From Calvin & Hobbs by Bill Watterson
stumbling with confidence
assessing creative practice
Creativity surrounds us on all sides: from composers to
chemists, cartoonists to choreographers. But creativity is a
puzzle, a paradox, some say a mystery.
(Boden, 1991)
P a u l K l e i m an
PALAT I N E
assessing creative practice
Creativity
Assessment
• some background
• why assess creativity?
• Some assumptions
• some history
• assessment as form
qualitative research
• some definitions
• two paradigms
• some models
• negotiated assessment
• some conceptions
some background & some
assumptions
• The ‘creativity agenda’
Progress towards a knowledge-based society and economy will
require that European universities, as centres of knowledge
creation, and their partners in society and government give
creativity their full attention.
The complex questions of the future will not be solved “by the
book”, but by creative, forward looking individuals and groups who
are not afraid to question established ideas and are
able to cope with the insecurity and uncertainty
this entails.
If Europe should not succeed in strengthening
creativity in higher education, the very goal of
a European knowledge society would be at stake.
(EUA, 2007)
some background & some
assumptions
• The ‘creativity agenda’
the challenge for universities ….is to promote
and support a culture of teaching and
learning that parallels an unpredictable and
irregular social and commercial world in
which supply and demand is neither linear
nor stable, and labour is shaped by complex
patterns of anticipations, time and space.
(McWilliam, 2007)
creativity
w h a t do y o u t h i n k i t i s ?
(words, phrases, images)
intuitive, working with process, making connections, thinking on feet, expression, reflecting in action, thinking outside of the box, keeping an open mind, embodiment,
embodied learning, listening to all senses and working intuitively with unconscious, right brain, expression, end product, play, psychotherapy, receptive, trial and error,
aesthetic distancing, when faced with an empty page taking a line for a walk, responding creatively to others. Originality. Purposive action (eg designing) coupled with
daydreaming/ subconscious percolation of ideas. Making unusual connections between ideas/things. Taking a sideways look at existing ideas/things. Originality Coming up
with something original, at least to you Sorry, mind goes blank. Imagination Novel New different unusual surreal brainstorming inventive intelligent Imagining, making,
synthesising fantasy, culture, imagination programming, debugging, designing, photography, art, music, problem solving, arguing, thinking, Hypothesis, idea, suggestions,
question, conceptualisation thinking / doing something original outside conventional pathway unexpected constructive innovative, imaginative, different applications, right
brain. imaginative, solution-seeker, out-of-the-box thinker, systems thinker, connectivity, intuitive, crazy person! imagination, intelligence, production, energy, artistic
imagination; divergent; going beyond what you already know or believe; challenging assumptions and givens; fearlessness; applying knowledge but not being bound by rules
or conventions problem-solving understanding hitting the nail on the head making connections new angles innovative thinking problem solving impulse / courage /
authenticity / unique fusion of processes / inspired / original fun; experiment; sharing; exchange; enjoyment; excitement; success; development; growth; satisfaction; risk
innovation rich time consuming poorly rewarded counter-productive feedback surprise, vitality, clarity, recognition, danger, novelty, adaptability, flexibility, awareness,
knowledge, curiosity Imagination Enthusiasm Interest Bright colours Lateral thinking Doing things differently Music Art Drama Writing Movement Bounce Energy Innovation
New Design interesting, vibrant, change, colourful, energetic, artistic, alternative making things happen putting something new in the world planning dreaming organising
imagining surprising making the heart stop catching the eye discovering being brave daring being sure of uncertainty imagining the world differently making a mess and
selecting the bits that make sense experimenting arguing against the norm imagination making open free-thinking inner original inventive pleasure, discipline, being
absorbed and oblivious to the rest of the world, a child again, planning, natural INNOVATION INDUSTRY THOUGHT APPLICATION DOING ABSORPTION KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
Imagination, freedom, choice, originality expanding ideas, thinking about things from a different perspective to the standard way, finding solutions that are not at first
obvious, lateral thinking, something unique imagine, think, question, challenge, learn, try out, 'think different' , start with intuition and build on what you feel,
