Creative Classrooms: Insights from Imaginative and Innovative Teaching in Ireland, North and South

Author(s):

Anne McMorrough(presenting / submitting)Celine Healy(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

10. Teacher Education Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

10 SES 12 C,

Paper Session

Time:

2015-09-11

09:00-10:30

Room:

209.Oktatóterem [C]

Chair:

Stephen Day

Contribution

The importance of creativity and innovation is widely recognized in policy discussions across Europe. In particular, schools are identified as having a key role to play in fostering and developing the creative and innovative capacities of children for further learning and working life (Cachia, Ferrari, Ala-Mutka & Punie, 2010). While creativity can be conceptualized in different ways (ibid), it is often described as a ‘skill’ that teachers have the power to develop in young people (Cachia et al., 2010; Gibson, 2005). Across European schools there is huge potential for creative learning and innovative teaching (cf. ICEAC study). However, there is little research evidence relating to creativity IN action within contemporary classrooms at a European level, or the pedagogies that support and/or hinder the creative process (Cachia et al., 2010).

This paper draws on findings from a small-scale SCoTENS-funded project focusing on creativity in action in primary and post-primary classrooms in Ireland, North and South. The Creative Classrooms in Ireland – Insights from Imaginative and Innovative Teaching in Ireland’ (CCIT-Ireland) Project explored how teachers and school leaders perceive ‘creative classrooms’ in Irish primary and post primary classrooms, north and south. The CCIT-Ireland project makes reference to a framework being developed for DG Education and Culture by the JRC-IPTS Information Society Unit, Seville - the Scale Creative Classroom (Scale CCR) project - around how trans-sectoral creative classroom practices can be scaled-up in a sustainable and meaningful manner. The CCIT-Ireland project aims to contribute to this work by identifying and case-capturing good creative pedagogy practice in Ireland, north and south.

Our research questions were framed as follows:

How do teachers and school leaders perceive the nature of creative classrooms and their defining pedagogies?
What is the role of intangibles in these pedagogies and how do they impact on the inter-relationships between pedagogy, technology, school infra-structure and systemic innovative practice?

What are the complexities of mapping creative classroom pedagogies?

In the context of education, creativity may be conceptualized as a transversal and cross-curricular skill or an ability to make unforeseen connections and to generate new and appropriate ideas. (Cachia et al., 2010; Ferrari et al., 2009). It is argued that creativity can be developed in everyone and teachers and educational actors have the power to release the creative potential in learners (Cachia et al, 2010; Ferrari et al, 2009). Creative learning is based on learner empowerment and learner centeredness (Ferrari et al, 2009 p. iii). It is any learning which involves increasing understanding, developing new awareness and focusing on thinking skills (cf. ICEAC Study). In other words, it is the opposite of the reproductive experience. (ibid). Teachers who are ‘themselves creative’ are the ones who ‘create the best conditions for enabling pupils or students to become creative’ (Tanggaard, 2011, p. 220; Ferrari et al, 2009). Creative learning requires innovative teaching (Ferrari et al, 2009 p. iii). In the SCALE CCR study (2011-2013), the term ‘creative’ refers to the innovation of learning and teaching practices through technologies that support, among other areas, collaboration, active learning and personalization (Bocconi, Kampylis, & Punie, 2012, p. 7). This is an inquiry into how creativity and innovation can be encouraged, sustained and up-scaled in European education settings, supported by the affordances of digital technologies, where appropriate.

Method

The CCIT-Ireland research project aims to make a contribution to the discourse around creativity in classrooms by identifying and case-capturing good creative pedagogical practice in Ireland, North and South. The overall approach used to report the findings of this research project follows accepted models and practices taken in case studies (Bassey, 1999; Simons, 2009). Data were collected in the following ways: Desk research for identifying, selecting and analysing the cases: This covered a broad range of materials for example school websites, blogs, Twitter feeds, promotional literature, images and video clips. Consultations on the perceptions of Creative Classrooms from the participants of workshops and presentations given during the project [see below]. Each event brought valuable contributions that informed our understanding on the concept of Creative Classrooms and guided our research. Fieldwork in schools: • Observations in 11 schools - 6 primary schools (3 north, 3 south) and 5 post-primary schools (2 north and 3 south) - 3 classes per school were observed for existing classroom activities within each educational setting. Non-participation observation was used to ‘gain a comprehensive picture of the site’ (Simons, 2009, p. 55). Consequently this afforded the researchers a ‘sense of the setting which cannot be obtained solely by speaking with people’ (ibid). • Interviews with teachers and school leaders – 3 class teachers and 1 school leader in each of the 11 schools. Interview questions were open-ended and designed to explore themes that had emerged from the three key research questions outlined earlier. Open-ended questions were chosen to enable the researcher to probe more deeply and uncover a deeper reflection of the research issue (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison 2007, pp. 357-8). While there were slight differences between the questions asked of teachers and those asked of school leaders, a connected overlap afforded the researchers to uncover the unique perspective that each participant could offer. This approach was found to be appropriate in eliciting information relevant to this research. Interviews lasted between twenty and thirty minutes yielding rich data.

