creativity in digital art education teaching practices

• DOI: 10.1080/00043125.2011.11519140
• Corpus ID: 151105358

Creativity in Digital Art Education Teaching Practices

• Joanna Black , Kathy Browning
• Published 1 September 2011
• Education, Art, Computer Science
• Art Education

73 Citations

Evolving visual arts’ faculty pedagogical skills through technology integration in higher education.

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New Media Pedagogy in Two High Schools: A Look at Formal Learning Environments

K-12 art teacher technology use and preparation, directing technology to encourage creativity amongst digital arts practitioners, shifting paradigms: the technology-infused visual arts curriculum, new genres in the art classroom: shifting ideas and identities, the application of digital fabrication technologies to the art and design curriculum in a teacher preparation program: a case study, higher education: a medium in search of a message, digiart and human rights, the dilemma of teaching with digital technologies in developing countries: experiences of art and design teacher educators in uganda, 55 references, art education aims in the age of new media: moving toward global civil society, mediating art education: digital kids, art, and technology, concerns of pre-service art teachers and those who prepare them to teach., barriers to adopting emerging technologies in education, confronting the challenges of participatory culture: media education for the 21st century, a diffusion model for computer art in education, teachers' working conditions and the unmet promise of technology, leadership and research: reimagining electronic technologies for supporting learning through the visual arts, boxes with fires: wisely integrating learning technologies into the art classroom.

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New Technologies in the Classroom

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Digital Art Education Tools Encourage Students' Creativity and Curiosity

Julie Boyland is a freelance associate editor for  EdTech: Focus on K-12 . She has a bachelor’s degree in Consumer Journalism and a certification in New Media Studies from the University of Georgia, and a certification in Social Media Management from Georgetown University.

The classroom setting wasn’t the only thing upended during the shift to remote learning. Humanities courses that had traditionally relied on hands-on instruction, such as art education, also faced myriad  challenges  during the transition.

“Even amid difficult budget decisions, a continued commitment to certified visual arts educators and sequential visual arts and design instruction remains a priority,” said National Art Education Association President Thom Knab in an  open letter to K–12 superintendents, principals and school board members  in May.

Teachers have had to reinvent their approach to art education, and technology has played a pivotal role. A national study by  Adobe Education  found that teachers and students alike value creativity in the modern classroom and hope to see an increased use of technology in their courses. New tech tools and collaborative resources offer an opportunity to build on this trend. Art educators can create fun and engaging lesson plans that foster an appreciation for the humanities from an early age.

Data Shows a Growing Focus on Creativity in K–12 Education

According to a study by  Adobe Education , 76 percent of Generation Z students and 75 percent of teachers wish there was a greater focus on creativity in their classes. Educational priorities have evolved, and today’s lesson plans focus more on interactive tools and less on memorization.

When comparing the perceptions of Gen Z students and Gen Z educators, the Adobe study found that both groups consider technology a defining characteristic of their generation and that both believe creativity will play a defining role in their future success. The study also indicates a demand and a need for courses that focus on digital art and creativity in the classroom — and that technology is the most fitting instrument for change.

DISCOVER:   Learn  how the remote learning pivot sparked innovation in education.

Tech Tools Boost Creativity in the Classroom

With the right approach, technology can not only prove compatible with art education, it can enhance it. Teachers can re-create in-person field trip experiences with the  virtual resources from Penn State University’s Palmer Museum of Art  or travel through notable moments in art history with the  Metropolitan Museum of Art’s interactive “time machine .” Still, one of the most important elements of art education is the focus on creativity. It is crucial, experts say, to empower students to express themselves and create their own works of art, whether through digital tools or traditional mediums like paint or charcoal.

“Creativity is really important for students because it gives them an outlet for expressing their ideas and putting a personal touch on their understanding of concepts,” says educator Jeff Larson  in an Adobe video case study . Larson is a former animation instructor at Balboa High School in San Francisco.

Like other schools around the nation, Balboa High School has used digital tools and online resources to optimize student creativity in the classroom. Students there use Adobe Creative Cloud to create multimedia content and explore their imaginations. Roanoke, Va.’s Cave Spring Middle School is another example of successful implementation of digital art resources. In 2018, students there began using Adobe Spark to strengthen critical thinking skills and stimulate creativity in the classroom.

With the shift to hybrid and distance learning models, these digital tools have become increasingly prevalent throughout art education. Most notably, teachers have used videoconferencing software, like Zoom and Google Classroom, to supplement in-person art instruction.