communicate innovative, lateral, inductive, transcendental, spiritual, disturbed, free association, spontaneous imagination, flexibility, fluidity, invention, associations,
connections, planning and building frameworks, generating, pursuing and developing ideas, learning and using technical skills to express ideas, divergent and convergent
thinking, process, concentration, abstract ideas being shaped into concrete products, making the familiar strange and the strange familiar, sharing and digesting ideas from
and with creative people, brainstorming and systematic thinking, experimenting etc free thinking, innovative, artistic, intuitive, unusual play, fun, expression, pattern,
maps, scores, cycles, freedom, open and closed instructions, an outcome, performance, experimentation, engagement with emotions, intellect and imagination, exploration,
investigation, open mindedness, flexibility, awareness of many strands, juggling, holding, selecting, forming, re forming, re viewing, rehearsal, improvisation, balance
control and openness, channels, focus, energy, imagination, day dreaming, dreaming, meditation, dancing, singing, poetry, poetic, abstraction, bringing together, layers
doing things differently open minded making something adapting to new circumstances drawing, writing (words or music), planning, putting ideas into a shareable form
Imagination fun off the wall out side the box different different, imaginative, breath-taking, innovative, explosion ideas difference diversity exploring learning developing
making play fun imagination New Labour's puritanical economism (the idea that the creative industries will promote economic growth and prosperity) fashionable
managerspeak intuition insight imagination context domain flow in the zone rolling problem solving illumination association bisociation synectics innovation, new, cognitive
fluidity Originality, visual appeal, being different thinking outside the box new different curiosity experimentation exploration lateral intuition 'wish I'd done it ....or
thought of it'' innovation aspiration development new future revision thought engaging challenging problem-solving responsive people-centered Art Artistic Energy
Imagination Design Intelligence Inventive Lateral thought Interesting Style Standards Fun Inspiration I hate the phrase! messy, an excuse, generation, innovation, inventive,
original, reinventive, misunderstood, arty novelty, innovation, modification, new, risk, fear, knowledge, will, power, capacity, playful beautiful original exciting curiosity
moving into new levels of thought grappling with tiny moments communication bringing words alive reaching out. Invention, imagination, inspiration, originality
"accounting" (Don't laugh: 'creative accounting' was a buzz phrase long before Enron showed us just what fun could be had with it!) art, freedom, music, pictures, literature,
Um... all arty stuff. I'm sure scientists can be creative too, indeed have to be, but this idea doesn't spring to mind. Solving problems Analysing expanding views, numerous
possibilities of seing a concept or a problem, expression in an universally understood manner, ability to invent and use new method and procedure, being brave and taking
risks, not afraid to fail, not concerned with established opinion, pushing boundaries of knowledge and experience. design, problematised, innovate, debate, reflect, analyse
poetry makar (Scots) doing craft Writing, thinking, teaching, living, Arts, 'fostering', 'response' Imaginative, ingenious, innovative, original, visionary doing something new,
or in a different way thinking outside the box putting things together in a new way trying out different ways of doing something challenging the received wisdom For Big 'C'
: Idea-Combining, Divergence, Intuition, New connections, Counter-Intuition, Cognitive Unconscious For Small 'c' : Transformation, forced connections, associative thinking,
most of the so-called Creativity tools. fun design developing something new, novel simple yet elegant surprising beautiful functional 2 aspects of creativity: * Creation of
things - as with the creativity associated with producing pieces of artwork, music, writing etc * Creation of ideas - thinking in new ways, looking at facts with different
perspectives new synthesis human lateral thinking new, innovative, exciting, a pleasure to witness as it happens either in one's own work or the work of others, a pleasure
to see in the work of others (after the event), I think it's heavily context dependent. It's used pejoratively (as in 'creative accounting' but also in criticism of answers which
wriggle out of answering the question, in real life as well as in exams and essays). In its pure form I think it goes with 'thinking' more than with anything else much - i.e.
