Creativity is the Future of Education

What is creativity?  “Creative or innovative thinking is the kind of thinking that leads to new insights, novel approaches, fresh perspectives, whole new ways of understanding and conceiving of things.  The products of creative thought include some obvious things like music, poetry, dance, dramatic literature, inventions, and technical innovations.  But there are some not so obvious examples as well, such as ways of putting a question that expand the horizons of possible solutions, or ways of conceiving of relationships that challenge presuppositions and lead one to see the world in imaginative and different ways.” {Peter Facione, Santa Clara University}  CREATIVITY FUELS INNVOATION!   Educators should recognize, appreciate, and encourage different styles of creativity.  Gerard Puccio describes the advantages and disadvantages of two styles of creative people (functioning primarily as adaptors who focus on improving an existing situation, and innovators who develop and advocate new solutions): “Instead of valuing one style, an organization should respect and value the adaptive and innovative styles of creativity.  Individuals within an organization can work more effectively together by capitalizing on each others’ strengths, rather than punishing each other because of individual differences.  If an atmosphere of openness and trust prevails in the organization, then the adaptors and innovators will be able to join their creative talents to propel the organization to success. …  Individuals will manifest their creativity in different ways, and both styles of creativity are valuable.”   { from Two Dimensions of Creativity: Level and Style which also describes four aspects of “the what-and-how of creativity” and of research about the creative person, process, product, and environment }

Creativity is the Future Education Slide