Creativity in pedagogy facilitates an enhanced learning experience

There is a common expectation that the educational structure should empowerlearners with skills and competences to mitigate challenges that life serves: this includes skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaborative skills, digital literacy, innovation, and adaptability, among others. These skills can be achieved more quickly and efficiently if we try to redesign the traditional teaching and learning pattern towards enabling facilitating complex skill development.

Studies done by ChristotheaHerodotou, Mike Sharples et al (The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom) suggests that creativity in pedagogy develops many kinds of skills, competences and understanding in various disciplines, also emphasizing the learners’ active engagement. For example,in the US, it was reported that a teacher introduced drones to a class of elementary students with autism to enhance their engagement; according to the concerned teacher, the results were positive and “encouraging” since the students approached the task better and were more involved in the learning process. The drones enabled learners to undertake previously impossible actions on field trips, such as looking inside inaccessible places or inspecting a landscape from several different perspectives.

A study conducted by the Department of Child Development, Medical School of Izmir Odemis, Ege University, Turkey, aimed to investigate the creativity of children in pre-schools. A simple causal design with pre-and post-testswith a single group was used in the study.  The participantsconsisted of 184 children (96 boys, 88 girls) enrolled inpre-schools and nursery schools of the Ministry ofEducation, located in Ankara, during the 2014-2015academic year. Figural Creativity Form A and B ofTorrance Tests of Creative Thinking were used as pre- andpost-tests. The resultsshowed that pre-school curriculumincreased children’s creativity in a positive way. Further, they implemented that teachers should providechildren with materials to trigger their imagination, opportunities to imagine and explain their ideas,should appreciate children’s individuality and encourage their different viewpoints.

These methodologies allow for more variability of both teaching as well as learning experience, allowing for less monotonous activity.

In today, fast paced world, and especially due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, creativity in teaching and learning methods is imperative not only for enhanced absorption and development, but also to mitigate difficult challenges in a customised manner. 

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