creative thinking is something that I value but I don't regard simply the act of 'making things' as necessarily 'creative' in that context. Outside academia, it is used in that way
- a potter is creative because s/he creates pottery - whether or not it is new, artistic, or whatever. The most creative thinkers I have known have come from scientific
backgrounds and worked in science professionally. I think this is because I recognise creativity in them more easily than I recognise it in 'creative artists'. I think 'creative arts'
as a university department uses the word as in 'pottery' not as in 'creative thinking' which doesn't help! theatre, the arts, design, cooking, the unusual, solutions,
spontaneous, engaged, innovative, able to see many perspectives, able to connect ideas, being able to see something from a different perspective, fresh, innovative,
individual, new, arresting, captivating, provoking, inspiring, selective/deceptive, ability to move in unexpected directions, taking a line for walk, the wow factor, making
something wonderful and different happen, inspirational imagination, out of the box, building frameworks, generating, pursuing and developing ideas, learning and using
technical skills to express ideas, divergent and convergent thinking, process, concentration, abstract ideas being shaped into concrete products, making the familiar strange
and the strange familiar, sharing and digesting ideas from and with creative people, brainstorming ideas, learning and using technical skills to express ideas, divergent and
listening to all senses and working intuitively with unconscious
doing something original outside conventional pathway
unique fusion of processes / inspired / original fun
putting something new in the world
making things happen
planning dreaming organising
the wow factor
generating, pursuing and developing ideas
making the familiar strange and the strange familiar
doing things differently
imaginative, breath-taking,
grappling with tiny moments
“wish I'd done it ....or thought of it''
'creative accounting‘ (don’t laugh- think Enron & what fun they had!)
being brave and taking risks,
not afraid to fail
not concerned with established opinion
arresting, captivating, provoking
taking a line for walk
able to connect ideas
transformation
ability to move in unexpected directions
making something wonderful and different happen
intuitive, working with process, making connections, thinking on feet, expression, reflecting in action, thinking outside of the box, keeping an open mind, embodiment,
embodied learning, listening to all senses and working intuitively with unconscious, right brain, expression, end product, play, psychotherapy, receptive, trial and error,
aesthetic distancing, when faced with an empty page taking a line for a walk, responding creatively to others. Originality. Purposive action (eg designing) coupled with
Imagination/imaginative
daydreaming/
subconscious percolation of ideas. Making unusual connections between ideas/things. Taking a sideways look at existing ideas/things. Originality Coming up
with something original, at least to you Sorry, mind goes blank. Imagination Novel New different unusual surreal brainstorming inventive intelligent Imagining, making,
Newfantasy, culture, imagination programming, debugging, designing, photography, art, music, problem solving, arguing, thinking, Hypothesis, idea, suggestions,
synthesising
question, conceptualisation thinking / doing something original outside conventional pathway unexpected constructive innovative, imaginative, different applications, right
brain. imaginative,
solution-seeker, out-of-the-box thinker, systems thinker, connectivity, intuitive, crazy person! imagination, intelligence, production, energy, artistic
Innovation/innovative
imagination; divergent; going beyond what you already know or believe; challenging assumptions and givens; fearlessness; applying knowledge but not being bound by rules
or conventions
problem-solving
understanding hitting the nail on the head making connections new angles innovative thinking problem solving impulse / courage /
Different
/ differently
authenticity / unique fusion of processes / inspired / original fun; experiment; sharing; exchange; enjoyment;
Others:excitement; success; development; growth; satisfaction; risk
innovation rich time consuming poorly rewarded counter-productive feedback surprise, vitality, clarity, recognition, danger, novelty, adaptability, flexibility, awareness,
Original