To make of the most of your virtual classroom, it’s critical to make sure you have the  right equipment and setup . Many smartphones and  tablets  offer HD cameras that are suitable in quality for art classrooms. Incorporating  tripods  can also help ensure better visual quality for instruction.

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Creative Digital Art: Young Children’s Video Making Through Practice-Based Learning

• First Online: 29 May 2021

Cite this chapter

• Suzannie K. Y. Leung 3 ,
• Kimburley W. Y. Choi 4 &
• Mantak Yuen 5  

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In the twenty-first century, digital play has become an inevitable experience for young children and an art form that aligns with the STEAM approach. Researchers in various countries have investigated how digital technologies relate to children’s learning experiences at school. This chapter describes the successful attempt to facilitate the production of video by nine children (aged five to eight years) during a two-day workshop in a government-subsidised university in Hong Kong. During the workshop, the children were taught (1) to use cinematic language (e.g., zoom-in and long take), (2) technical skills (e.g., the methods for operating a video camera) and (3) narrative skills (e.g., storyboard drawing). Through detailed guidance, practice-based questioning and a series of hands-on activities, the children were able to use film language to share their toy-playing stories and produce their own one-minute videos. The authors present the theoretical background to this exploratory study and share the implementation processes with teachers and parents. The teachers’ reflections on the design and implementation of the workshop are also discussed. In addition, suggestions are made about ways to support the digital play of toddlers and young children.

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Suzannie K. Y. Leung

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Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

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Leung, S.K.Y., Choi, K.W.Y., Yuen, M. (2021). Creative Digital Art: Young Children’s Video Making Through Practice-Based Learning. In: Cohrssen, C., Garvis, S. (eds) Embedding STEAM in Early Childhood Education and Care. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65624-9_3

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Creativity in Digital Art Education Teaching Practices

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Strategies for Digital Creative Pedagogies in Today’s Education

Submitted: 07 May 2018 Reviewed: 03 August 2018 Published: 05 November 2018

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.80695

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Creativity and digital technologies are considered to be central for success and development in the current society, becoming crucial educational objectives worldwide. Nevertheless, education often fails to keep pace with creative and digital economies; this is mainly because teachers are not prepared for adopting pedagogical strategies that foster creativity or for fully exploiting the educational potential of digital technologies. Based on the seminal theories of creativity, we propose an innovative framework for applying creative teaching practices mediated by digital technologies: in the light of constructivist and constructionist approaches, we suggest a series of digital tools which are particularly suitable to the emergence of creativity, i.e. manipulative technologies, educational robotics and game design and coding. Furthermore, we shape the concept of digital creative pedagogies (DCP) and establish a set of characteristic components of teaching practices which contribute to the development of students’ creativity. Drawing on a substantial body of research, the chapter intends to embed educational creativity in the digital culture.

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• digital creative pedagogies
• manipulative technologies
• educational robotics
• game design and coding

Author Information

Mario barajas *.

• University of Barcelona, Spain

Frédérique Frossard

Anna trifonova.

• CreaTIC Nens Ltd., Spain

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Creativity is considered to be critical for facing the social and economic changes of today’s society [ 1 , 2 ], as well as for attaining personal development, social inclusion, active citizenship and employment [ 3 ]. In addition, the labour market depends more and more on employees’ abilities to work with technologies, as well as to generate new ideas, products and practices [ 4 ]. In this context, digital and creative skills have gained the attention of worldwide policies and have become important educational objectives [ 5 ].

Nevertheless, a gap remains between policies and practices, as education often fails to keep pace with creative and digital economies [ 4 , 6 ]. This is mainly because teachers are not prepared for adopting pedagogical strategies that foster creativity or for fully exploiting the educational potential of digital technologies.

Beghetto [ 2 ] identified a series of obstacles to the integration of creativity in the classroom, including convergent teaching practices and teachers’ negative beliefs towards creativity. Furthermore, educators are not prepared to apply creative teaching strategies which match their institutional and curricular requirements [ 7 ].

Regarding digital technologies, the ‘EC report on initial teacher education in Europe’ [ 8 ] states that only half of European countries integrate digital education in teacher education. Furthermore, most teachers use digital technologies mainly to prepare their teaching, rather than to work with students during lessons. As a result, between 50 and 80% of students in Europe never use digital textbooks, exercise software, simulations or learning games.

