Creativity in the classroom: from an intuitive approach to a reflective approach

Abstract

This paper presents the journey of inquiry of a lecturer who sought to broaden and deepen her understanding of creativity through critical reflection and thereby enhance her practice as a higher education lecturer. The study involved three discrete processes. It began with an unpacking of the author’s personal knowledge of the subject, her intuitive understanding of the term ‘creativity’. Her perspective was then triangulated in two ways: by engaging with the literature on the subject; and by interviewing seven students. The study suggests that one’s understanding of creativity impacts on how various approaches and activities in the classroom are perceived and evaluated. The study also facilitated the author to draw conclusions in relation to her practice, empowered her to engage in action planning for future teaching in a manner informed by critical reflection, and in particular helped her to better conceive how to encourage learners as they give rein to their own creativity.

Keywords:

• creativity
• higher education
• reflection
• pedagogy
• emergence theory
• We-paradigm of creativity

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to all the students who have been willing to engage creatively with me and each other in the classroom. Most especially, my thanks are extended to those who participated in the interviews.