Originality
knowledge,
curiosity/Imagination
Enthusiasm Interest Bright colours Lateral thinking Doing things differently Music Art Drama Writing Movement Bounce Energy Innovation
excite/exciting,
divergent,
New Design interesting, vibrant, change, colourful, energetic, artistic, alternative making things happen
putting something new
in the world freedom,
planning dreaming organising
Fun
imagining
surprising making the heart stop catching the eye discovering being brave daring being sure of uncertainty imagining the world differently making a mess and
from being
selecting the bits that make sense experimenting arguing against the norm imagination making challenging,
open free-thinking (looking/seeing/trying)
inner original inventive pleasure, discipline,
absorbed
and oblivious to the rest of the world, a child again, planning, natural INNOVATION INDUSTRY THOUGHT APPLICATION DOING ABSORPTION KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
Intuitive
Imagination, freedom, choice, originality expanding ideas, thinking about things from a different perspective
to theperspective,
standard way, finding solutions that are not at first
a different
obvious,Inventive
lateral thinking, something unique imagine, think, question, challenge, learn, try out, 'think different' , start with intuition and build on what you feel,
communicate innovative, lateral, inductive, transcendental, spiritual, disturbed, free association, surprise/surprising,
spontaneous imagination, flexibility,
fluidity,
invention, associations,
curiosity,
open
connections, planning and building frameworks, generating, pursuing and developing ideas, learning and using technical skills to express ideas, divergent and convergent
Lateral
thinking,
process, concentration, abstract ideas being shaped into concrete products, making the familiar strange and the strange familiar, sharing and digesting ideas from
/ pattern,
and with creative people, brainstorming and systematic thinking, experimenting etc free thinking,mind/mindedness,
innovative, artistic, intuitive,risk,
unusualspontaneity
play, fun, expression,
(thinking)
outside
box instructions, an outcome, performance, experimentation, engagement with emotions, intellect and imagination, exploration,
maps, scores,
cycles, freedom,
openthe
and closed
spontaneous,
unconscious,
beautiful,
investigation, open mindedness, flexibility, awareness of many strands, juggling, holding, selecting,
forming, re forming,
re viewing, rehearsal,
improvisation, balance
control Inspiration/inspired/inspiring
and openness, channels, focus, energy, imagination, day dreaming, dreaming, meditation, dancing, singing, poetry, poetic, abstraction, bringing together, layers
doing things differently open minded making something adapting to new circumstances drawing, writing
(words or music),
planning, putting
ideas
into a shareable form
mess/messy,
pleasure,
being
brave,
Imagination
fun
off
the
wall
out
side
the
box
different
different,
imaginative,
breath-taking,
innovative,
explosion
ideas
difference
diversity
exploring
learning developing
Novel/novelty
making play fun imagination New Labour's puritanical economism (the idea that the creative industries
will promote
economic
growth and prosperity) fashionable
ingenious,
fresh,
provoking,
managerspeak intuition insight imagination context domain flow in the zone rolling problem solving illumination association bisociation synectics innovation, new, cognitive
fluidity Play/playful
Originality, visual appeal, being different thinking outside the box new different curiosity experimentation exploration lateral intuition 'wish I'd done it ....or
captivating,
arresting,Art Artistic Energy
thought of it'' innovation aspiration development new future revision thought engaging challenging
problem-solvingindividual,
responsive people-centered
Imagination Design Intelligence Inventive Lateral thought Interesting Style Standards Fun Inspiration I hate the phrase! messy, an excuse, generation, innovation, inventive,
visionary,
challenge,
engaged,
original, reinventive, misunderstood, arty novelty, innovation, modification, new, risk, fear, knowledge,
will, power,
capacity, playful
beautiful original exciting curiosity
moving into new levels of thought grappling with tiny moments communication bringing words alive reaching out. Invention, imagination, inspiration, originality
"accounting" (Don't laugh: 'creative accounting' was a buzz phrase long before Enron showed us just what
fun could be had
with it!)
