After Six Decades of Systematic Study of Creativity: What Do Teachers Need to Know About What It Is and How It Is Measured?

Abstract

With creativity now being emphasized in schools, it is important for teachers to understand what it is and how it is measured. This review of the literature is an attempt to make sense of the many definitions and measures of creativity. As a result, this comprehensive review shows that most definitions agree that there are at least two criteria to judge whether a person or a product is creative or not, originality and usefulness. Organized according to Rhodes’s 3 P conceptualization of creativity—person, process, product, and press—more than 40 assessments used in creativity research were reviewed. Familiarity with the definitions, views of, and measurement of creativity can help teachers recognize and foster creativity in their students.

Keywords:

• creative person
• creative press
• creative process
• creative product
• creativity
• creativity definitions
• creativity measures

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ahmed M. Abdulla

Ahmed M. Abdulla is a faculty member in the Gifted Education Program at the Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain. His research interests include creativity, divergent thinking, problem finding, and emotional intelligence. He has presented a number of workshops on giftedness and creativity in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United States and has presented papers at national and international conferences. E-mail: [email protected]

Bonnie Cramond

Bonnie Cramond, PhD, is a professor of educational psychology at the University of Georgia. She has been the director of the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, a board member of the National Association for Gifted Children, and editor of the Journal of Secondary Education. She is on the advisory board for the American Creativity Association, the Future Problem Solving Program International, and the Global Center for Gifted and Talented Children; is a member of the International Creativity Society; is on the review board for several journals; and has published numerous articles, chapters, and a book (another is in the works). A national and international speaker, she has visited over 35 countries working toward infusing creativity into classrooms at all levels. She was honored in 2011 to be invited to give a TEDx Talk on creativity and has gratefully received other international and national honors. E-mail: [email protected]