Fostering Creativity in Students: The Importance of a Questioning Mindset

1. The Creativity Cascade Dr Ashley Compton Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln

2. Were trying to get our students into a certain frame of mind. That they question, that theres no one right answer; that we can respond in a number of ways. If we can get them to be thinking like that then the likelihood is that theyre going to go into school and be creative and work with the structures that they have to work within in a creative way. (Beth, tutor interview)

4. Outline of research Practitioner research an undergraduate primary education with QTS programme Paradigm: Interpretivist, social constructivist Methodology: Illuminative evaluation Objectives: 1. To understand the meanings of the word creativity for tutors and students on this programme 2. To explore the current practice and perceptions of creativity in summative assessment, from the viewpoints of both tutors and students 3. To explore the current practice and perceptions of creativity in school placement

5. Outline of research Semi-structured interviews with all permanent tutors (n=9) Virtual focus group with students Semi-structured interviews with students (n=6) Unstructured interview with expert student (n=1) Questionnaires with Y2 (n=32) and Y1 (n=55) Document analysis All assignment briefs and marking grids All SP booklets and RPD Sample of assignment feedback Sample of SP lesson observation feedback

6. What is Creativity? I think its an extremely hard thing to say what it means. And I think that even when you say what it means there could be examples where youd say, I didnt mean it like that. (Fiona, tutor interview)

7. Creativity Pyramid noticing; taking an interest; observing; exploring; questioning; investigating; researching; expressing thoughts and feelings; imagining; making choices; creating; making making connections; relating; showing insight; synthesising; developing own style; independent thinking; solving problems; transforming; exercising judgement / evaluating; challenging; taking risks making something new and valuable to society as a whole, working at the pinnacle of the field in skills, knowledge, understanding and vision using skills, knowledge and imagination to make something new and valuable to the peer group / local community; challenging and engaging an audience; original thinking; innovating Layer 4 Layer 3 Layer 2 Layer 1

8. Shared Definition of Creativity Tutors and Students

9. Factors promoting Creativity Year 1, n=55 Year 2, n=32 Facilitates Inhibits Either No effect Y1 Y2 Y1 Y2 Y1 Y2 Y1 Y2 Being passionate about the subject 93% (51) 100% (32) 4% (2) 0% (0) 4% (2) 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) Being confident in the subject 80% (44) 91% (29) 4% (2) 0% (0) 16% (9) 9% (3) 0% (0) 0% (0) Being knowledgeable in the subject 85% (47) 81% (26) 2% (1) 0% (0) 9% (5) 19% (6) 4% (2) 0% (0) Having a real purpose 71% (39) 77% (24) 7% (4) 0% (0) 18% (10) 23% (7) 4% (2) 0% (0) Free choice of content 55% (30) 72% (23) 15% (8) 16% (5) 29% (16) 13% (4) 2% (1) 0% (0) Free choice of format 43% (23) 81% (26) 19% (10) 6% (2) 37% (20) 13% (4) 2% (1) 0% (0) For an audience 33% (18) 52% (16) 24% (13) 13% (4) 43% (23) 32% (10) 0% (0) 3% (1)

10. Opportunities for creativity in assessment Presentations Investigations / Research SoW Essays Choice and interpretation Engaging audience Exams NOT seen as creative

11. Prominent Creativity terms in Assignments In briefs, marking grids and tutor feedback: Making connections Selection / choice Evaluation (less common in feedback) Presentation / Engaging an audience Feedback also included comments related to creative teaching.

12. SP and AfL The thing that placement gives is more of a chance to restart or learn from experience and build very quickly. Where what the assignment does is make you wait for a month after hand in and then get feedback that may or may not be relevant to you. Life may have moved on to a degree and youre never going to do that assignment ever again. Whereas school practice, tomorrows another day, if today was a disaster we can try something different and just keep moving on, moving on, and the feedbacks pretty much instantaneous. (Ian, tutor interview)

13. Creative Teaching / Teaching for Creativity Once you know what youve got to teach you can always put your creative spin on it and how the children are going to learn in a creative way or how you can be creative to allow them to learn. (Keith, Y2, December interview) Its what teachings all about. Its designing opportunities that are creative, that allow children to be creative, that allow you to be creative. (Emily, tutor interview)

14. Types of Teacher and Pupil Creativity Teacher creativity No. Pupil creativity No. Making / choosing / organising resources 23 Drama / role play / small world play 30 Cross-curricular approach 16 Making a product 20 Providing choices / freedom 16 Exploring / investigating / experimenting 17 Use of ICT 10 Making choices / own interpretation 15 Innovative approach 9 Creating art work painting, printing, drawing, 3-D work 12 Providing a purpose / context 8 Writing composition poetry, stories, non-fiction, play scripts, news report 11 Teacher in role 5 Designing 6 Using the outdoor environment 5 Performing 4 Taking risks 4 Evaluating 4 Promoting imagination / originality 3 Composing dance, music 3 Adapting the classroom environment 3 Imagining 2 Creative use of TA 2 Problem solving 2 Carousel 2 Child-initiated learning 2 Being flexible with time 2 Asking questions 1 Challenging 1

15. Factors Promoting Creativity on SP School Factors Ample resources / staffing Supportive atmosphere Time sufficient and flexible Supportive Mentor Child Factors Behaviour Enthusiasm Personal Factors Confidence Subject knowledge Enthusiasm Perceptions of own creativity Pupil engagement Pupil ownership High quality outcomes Collaboration

16. Recommendations: Shared definition Tutors explaining what they mean by creativity In assessment On school placement Students encouraged to develop and apply own definitions

17. Recommendations: Increased constructive alignment Objective Teaching Assignment Brief Marking grid Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2007) Teaching for Quality Learning at University, 3 rd edition , Maidenhead: Open University Press.

18. Recommendations: Greater use of AfL More student engagement with marking criteria Students helping to formulate marking grids? More peer and self-assessment Developing formative assessments which involve children / public presentation Returning formative feedback before the mark

19. Recommendations: Assignment Exemplars & Teacher Mentors Balancing support / encouraging individuality

20. Creativity Cascade having the opportunity to be creative on this course has enabled me to be creative as a teacher because Ive had those experiences myself. if youve been able to give your creativity you know how to provide opportunities for the children to be creative. So thats also how Ive been able to do what Ive been able to do on placement. From having those opportunities myself on this course. (Julia, Y3, interview)