art, freedom, music,
pictures, literature,
engagement
(with
emotions),
counterUm... all arty stuff. I'm sure scientists can be creative too, indeed have to be, but this idea doesn't spring to mind. Solving problems Analysing expanding views, numerous
possibilities of seing a concept or a problem, expression in an universally understood manner, abilityintuition,
to invent and use
new method
and procedure,
being brave and taking
being
a child,
being absorbed,
risks, not afraid to fail, not concerned with established opinion, pushing boundaries of knowledge and experience. design, problematised, innovate, debate, reflect, analyse
poetry makar (Scots) doing craft Writing, thinking, teaching, living, Arts, 'fostering', 'response' Imaginative, ingenious, innovative, original, visionary doing something new,
breathtaking,
pushing
boundaries,
or in a different way thinking outside the box putting things together in a new way trying out different
ways of doing something
challenging
the received wisdom For Big 'C'
: Idea-Combining, Divergence, Intuition, New connections, Counter-Intuition, Cognitive Unconscious For Small 'c' : Transformation, forced connections, associative thinking,
choice,
flow, 2 unexpected,
most of the so-called Creativity tools. fun design developing something new, novel simple yet elegant
surprising insight,
beautiful functional
aspects of creativity: * Creation of
things - as with the creativity associated with producing pieces of artwork, music, writing etc * Creation of ideas - thinking in new ways, looking at facts with different
perspectives new synthesis human lateral thinking new, innovative, exciting, a pleasure to witness as
it happens either infantasy,
one's own work
or the work of others, a pleasure
illumination,
transformation.
to see in the work of others (after the event), I think it's heavily context dependent. It's used pejoratively (as in 'creative accounting' but also in criticism of answers which
wriggle out of answering the question, in real life as well as in exams and essays). In its pure form I think it goes with 'thinking' more than with anything else much - i.e.
creative thinking is something that I value but I don't regard simply the act of 'making things' as necessarily 'creative' in that context. Outside academia, it is used in that way
- a potter is creative because s/he creates pottery - whether or not it is new, artistic, or whatever. The most creative thinkers I have known have come from scientific
backgrounds and worked in science professionally. I think this is because I recognise creativity in them more easily than I recognise it in 'creative artists'. I think 'creative arts'
as a university department uses the word as in 'pottery' not as in 'creative thinking' which doesn't help! theatre, the arts, design, cooking, the unusual, solutions,
spontaneous, engaged, innovative, able to see many perspectives, able to connect ideas, being able to see something from a different perspective, fresh, innovative,
individual, new, arresting, captivating, provoking, inspiring, selective/deceptive, ability to move in unexpected directions, taking a line for walk, the wow factor, making
something wonderful and different happen, inspirational imagination, out of the box, building frameworks, generating, pursuing and developing ideas, learning and using
technical skills to express ideas, divergent and convergent thinking, process, concentration, abstract ideas being shaped into concrete products, making the familiar strange
and the strange familiar, sharing and digesting ideas from and with creative people, brainstorming ideas, learning and using technical skills to express ideas, divergent and
listening to all senses and working intuitively with unconscious
doing something original outside conventional pathway
unique fusion of processes / inspired / original fun
putting something new in the world
making things happen
planning dreaming organising
the wow factor
generating, pursuing and developing ideas
making the familiar strange and the strange familiar
doing things differently
imaginative, breath-taking,
grappling with tiny moments
“wish I'd done it ....or thought of it''
'creative accounting‘ (don’t laugh- think Enron & what fun they had!)
being brave and taking risks,
Thinking
Making
not afraid to fail
not concerned with established opinion
Doing
arresting, captivating, provoking
Solving
Dreaming
taking a line for walk
able to connect ideas
transformation
ability to move in unexpected directions
making something wonderful and different happen
h o w ( c r e a t i v e) w a s i t f o r y o u ?
(share a creative moment
in learning and teaching)
Creativity ‘health’ warning
•Creativity is a culturally situated phenomenon
• Discourses, practices and underpinning
conceptual frameworks related to creativity not
‘culturally neutral’.
• Research and literature on creativity is
dominated by western models and
conceptualisations
some
assumptions
• higher education is full of creative people
• the act of teaching, with its relative autonomy, ought
to provide fertile conditions for people to be creative in
order to promote students’ learning
• relatively few take advantage of this opportunity
• much curriculum design/delivery/ assessment is
antithetical to creativity
• need to increase our understanding of how educators
might design, develop (and assess!) genuinely creative
processes in their practice
creativity: some binary oppositions
elite/individual/genius or democratic/sociable/collaborative
original/from nothing or generic/transformative
arts-specific or residing in all human endeavour
spontaneous or taught and learnt
ubiquitous or special
universal or culture-specific
imaginative and intuitive or knowledge and skills-based
process-based or product-led
ineffable and instinctive or quantifiable and testable
emotional or rational
Banaji (2006) review of literature on creativity in education
some history
Plato
Aristotle
Creativity as
mysterious,
inspirational, gift of
the gods, ‘eureka’,
‘elite’.
