Educational experiences which facilitate the development of original thinking and learning are (1) the "open system" of education which stresses freedom at home and at school; (2) the emphasis on sensory awareness of the environment; (3) the development of curiosity and sense of wonder; (4) the growth of imaginative powers and original thinking…

Fifty-one very bright adolescents participated in a productive-thinking program and a challenging course in either creative writing or the social sciences. The program produced significant gains in verbal intelligence scores. The productive-thinking program also significantly raised scores on measures of creativity. (Author/GDC)

Examines the impact of creativity training--emphasizing experimentation, ideal development, positive interaction, and empathetic responses--upon teacher empathy and interaction with students. Concludes that after training, teachers were more open to student ideas and responses, reinforced students, allowed more experimentation, and listened to…

A simulation study with 96 students at 3 schools of fashion design demonstrated that more creative output was obtained from subjects who had more choice in selecting problems on which to work; took more time to perform the task; had more training; expressed positive feelings about their work; and attended the school with the best reputation. (DB)

In this special section on creativity and learning, several articles discuss practices of schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Topics include the role of reciprocity between child and adult in creative learning; the importance of play for adults; and ideas directors can use to help teachers translate creativity into classroom practice. (AC)

Describes the early childhood system in Reggio Emilia, Italy, in which educators (1) ensure that children live in "a community of well-being"; (2) create a supportive environment; (3) respect individual rhythms; (4) maintain work areas for the visual arts; (5) respond flexibly to children; and (6) foster peer support. (AC)

Teachers (n=101) of undergraduate and graduate level courses in creativity were surveyed concerning their beliefs about creativity, their goals for a creativity course, and the course activities. The study found consistency in the description of the goals, experiences, assignments, and evaluation procedures valued by respondents. Tables detail…

Describes a specialized school for the arts for high school students. Discusses courses in ceramics, metal working, photography, advancement placement in studio art, and art history. Explains the relationship between this specialized school and the surrounding high schools that these students attend for other subjects. (KM)

In engineering education, creativity and communication processes have become necessary in complex structures such as technological networks and virtual reality. A new sociotechnical approach describes the engineering profession in aspects other than technology such as tasks, views, organization structures, and cooperation. Describes a…

Many criticize the educational system, arguing that it suppresses individual creativity. This paper proposes an alternative instructional design which is intended to be used by educators in planning for creative learning and assessing it in the classroom. It is based on the notion that everyone has the potential to be creative and that any process…

Described are the development, implementation, and evaluation of six 3-hour inservice training sessions designed to help five participating teachers improve imagination and creativity in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students. Content areas for each session are outlined; activities including brainstorming and role playing are reviewed; and…

The conflict between Samoan culture and the development of creativity among Samoan students is examined. Creativity is defined as the process of sensing gaps, finding a means of effecting closure, and formulating hypotheses to eventually produce a novel product. The greater the pressure to conform, however, no matter what the source, the fewer the…

This report reviews five current research projects in aesthetic education. Chapter 2 describes recent studies at the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research (IPAR) which relate aesthetics and creativity. Chapter 3 reviews measures of perceptual and cognitive performance; perceptual and aesthetic preference; and aesthetic interests,…

The two studies reported here investigate the role of experiential factors in the development of creative thinking of children and adolescents. The first assigned 400 male students from six high schools in the New York metropolitan area to four criterion groups of 100 each: (1) Creative Art or Writing, (2) Creative/ Scientific, (3) Control Art or…

Research is currently underway at the Malmo School of Education dealing with selected aspects of educational objectives in compulsory school at the "gymnasium" and post-"gymnasium" levels. The main thesis is that these schools prepare students with knowledge and specific skills but fail to equip the student with more general skills and attitudes…