Truth and misconceptions about creative learning

Abstract

Creativity in a tangible and intangible product is an attempt at overcoming the current situation in the field of creation and the life of the person who creates the product. The main feature of creativity is an effective novelty in relation to something familiar, which means that it offers an appropriate solution to the problem to which it refers. The paper criticizes the thesis on the innateness of creativity, according to which a person is creative on the basis of heritage, which would practically mean that education does not have any special significance for the creation of creative works. The criticism is based on the current theories of creativity that indicate the developmental nature of creativity and emphasize the role of learning in the development of creative potentials. The new is built on the existing knowledge through learning, which implies creative processing of information, becoming familiar with it, understanding, acceptance and placement of that information in one’s own knowledge-base of what has been learned. The more creative the learning process is, the greater the chances that it will encourage the creativity of the learner in relation to the existing knowledge and the aspiration for its re-examination and change. The developmental approach to creativity, which begins with creative learning, has been linked to the theory of growth and fixed mindsets about human nature, which addresses our capacity to adapt, change, and grow. In the continuation of the paper, the conditions are considered that would support to a greater extent the creative learning in school. In the final part of the paper, the limitations of this approach are discussed and questions proposed for future research.

Keywords

• creativity
• learning
• education
• school
• growth and fixed mindsets.