Expected Outcomes

Reflecting the emphasis on creativity and innovation in education across Europe (Cachia et al., 2010; Ferrari et al., 2009; Galvin 2009; Gibson, 2005), teachers and leaders in Ireland, North and South, hold creative approaches to be very important in fostering active, involved learning. Those interviewed showed very good enthusiasm and willingness to incorporate these approaches in their schools and classrooms. However, it was clear that developing and expanding creative approaches was not without difficulties and would not happen without a whole-school approach. Both leaders and teachers, from across the sectors and jurisdictions, believed it needed to be led and supported by school management who would make explicit the benefits to be gained by both teachers and their learners. Participants were clear about these benefits, holding that creative approaches motivate and engage learners to work independently and develop transferable skills. Teachers and leaders across the sectors were also clear that fostering creative approaches was contingent upon changes in assessment. They were adamant that assessment needs to reflect the type of creative learning approaches being advocated and used and to focus on skill development and application of learning. Other important findings emerged in relation to the necessity of having reliable ICT infrastructure and also a need for CPD to support and encourage creative approaches. Describing creative classrooms can be difficult, and adequately mapping all the elements that underpin them may not be feasible. Creativity in action emerges when a variety of pedagogies and classroom tools (digital and non-digital) are used in engaging, interactive and collaborative ways to foster active learning. Nevertheless, the concept of the creative classroom, as it currently exists, requires further probing before recommendations on how trans-sectoral creative classroom practices can be scaled-up in a sustainable and meaningful manner across primary and post-primary schools in Ireland, North and South.

References

Bassey, M. (1999). Case study research in educational settings. Berkshire, UK: Open University Press. Bocconi, S., Kampylis, P., & Punie, Y. (2012). Innovating learning: Key elements for developing creative classrooms in Europe. Seville: European Commission – Joint Research Centre – Institute for Prospective Technological Studies. Accessed Dec 2013 http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC72278.pdf Cachia, R., Ferrari, A., Ala-Mutka, K., & Punie, Y. (2010). Creative learning and innovative teaching: Final report on the study on creativity and innovation in education in the EU member states. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Accessed Dec 2013: http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC62370.pdf Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6 ed.). USA Canada Routledge. Ferrari, A., Cachia, R., Punie, Y. (2009) Innovation and creativity in education and training in the EU member states: Fostering creative learning and supporting innovative teaching – literature review on innovation and creativity in E &T in the EU member states (ICEAC). Seville: European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS). Accessed Dec 2013: ftp://ftp.jrc.es/pub/EURdoc/JRC52374_TN.pdf Galvin, C. (2009). eTwinning in the classroom: A showcase of good practice (2008-2009). Brussels: Central Support Service for eTwinning (CSS). Gibson, H. (2005) What creativity isn’t: The presumptions of instrumentalism and individual justifications for creativity in education. British Journal of Educational Studies 53 (2): 148-167 Simons, H. (2009). Case Study Research in Practice. London: Sage Tanggaard, L. (2011) Stories about creative teaching and productive learning, European Journal of Teacher Education, 34 (2), 219-232 *Notes: 1) Links to CCIT-Ireland research workshops: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UJTEQMoKwSRtzP7N6NJulmlSitoUASQi9nH5Enld30/edit http://scotens.org/wp-content/uploads/SCoTENS_programmeFINAL.pdf http://media-and-learning.eu/files/pdf/media-and-learning-2013_programme.pdf http://www.esai.ie/sites/default/files/documents/conference-34/2014/ESAI-programme-2014-final.pdf 2) ICEAC study: http://is.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pages/EAP/iceac.html 3) SCALE CCR Study: http://is.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pages/EAP/SCALECCR.html

Author Information

Anne McMorrough (presenting / submitting)

Marino Institute of Education

Dublin 9

Celine Healy (presenting)

Maynooth University

Education

County Kildare

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