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Creative Thinking - Coggle Diagram

- - - - The physical environment:
        There is reasonable evidence across a number of studies that the space within a classroom or workshop should be capable of being used flexibly to promote pupils’ creativity (Addison, Burgess, Steers, & Trowell, 2010; Bancroft, Fawcett, & Hay, 2008; Jeffrey, 2006). In the context of early years settings, this can involve the abandonment of specifically themed role-play areas and props (Bancroft et al., 2008; Davies, 2011) to give children’s imagination greater freedom. Children and their parents should be involved as much as possible in planning and resourcing these spaces (Davies, 2011). There should be a general sense of openness and spaciousness (Bancroft et al., 2008), removing as much furniture as possible to enable pupils to move around the space, making use of different areas to support the growth of ideas (Gandini, Hill, Cadwell, & Schwall, 2005).
        There is a note of caution here, however, in that students whose home environments are not conducive to study can find themselves alienated by too much flexibility in the school environment (Jeffrey, 2006). From a series of case studies in schools in Reggio Emilia, Vecchi (2010) has demonstrated the importance of sensory qualities in learning environments – light, colour, sound, micro-climate – and how these influence children’s and young people’s perceptions of how creative they are able to be within them. She recommends the use of small spaces (‘mini ateliers’), acoustically but not visually separate from the rest of the class (Vecchi, 2010) to enable pupils to work quietly in groups. Another important feature of the visual environment to stimulate pupils’ creativity is displays of work in progress (Addison et al., 2010). p. 84
      - Availability of resources/materials:
        There is strong evidence across a number of studies that providing a wide range of appropriate materials, tools and other resources can stimulate creativity (Addison et al., 2010; Bancroft et al., 2008; Gandini et al., 2005; Gkolia, Brundett, & Switzer, 2009; Grainger, Craft, & Burnard, 2007; Halsey et al., 2006; Robson & Jaaniste, 2010). p. 85
        Bancroft et al. (2008) emphasise the availability of lots of light, almost formless materials which can take on any shape, such as clay, modelling foam, wire, cellophane, tissue paper, etc. p.85
      - Use of the outdoor environment:
        There is reasonable evidence across several studies that taking pupils out of the classroom and working in an outdoor environment for part of their time in school can foster their creative development (Addison et al., 2010; Bancroft et al., 2008; Borradaile, 2006; Dillon, Craft, Best, Rigby, & Simms, 2007). p.85
        In the context of early years education, Bancroft et al. (2008) recommend taking an initial walk, whether in urban or rural neighbourhoods, which can provide a rich context for the purpose of discovering children’s schemas and interests on which teachers can build to enhance their creativity. p.85
        • Use of a local woodland (therefore ‘wild’) setting.
        • Regular, frequent contact in the same setting over a significant period of time.
        • Providing freedom to explore using multiple senses and intelligences.
        • Time and space for individual learning styles to be recognised and nurtured.
        • A low pupil:adult ratio.
      - The pedagogical environment:
        In the classroom there is reasonable evidence that, in order to stimulate creative responses from pupils, activities need an element of novelty (Gkolia et al., 2009; Rutland & Barlex, 2008). p.85
        identify the importance of the ‘authenticity’ of the task – it should be set within as real a context as possible and be self-evidently worthwhile. p.85
        supported to take risks with the right balance between structure and freedom, their
        creativity is enhanced (Burgess & Addison, 2007; Cremin, Burnard, & Craft, 2006; Ewing, 2011; Gandini et al., 2005; Grainger, Gooch, & Lambirth, 2005; Hall et al., 2007; Halsey et al., 2006; Wood & Ashfield, 2008). p.85
        The provision of ‘safe’ structure appears to be particularly important to enable pupils to take
        risks, to think creatively and critically, and to question, as with the disaffected young people in the study undertaken by Halsey et al. (2006), who found that creativity was felt to be best served by an equal balance between structured and unstructured work. Similarly, the presence of structure and clear expectations p. 85
        From a range of case studies of practice in Reggio Emilia schools, Gandini et al. (2005)
        suggest that, rather than being explicitly planned for, creativity emerges from multiple experiences, coupled with a well supported development of personal resources. They argue that this complexity should lead teachers away from planning a lesson and towards searching for systems that organise and prepare adults and children to think together (Gandini et al., 2005). p.85
      - The role of play:
        The role of play in early years pedagogy is well documented, however there is reasonable evidence that bringing more ‘playful’ or ‘games-based’ approaches into classrooms at all ages can support the development of creative skills (Cremin et al., 2006; Cumming, 2007; European Commission, 2009; Halsey et al., 2006; Jindal-Snape, Baird, & Miller, 2011; Miller, Hudson, Miller, & Shimi, 2010). p.86
      - Use of time:
        the most successful NESTA-funded projects for disaffected young people allowed them to work at their own pace without pressure. p. 86
      - Relationships between teachers and learners:.
        According to Gandini et al. (2005) such creative attitudes should include flexibility, freedom and open-ended possibility, since their observations in Reggio Emilia schools over many years revealed that the ways in which children invent with materials are often unexpected and surprising. Menter (2010) also emphasises the need for flexibility in the pedagogic relationship, to enable teachers to alter their practice to accommodate the directions pupils may wish to take a project. p.86
        this ability to act spontaneously and change plans is part of teachers’ modelling of creative learning. p.86
        Regularly practiced dialogue can support and sustain a culture and community that thinks together, whilst the most favourable situation for creativity seems to be interpersonal exchange, with negotiation of conflict and comparison of ideas and actions being the decisive elements (Gandini et al., 2005). p.86
        As well as supportive relationships with their teachers, there is strong evidence that pupil creativity is closely related to opportunities for working collaboratively with their peers (Burgess & Addison, 2007; Dillon et al., 2007; Halsey et al., 2006; Rutland & Barlex, 2008; Wood & Ashfield, 2008). p.86
      - Use of other environments beyond the school: