Case studies Viva

Cage Expert Project work Continuous

Sample tool 2Morphological forced connections

Typically, a classroom is where teaching takes place.

You could list in this column, alternatives to a classroom.

Typically, the teacher is an individual who is in charge

You could list in this column, alternatives to an individual teacher

Typically, the teacher delivers a lecture

You could list in this column, alternatives to the lecture format

Typically, assessment is done using a terminal exam.

You could list in this column, alternatives to a terminal exam.

Conclusion

Theoretical

Demystify the rhetoric

Practical

Clear theoretical framework

Pedagogical Tools

Applicable to all subjects

For much more information see