This chapter proposes an innovative framework aiming to prepare educators for applying creative teaching practices mediated by digital technologies. We first attempt to conceptualise educational creativity, i.e. we present the seminal theories and definitions of creativity and the main characteristics of creative education, as well as a series of creative pedagogies. Afterwards, we propose a framework for digital creativity in education, including a definition, a series of pedagogical theories and digital tools which are particularly suitable to the emergence of creativity. We finally establish a set of characteristic components of digital creative pedagogies (DCP), that is, teaching practices which contribute to the development of students’ creativity.

2. Creativity in education

2.1 different approaches to the study of creativity.

Creativity constitutes a complex and elusive concept which remains difficult to explore. It has been studied through the lens of different paradigms, for example, pragmatic, psychodynamic, psychometric, cognitive and evolutionary approaches [ 9 ]. Some of those have brought valuable contributions to the understanding of creativity; nevertheless they do not allow for a holistic approach of the phenomenon. Hence, several theories attempted to explore its different dimensions in a comprehensive manner.

For instance, Csikszentmihalyi [ 10 ] described creativity as the result of a system composed of three distinct elements: (a) the domain , which contains a specific set of rules and practices; (b) the individual, who produces a novel variation in the content of the domain through cognitive processes, personality traits and motivation; this variation is evaluated by (c) the field for its inclusion in the domain.

Furthermore, Rhodes [ 11 ] developed the four P’s model, which places creativity at the interplay of four distinct strands, i.e. process (the different stages of a creative activity), person (the characteristics of individuals), press (the qualities of the environment where creativity happens) and product (the tangible or intangible outcomes of the creative process). Rhodes’ classification has become a major framework for the holistic exploration of creativity. The next subsections examine the four components in the light of influential theories of creativity.

2.1.1 Process-oriented approaches

Those theories mostly explore and describe the creative process through an iterative sequence of stages [ 12 ], which commonly consist of the identification of the task, a phase of preparation and an evaluation of the obtained outcome. Nevertheless, process models present some discrepancies: some researchers view the emergence of ideas as a sudden and intuitive process characterised by an illumination or insight (e.g. [ 10 ]); on the contrary, other theories describe a mindful process of idea generation [ 12 ]. For instance, the well-known componential model of Amabile [ 13 ] proposes a system of five phases: (a) problem or task identification (conscious recognition of the task or problem), (b) preparation (building or reactivation of the information which is useful to the completion of the task), (c) response generation (creation of possible solutions or responses), (d) response validation (evaluation of the possible responses or solutions) and (e) outcome (evaluation and diffusion of the outcome).

2.1.2 Person-oriented approaches

Here researchers use biographical and historiometric methodologies to explore the individual characteristics and personality traits of creative persons. Such theories result in a series of creative individual components which include thinking styles, personality attributes (e.g. a positive disposition towards overcoming obstacles, taking risks and tolerating ambiguity) and intellectual abilities [ 14 ], as well as concentration, playfulness, discipline, passion and objectivity [ 10 ]. Amabile [ 13 ] brings a classification which differentiates domain-relevant skills (knowledge and skills in the domain), task motivation (extrinsic and/or intrinsic) and creativity-relevant skills (personality characteristics, like flexibility and a persistent work style).

2.1.3 Press-oriented approaches

This strand concentrates on the characteristics of the environment which may nurture or hinder creativity. First, social, cultural and political factors may influence creativity [ 15 ], like family upbringing, cultural traditions and the historical milieu [ 16 ]. In addition, Csikszentmihalyi [ 10 ] highlighted some environmental features which may foster creativity, including training, expectations, resources, recognition and reward. Similarly, Amabile and Gryskiewicz [ 17 ] identified a series of elements of the workplace environment which may foster creativity, such as freedom, challenge and leaders’ recognition. At the contrary, some factors proved to hinder creativity, like time pressure, evaluation [ 17 ], lack of respect and competition [ 18 ].

2.1.4 Product-oriented approaches

The last dimension focuses on the tangible or intangible outcomes of the creative process. Researchers commonly define two characteristics of creative products, namely, usefulness and novelty [ 12 , 13 ]. Usefulness refers to the adequacy of the outcome to its context of use. As for novelty, literature distinguishes between Big-C (consensual) and little-c (personal) creativity [ 19 ]. Kaufman and Beghetto [ 20 ] proposed a Four-C Model which differentiates mini-c (interpretive creativity), little-c (everyday creativity), Pro-C (expert creativity) and Big-C (‘legendary’ creativity).