Creativity as everyday.
The act of bringing
something into being.
‘Everyman’
“The tradition of all the
dead generations weighs
like a nightmare on the
brain of the living”.
19th century
Romanticism
19th Cent.
‘Scientific Enquiry’
e.g. the genius, ( mad, bad
and dangerous!)
e.g. Galton’s exploration of genius
Freud
1907
Poincaré
1908
Wallas
1926
Guilford
1950
• the idea of the individual creative
19th century
Romanticism
genius still resonates today
e.g. the genius, ( mad, bad
and dangerous!)
• e.g. baggage about creativity being a god-given talent which you
either have or haven’t got
•e.g. the myth of the
maverick, unpredictable
and dangerous creative
person.
1950s
Freud
1907
Poincaré
1908
Wallas
1926
Psychology
focus on the individual,
dispositonal perspective, testing
(e.g. TCT, psychometric),
divergent/ convergent thinking
etc.
Guilford
1950
Management
Business Studies
Sociology
Historiometric
approach
(Simonton)
Case Studies
(Gruber & Wallace,
Policastro & Gardner)
Systems Model
(Czikszentmihalyi)
Education
Neuroscience
(Katz, Martindale)
widening of the methodological horizon
1980s
Cognitive &
Computer
Modelling
(Boden, Finke)
definitions
Creativity ‘health’ warning
All the research [into creativity] starts from either
ambiguous definitions or, in some cases, no
definition at all - the assumption being, I guess,
that everyone knows what creativity means, or
that any definition will do.
(Gotz, 1981)
A creative idea is one
that is both original
and appropriate for
the situation in which
it occurs.
Creativity is the generation of
ideas that are both novel and
valuable.
(Boden, 1999)
(Martindale, 1999)
Creativity from a
Western perspective
can be defined as the
ability to produce
work that is novel
and appropriate.
(Lubart, 1999)
What do we mean by
creative work? Like
most definitions of
creativity, ours
involves novelty and
value. The product
must be new and must
be given value
according to some
external criteria.
(Gruber & Wallace, 1999)
definitions
Creativity constructs new tools and
new outcomes – new embodiments
of knowledge. It constructs new
relationships, rules, communities
of practice and new connections –
new social practices
(Knight, 2002)
Creativity is
imaginative activity
fashioned so as to
produce outcomes
that are both original
and of value.
(Robinson, 1999)
some models
process
ASSESSMENT
✔
Verification
Illumination
Incubation
Selects
novelty
Preparation
4-stage model
Field
SOCIETY
✔
Domain
ASSESSMENT
✔
Transmits
information
Produces
novelty
Wallas 1926
ASSESSMENT
CULTURE
Stimulates
novelty
Skill in
Creative
Thinking
Skill in
the Task
Domain
Individual
PERSONAL
BACKGROUND
Czikszentmihalyi 1988
Systems Model of Creativity
Intrinsic
Motivation
Amabile 1993
Componential Model of Creativity
operating on the edge of chaos
Far from
agreement
ZOO - zone of optimal
operation
CHAOS
ASSESSMENT
?
STASIS
Close to
agreement
ASSESSMENT
✔
Close to certainty
Far from certainty
(Based on Stacey
THE
CREATIVE
CONTINUUM
ORIGINATION
INNOVATION
ASSESSMENT
?
FORMULATION
REPLICATION
ASSESSMENT
✔
Based on Fennell, E., (1993) Categorising Creativity in Competence & Assessment No. 23, Oct. 1993, Employment Dept.
