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DIMENSIONS OF CREATIVITY

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DIMENSIONS OF CREATIVITY
 In an attempt to understand creativity, five
specific dimensions are frequently studied:
1. The creative person.

2. Personal creativity

3. The creative process.

4. The environment that nurtures creativity.

5. The product of the creative act.

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Cont..
 Each of these dimensions has contributed to
knowledge of creativity.
 Highly creative individuals have had a
tremendous impact on our world.
• Rachel Carson’s writing that inspired
the environmental movement, and
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural
designs are examples of the work of
creative geniuses.

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1. The Creative Person
 These people are only some of the creative
people who have had a wonderful impact
on way of thinking.
 Who Have Produced Great Works Of
Art,
 Designed Unique Buildings,
 Made Important scientific
discoveries.
 These creative people thought in new ways
and challenged others to question
traditional thinking in their fields.
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CONT..
 Most created an exceptional product,
and their creativity influenced their fields
of expertise.
 They thinking of a broader group of
people and society.
 Only a few highly talented individuals
whose innovative ideas have challenged
traditional views have accomplished
cultural creativity.

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Cultural Creativity
 Cultural creativity is seen as an act,
idea & product that has an impact on the
world or how it is viewed.
 Some writers have identified this type of
creativity with a capital “C.”
 This indicates the creativity that brings
something new into existence that has an
impact on society or a culture.
 This type of creativity is rare.

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CONT..
 20th c creative thinkers would include
• Physicist Albert Einstein,
• Social reformer Mahatma
Gandhi,
• Composer Igor Stravinsky,
and
• Writer Virginia Wolf (Fowler,
1990).

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 2. Personal Creativity

 Personal creativity is doing something new

have never done before.
 This personal creativity can be identified with a
small “c” and involves ideas that are new for the
person, but may not be new for others.
 This type of creativity can be seen in everyday
events.
 This view of personal creativity also can be apply to
the work of a teacher.

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CONT..
 For example, a teacher may choose to cover
his blackboard with woven fabric so there is
more display area for the children’s
work.
 An interesting fabric is chosen, and
creative problem solving is used to
determine how to attach the material to the
board.
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 3. The Creative Process

 The creative process refers to a creative act

and the methods or procedures that are used
during this activity.
 When the process is valued, a person can be
engaged in the creative act even when there is no
final product.
 The emphasis is on the thinking and doing during
the creative experience.
 Often, when young children are exploring
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materials & techniques, there is no finished
 Four Steps in the Creative Process
1. Preparation: This step involves exploring and
looking for the real problem. This can include
gathering information, finding available resources,
and getting acquainted with the problem or issue.
2. Incubation: During this step, the problem is
not considered; instead there is a period of
abstinence from mental work.
3. Illumination: A new idea or combination appears
that meets the requirements of the problem. This
step is also referred to as the “light bulb” effect.
4. Verification: At this time, the solution is tried
out to determine whether the idea will work.
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Components of the creative process

 E. Paul Torrance (1964, 1969a), one of the most prolific writers

on creativity in education, identified four components of the
creative process.
1. Originality: The idea that is truly unique.
 It is not like any other product; it is a one-of-a-kind
idea.
2. Fluency: The generation of many different ideas.
 The emphasis here is on the number of ideas
produced.
3. Flexibility: The ability to change direction or think in another
way.
4. Elaboration: Taking an idea and expanding it to make it more
exciting and complex.
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4. The Environment That Nurtures
Creativity
 The environment includes many artistic displays.
 A variety of possibilities must be provided so children
can make choices.
 An environment that supports creativity should be
emotionally safe, a place where all children feel
respected no matter what their abilities, background,
and challenges.
 The teacher can use these ideas to set up the classroom,
selects materials, and designs a classroom space.
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 CONT..
 This supportive climate will allow them
To try new things,
Take choices, and
Do things in different ways, without
fear of ridicule.
 Creativity is encouraged when an
environment is supportive and rewarding of
creativity ideas.
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5. The Product of the Creative Act
 One way of examining creativity is to focus on
what is created, or the final product.
 The creative product could vary involves
painting, musical composition and
dramatic performance.
 It is possible to evaluate the creative product by
determining its uniqueness or usefulness.
 For the product to be truly creative, it must be
different, original, or use innovative methods.
 During the early years, most young children
show little interest in the final product; they
are focused on the process of creation.
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THEORIES OF CREATIVITY

 Theories and models can provide other ways

to understand creativity.
 A number of theorists have discussed the
process of creative thinking.
1. Multiple intelligences

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Theory of Multiple Intelligences
 In 1983, Howard Gardner published the first edition of
Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
 These different types of intelligence have added new
dimensions that specifically relate to the creative arts and
creative thinking.

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 According to Gardner, the nine
intelligences include the following

1. Verbal-Linguistic—related to words and language; producing

language with sensitivity to the nuances, order, and rhythm of

words.

2. Logical-Mathematical—includes deductive or inductive reasoning;

recognizing and manipulating abstract relationships.

3. Musical—deals with the recognition of tonal patterns,

environmental noise, and sensitivity to rhythm and beats;

responsiveness to the emotional implications and elements of music.

4. Visual-Spatial—relies on the sense of sight and the ability to

visualize an object; creating visual-spatial representations of the

world, and transferring them mentally or concretely.

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 cont..
5. Bodily-Kinesthetic—includes physical movement and awareness

and/or wisdom of the body; the body is used to solve problems,

make things, and convey ideas and emotions.

6. Interpersonal —deals with person-to-person relationships and

communication: working effectively with others; understanding

people; and recognizing their goals, motivations, and intentions.

7. Intrapersonal— involves self-reflection and meta cognition;

understanding one’s own emotions, goals, and intentions.

8. Naturalistic— involves the capacity to recognize flora and fauna,

make distinctions in the natural world, and use this ability

productively.
9. Existentialist— deals with the ability and tendency to consider
questions about life, death, and basic truths.
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PRESCHOOL TEACHERS

 Need to focus on what it means to be creative.

 Individuals are creative when they take existing objects or
ideas and combine them in different ways for new purposes.
 They use their ever-growing body of knowledge to
generate new and useful solutions to everyday challenges.
 Early childhood teachers are creative when they invent new
ways to individualize the environment, curriculum, and
interactions with young learners.
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Cont..
 should understanding and recognizing the creative
process—in themselves and in children.
 should encourage learning through the creative arts
by introducing children to excellent and varied
examples of art forms.
 should involve children in noticing, thinking about,
and discussing artistic productions.

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Cont..
 should use open-ended questions,
 should invite children to
 examine,
 critique,
 evaluate, and
 develop their own aesthetic
preferences.

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Cont..
 Should provide raw materials, props, tools, and
appropriate spaces so that children can create in their own
ways.
 Should observe and respond to children in ways that
communicate acceptance for creative expression.
 should plan and offer integrated experiences to take
advantage of the many ways creative arts support learning
in other domains.
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