22 research outputs found
Perceptions of creativity amongst university design tutors
The possibility to suppress the nonperturbative effects choosing the vary high multiplicity final state is discussed. The theoretical uncertainties and the experimental observable consequence of this choice are discussed
Teaching and learning creativity
Creativity is not an easy phenomenon to define and
hence understand. Perhaps this is partly the reason
why there seems to be ‘issues’ in creativity and
design and technology education. Some
approaches to understanding creativity have
focused on one area, for example the cognitive
approach. There are however, a number of
researchers who suggest that there are many interrelated
factors that seem to contribute towards
understanding creativity. These have become known
as multidisciplinary approaches.
This paper outlines one such approach to creativity,
Csickszentmihalyi’s ‘Systems Perspective’ for
studying creativity. A number of implications and
issues will be explored with respect to the teaching
and learning of creativity in design and technology
(D&T). The teacher it is argued, has a significant
role in increasing the likelihood of creativity in the
D&T classroom.
This paper is limited to a small case study, but seeks
to generate a debate in order to help demystify the
phenomenon of creativity, how it may inform practice
in the D&T classroom, and ultimately increase the
likelihood of creativity for pupils studying D&T
The importance of classroom climate in fostering student creativity in Design & Technology lessons.
D&T educators have pointed to a ‘crisis’ in creativity within the
subject. Research has indicated that organisational climate,
defined as ‘the recurring patterns of behaviour, attitudes and
feelings that characterise life in the organisation’, can help or
hinder creativity. Hence ‘climate’ is a potential explanatory
factor for the lack of creativity documented in student
outcomes. This paper, therefore, explores whether the
classroom climate experienced by secondary students (aged
11-16 years) in D&T lessons is conducive for creativity. Data
are drawn from a number of sources including student
(N=126) and teacher (N=14) interviews and student
(N=4996) and teacher (N=69) questionnaires gathered
across a total of 15 schools, as part of an ongoing Gatsbyfunded
research and intervention project. Coded data and
survey questions relating to the nine climate dimensions
outlined in Ekvall and Isaksen’s climate model were identified.
The paper focuses on two of these dimensions; challenge and
freedom. The analysis revealed that students felt much of the
work they do lacks challenge and freedom, hence they do not
perceive the climate in their classrooms as conducive for
creativity. Teachers’ perceptions differed somewhat and this is
discussed with reference to the performativity culture in which
they are located. Whilst acknowledging the difficulties this
poses it is argued that, as the literature indicates climate is ‘in
the hands of the manager’, teachers can change their practice
to enable creativity to flourish. Tentative suggestions for ways
forward are suggested
The Epistemological Differences Between a Teacher and Researcher: A personal journey illustrating second order action research
This keynote address tells the personal journey of a former
teacher who is now involved in educational research.
Educational research is topical at the moment in Design
and Technology (D&T) Education, as many initial teacher
training (ITE) courses make the transition to masters level
accreditation, something endorsed by the teacher training
and development agency (TDA) as a means of enhancing the status of the teaching profession. The implication being that ITE courses will develop a significant research component to their courses. This paper argues against relying on experience only, or anecdotal accounts as a
means for understanding or explaining the nature of the phenomena being studied. The case for conducting educational research that is ‘systematically, sceptically and ethically’ (Robson, 2002) conducted, is seen as a means understanding human behaviour, in a way that leads to conclusions that are credible (Cohen, 2007). The author draws on his experience as both a teacher in school, and as a Principal Investigator of a large, Gatsby funded research project, which looked at creativity in design and technology which is influencing policy and practice both nationally and internationally
‘Oh yeah, yeah you get a lot of love hearts. The Year 9s are notorious for love hearts. Everything is love hearts.’ Fixation in pupils’ design and technology work (11-16 years)
This paper focuses on the design ideas generated by
young people aged 11-16 years when solving design
and technology problems. A number of methods
including focus interviews with pupils and teachers,
lesson observations and analysis of documents and
pupils portfolios are used to help explain how pupils
aged 11-16 years generate their design and
technology ideas. The findings indicate that a
significant number of pupils produced stereotypical
design ideas such as love hearts and sports logos.
This was the case regardless of their age and gender
and happens at various stages when designing. A
review of the creative cognition literature suggests that
this occurs as a result of a normal way of thinking and
is referred to as fixation. Fixation, that is, what it looks
like and how it manifests itself in the D&T classroom
is discussed in detail. Fixation was also found to
manifest itself in other ways such as a strong desire
to do the first idea that comes into your head. It is
argued that an understanding of fixation gives insight
into why pupils find it difficult to generate creative
design ideas. As fixation can be overridden, we
believe that the role of the teacher in this process is
important. Aspects of current practice that might be
problematic are begun to be considered
Technicians’ support: a crucial dimension for implementing creative change in D&T classrooms.
In the context of an ongoing research and intervention project
‘Subject Leadership in Creativity in Design and Technology’
funded by the Gatsby Foundation certain factors were
identified as either supportive or hindering to the realisation of
the main aim of the project which is introducing changes in
teaching practices that help develop students’ creativity. To
better understand these factors, participating teachers were
interviewed regularly to discuss the progress made in their
schools. In these interviews, teachers indicate the importance
of the support of the technician in the D&T department and
highlight the impact of this support on teachers’ adoption of
the teaching practices which the project recommends for
enhancing the possibility of students engaging in creative
designs for the subject projects.
It became clear that technicians needed to redefine their roles
to be supportive to teachers during the process of change, yet
this would only take place if technicians were involved in the
change process from its outset. If these two conditions were
met, the result was that technicians supported and facilitated
students’ creativity. Hence, the paper highlights the importance
of engaging the technician from the outset of change to ensure
his/her support to the teachers and outlines possible ways for
developing this kind of engagement
'...we're not designing for a specific user at key stage 3'. Teachers' lack of planning of user-centred tasks in Design and Technology at key stage 3 in England and implication this has for pupils’ understanding of complex design tasks
This paper discusses the importance of user-centred design by outlining its history , embodiment in
national and international standards (for example, British Standards Institute, 2005) and its relevance
in addressing the needs of an ageing population. It also outlines how a user-centred approach to
design and technology has been part National Curriculum in England since 1989. Using data
collected from two schools which includes, teacher interviews (n=4); pupil focus group interviews (12
pupils comprising 6 boys and 6 girls from two schools); a pupils survey (n=50) and departmental
documents such as schemes of work, we found that many of the tasks teachers plan for students, do
not provide them with the opportunities that allow for a user-centred approach. We discuss the
implications of this and make some initial conclusions as part of our on-going research