Threshold
Conceptions
of Knowledge
Knowledge
as
provisional
Conceptions
of Learning
Memorising Applying
Acquiring
information strategically knowledge
Seeing
Reflecting
things in a
and
different
understanding way
Conceptions
of Teaching
Transmitting
Imparting
structured
information
knowledge
Directing
active
learning
Adapted from: Entwistle, N & Peterson, E. (2004) Conceptions of learning and
knoweldge in higher education. International Journal of Educational Research
Volume 41(6):407-428
Encouraging
Facilitating
conceptual
understanding change
Transformation
Knowledge as
Knowledge
multiple and
as ‘given’
equal
Knowledge
Knowledge
used to
used for selfreason
actualisation
among
alternatives
CHAOS
ORIGINATION
INNOVATION
FORMULATION
STASIS
REPLICATION
conceptions of creativity in learning & teaching
as a process leading
to an explicit or
tangible outcome
as a process leading
to an implicit or
intangible outcome
as a process not
linked to any
outcome (implicit or
explicit)
as fundamental or
incremental
change
as the creation of
something new and
original
as the creation of
something new and
as making new
original that has
connections
value and utility
as engagement in
risk-taking
as disorientation
and encountering
the unexpected
as the purposeful
exploitation of
chance occurrences
TRANSFORMATION
as a reaction or
resistance to
conformity, orthodoxy
and compliance
as
suspended
as
constrained
CONSTRAINT /
RESISTANCE
as the desire and the
ability to engage in
change
as personal /
professional
fulfilment
as freedom or
opportunity
FREEDOM &
FULFILMENT
conceptions of creativity in learning & teaching
creativity conceived
as.....
● a constraint-focused experience
● a process-focused experience
● a product-focused experience
● a transformation-focused experience
conceptions of creativity in learning & teaching
TRANSFORMATION
PROCESS
STASIS
conceptions of creativity in learning & teaching
Change
High
Shared experience and
achievement
Recognition
Affirmation
Satisfaction
Pride
TRANSFORMATION
Pleasure
Verification
Shared experience
Producing/testing outcomes
Engaging with the ‘new’
Exploiting chance
Motivation
PROCESS
Excitement
Risk-taking
Changing
Confidence
Autonomy
(Anxiety)
Isolation
Constraints
Low
Frustrations
STASIS
No
Change
High confidence
and autonomy
(for creativity)
Far from
agreement
Knowledge
used for selfactualisation
Knowledge used
to reason among
alternatives
Knowledge
as provisional
Conceptions
of Knowledge
Knowledge as
multiple and
equal
Knowledge as
‘given’
Conceptions
of Learning
Seeing things
in a different
way
Reflecting and
understanding
Encouraging
conceptual
change
Applying
knowledge
Memorising
strategically
Facilitating
understanding
Acquiring
information
Transmitting
structured knowledge
Close to
agreement
Conceptions
of Teaching
Far from
certainty
Close to certainty
Simple
Complicated
Complex
- - - - - - - -Zone of Complexity- - - - - - - -
Chaotic
©Paul Kleiman 2008
Low confidence
and autonomy
(for creativity)
assessing creative practice
assessing creative practice
some concerns / challenges
• Assessment not fit for purpose
• Assessment landscape has changed / is
changing
• Students as agents not objects of assessment
• Assessment for learning
• Assessment informed teaching rather than
teaching informed assessment
• Constructive alignment
• Which paradigm?
Creativity ‘health’ warning
The complex and multidimensional nature of
creativity cannot be captured effectively and
comprehensively by any single instrument or
analytical procedure.
However…..
The use of multiple methods reflects
an attempt to secure an in-depth understanding of
the phenomenon in question.
why assess creativity?
• Helping to remove creativity from the
realm of mystery and superstition
• Helping students to recognise their
own strengths and talents; enabling
people to know and understand
themselves better
• Expanding students’ risk-taking
parameters
• Helping teachers to discover
unrecognized or untapped
potential/talent
From Balchin, T. (2005) Assessing Students' Creativity: Lessons from Research
why assess creativity?
