Teaching Creativity at the College Level: A Synthesis of Curricular Components Perceived as Important by Instructors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the components of creativity courses taught at the college level and the perceived importance of the components to teaching creativity. Teachers of college-level creativity courses were asked to rate the degree to which curricular variables were considered important to the teaching of creativity. The instrument was developed from a content analysis of college creativity syllabi and other course artifacts. Results are discussed in terms of five dimensions for teaching creativity: social climate, personality characteristics, general theories and models, processes involved, and product variables related to end results.