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ABSTRACT
Based on many years’ work designing introductory, immersive, aesthetic experiences that lead to problem-based learning (PBL) tasks for student teachers (called ‘INTRO’), we problematize the concept of creativity and playfulness in Early Childhood Teacher Education (ECTE). The article reports on our analysis of students’ experiences of INTRO captured through a written questionnaire of open-ended questions completed in 2014 and an online end-of-course evaluation completed over the last 12 years. The survey questions were focused on the students’ experience of INTRO and creativity. The data was subject to a content analysis. Student’s responses were analyzed with reference to Vygotskian theories of creativity and learning. Our data suggests that creativity in teaching tends to strengthen the learning process for most students with INTRO becoming an intrinsic motivation in learning. However, we question the relationship between INTRO and the perceived demands of professional learning and the work of being an early childhood educator.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.