• Highlighting current educational
problems such as ‘marking to the
assessment criteria’. ( Consistent gaps
between a high score in hitting
assessment criteria yet low creativity tell
their own stories) .
• Providing a common language for
communication among professionals
about the nature of creative abilities and
skills;
• Giving a boost to students who tend to
fall outside society’s norm behavioral
standards and are judged badly as a
result of poor academic work;
From Balchin, T. (2005) Assessing Students' Creativity: Lessons from Research
assessing creative practice
from TRIANGULATION to CRYSTALLISATION
A
P
✔
B
C
Assessment as a form of qualitative enquiry
which paradigm?
A
Positivist
Aim
Explanation, control
Interpretive
P
✔
B
C
Aim
Understanding
Knowledge
Objective, measurable, valuefree, universal, generalisable
Knowledge
Subjective, contextualised,
value-dependent, multiple-realities
Researcher
Expert, independent
Researcher
Independent participant
Criteria
Rigour via ‘holy trinity’ of
validity, reliability
and generalisability
Criteria
‘Rigour’ (?) via credibility,
transferability, dependability,
confirmability
There’s a reality ‘out there’ that
can be studied, captured and
understood
‘Truth’ is a matter of consensus
amongst informed and sophisticated
constructors, not of correspondence
with an objective reality.
which assessment?
• Case Study reports
• Dissertations
• Essays
• Examinations – unseen,
seen, open-book, etc.
• Group projects or
assignments
• Individual projects or
assignments
• Multiple Choice
• Peer and/or Self
assessments
• Performances –
individual, group
• Portfolios
• Presentations – oral,
poster, etc.
• Reflective Journals
• Reports
• Viva/Interview
Habeshaw, Gibbs, & Habeshaw (1993) list 48 discrete items [e.g. project exam,
note-form essay, computer-based assessment]
the problem
The more assessment involves
qualitative information, the more
subjectivity is involved
Stricter assessment criteria + more
structured and proscribed content =
improved reliability
BUT…..
above would “obliterate the essence
of qualitative assessment in terms of
flexibility, personal orientation and
authenticity”.
assessing creative practice
negotiating assessment
Ad sedere / to sit down together
"You've got to involve students actively, not
just view them as objects of assessment,
but as agents of assessment. This can be
done in many ways. One is that you ask
students systematically what they have
learned. It's a simple idea; it's rarely
done.....You find that students say some
remarkable things.”
Walt Haney, Professor of Education,
Center for the Study of Testing,
Evaluation and Educational Policy,
Boston, USA.
assessing creative practice
negotiating assessment
Some underpinning ideas…
•
Students engaged in creative practice work at different
levels AND different ways
•
The products they create will be different, as will the
processes and methods utilised, and the disciplines they
represent
•
That assessment should operate and be perceived as an
integral part of the learning process rather than 'bolted-on'
to the end of that process.
•
That the form, content and implementation of the
assessment process should be commensurable with the
discourse and practices of the field
negotiating assessment
Six assessment fields:
•
Presentation/Production i.e. the finished product
presented to an audience
•
Process i.e. the journey that led to the product
•
Idea i.e. the ideas that informed both the process and
the product.
•
Technical i.e. the quality and utility of the technical
features of the product and the skills with which they
were assembled and/or operated
•
Documentation i.e. research, design, sketches,
planning, evaluation, analyses, portfolio, etc.
•
Interview i.e. the student's ability to articulate their
understanding, utilisation and application and use of any
of the above.
negotiating assessment
•
Learning contract – negotiated
•
Regular meetings/tutorials
•
Assessors see the performance/presentation + student compiles
‘portfolio of evidence’
•
Assessment tutorial c. 30 min; individual / group + at least 2
assessors
•
Work through the criteria - moving upwards
•
Reach a point of maximum information, optimal achievement
•
Agree a grade band
•
Sense of ‘completeness’, ‘accomplishment
•
A learning experience for all concerned
Discussion, Questions,
Sharing of ideas and experiences
p.kleiman@lancaster.ac.uk
© P a u l K l e i m a n October 2 0 0 9