Creativity

Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others. (Robert E. Franken, 1994).
To be creative, students must be able to view things differently or in new ways of thinking. They, can use wide range of idea creation techniques such as brainstorming and others to generate the new possibilities or new alternatives. Creativity is not measured by only the number of alternatives that they can generate, but the uniqueness of those alternatives. The term unique in the idea is defined that the idea is worthwhile, more fundamental qualities of thinking and solving problems. Elaborate, refine, analyse and evaluate original idea to improve and maximize creative efforts.

Creativity can be worked with others. This can help to develop, implement, and communicate new ideas to work efficiently. It also helps students to be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives. For examples, in a discussion, each member can give their opinion and feedback to their works. Creativity that worked with others can demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real-world limits to adopting new ideas. They also can view failure as an opportunity to learn, they will understand that creativity and innovation are part of long-term, cyclical process of mall successes and frequent mistakes.

This are several ways to integrate creativity in education. The core academic subjects, including arts, world language, science, geography, social studies and mother tongue language (Malay language in Malaysia).

Arts. After studying a composer’s work, students compose a theme, then create variations on that theme in that composer’s style. Students notate their compositions using electronic software, orchestrate their compositions using a variety of sound sources (synthesized or acoustic), and publish their compositions in a class book for other students to check out, listen to, and perform. The students investigate new processes, implement creative ideas, and revisit traditional ideas to create new and reinterpret existing works of visual and performing art.

World language. Students investigate alternative energy projects in a target language country (e.g., Solar Decathlon Europe) and use ideas gleaned from their investigation to design and explain an original design of an electric car, solar house, or renewable energy alternative specific to their school. Students vote on the best use of renewable energy and defend their choice in an alternative energy publication.

Science. Student teams design plans for a device that will assist people with disabilities and create 3-D sketches of their device using simple computeraided design software. The class develops criteria for peer review, and then teams pass their plans to another team that makes recommendations for refinements to improve the original plans. All teams debrief together on their experience with the engineering/design process and identify the different scientific disciplines they used to create their design (biology, physics, engineering, etc.) and how those disciplines interrelate when applied to solving the design problem. Students also discuss what other expertise they could use to improve their designs—including input from people with the disabilities their designs address. Students are able to describe how science and engineering involve creative processes that include generating and testing ideas, making observations, and formulating explanations, and can apply these processes in their own investigations.

Geography. After identifying a local issue (i.e., recycling opportunities, congested traffic, excessive litter in a park, noise pollution, water contamination, recreation facilities), students conduct primary research, gather numerical data, and convert it to statistical information (means, trends, correlations). Students present their findings in graphs, charts, and maps, use software to develop community digital data bases, and present a position on the issue. Students prepare an editorial slideshow presentation for a local governing board, or develop a Web site to use in presenting their position, and make a multimedia presentation for local service clubs.

Social studies. Students interview students and/or teachers to identify a problem (e.g., bullying on the playground) and as a group brainstorm creative ways to address the problem (producing a play that examines the issue, hosting a contest for best ideas). Students develop creative solutions to a class or school problem.

Malay Language. Students collect a variety of newspaper and magazine articles on a social or environmental issue. In small groups, they decide on an issue and a theme and style for a poem. They use words and phrases cut from the articles to create a “found poem” on their topic.

References
Franken, R. E. (1994). Human Motivation. In R. E. Franken, Human Motivation (p. 396). Vancouver: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

National Education Association. (2014). Preparing 21st Century Students for a Global Society. An Educator's Guide to the "Four C's", 23-25.