2.2 Towards a definition

Defining creativity results to be a complex task [ 21 ]. The word has been applied to a variety of fields, settings and theories [ 22 ]; hence, scientific literature lacks a sound definition. Nevertheless, there appears to be consensus on the main features of creativity [ 23 ]: it refers to the ability to create something novel and appropriate [ 24 ]. The term ‘novel’ describes an original solution, while the term ‘appropriate’ refers to the usefulness of the product as applied to a specific need [ 9 ].

As applied to the field of education, the NACCCE [ 22 ] provided a comprehensive definition, which does not limit to the product dimension, describing creativity as an ‘imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value’ (p. 30). Cremin et al. [ 25 ] added some components to this definition, so that it matches a personal view of creativity (little-c): ‘purposive imaginative activity generating outcomes that are original and valuable in relation to the learner’. In this view, creativity processes involve four characteristics: (a) they consist of thinking imaginatively, (b) they are purposeful (i.e. directed towards a specific goal), (c) they result in an original and valuable outcome and (d) the learner constitutes the reference point.

2.3 Characteristics of creative education

A democratic approach : traditionally, creativity is seen as a quality reserved for exceptionally talented individuals [ 22 ]. This exclusive perspective recently changed towards an inclusive one, to which all people from all ages can be creative [ 16 , 26 ]. This new angle is widely adopted in the field of education, considering that all students have a creative potential which can be fostered or hindered depending on the teaching strategies used [ 27 ].

A focus on little-c creativity : small levels of creativity give importance to personal processes beyond outstanding accomplishments. As applied to education, this perspective encourages students to develop new and personally meaningful insights and discoveries, as well as to attain their full potential in their everyday domains [ 27 ].

A domain-wide approach : creativity is often associated to the domain of arts [ 22 ]. Recently, this scope has been widened to other areas of everyday life [ 27 ]. Hence, in the field of education, creativity can be developed in all curricular subjects, such as languages and science [ 28 ].

2.4 Creative pedagogies

Creativity and education literature highlights a series of creative pedagogies, that is, teaching practices which contribute to the development of students’ creativity. In a review of 210 pieces of educational research, Davies et al. [ 29 ] mentioned the flexible use of space and time, the study outside the classroom, collaborative and game-based learning approaches, as well as respectful relationships, non-prescriptive planning and the participation of educators as learners in the classroom activities.

Cremin and Barnes [ 30 ] outlined similar characteristics, i.e. an agency-oriented ethos, multimodal methodologies, exploration and discovery, risk-taking, tolerance of ambiguity and uncertainty and safe and non-judgemental environments. In this line, Sawyer [ 31 ] considers the possibility to try before getting it right and the use of failure as a positive learning factor. The author also considers collaborative and improvisational practices which allow students for externalising their understandings and reflecting on their learning processes.

Barajas and Frossard [ 32 ] proposed a set of four main creative pedagogies, each one characterised by different components: (a) learner-centred approaches (matching curricular objectives with students’ interests, making learning relevant and engaging, encouraging students’ ownership and problem-solving, value learning processes above outcomes so to promote students’ reflection on their learning trajectory), (b) open-ended ethos (providing space for uncertainty, exploration and spontaneity in a safe classroom environment), (c) synergistic collaboration (rich collaborative practices based on joint problem-solving and collective decision-making) and (d) knowledge connection (linking content to real-life situations, bridging different domains and disciplines and placing knowledge in a wider context).

3. Digital creativity in education: a proposal framework

Technological devices have entered all aspects of our everyday life [ 33 ]. In this digital society, the concept of creativity is being rethought. Indeed, the affordances of technologies may have a strong influence on creative processes and achievements. As mentioned by Loveless [ 34 ], ‘digital technologies can be tools which afford learners the potential to extend or enhance their abilities, allow users to create novel ways of dealing with tasks which might then change the nature of the activity itself, or provide limitations and structure which influence the nature and boundaries of the activity’ (p. 64). Nevertheless, understanding the interplay between digital and creative yet appears as a challenge, and the two are often studied as separate domains [ 4 ].

As a first step to bridge this gap, we propose the following definition of digital creativity, as applied to education (based on [ 22 , 25 ]): ‘purposive imaginative activity, mediated by digital technologies, generating outcomes that are original and valuable in relation to the learner’. As applied to education, digital creative teaching would consist of applying digital technologies with the aim to support creative pedagogies, that is, learner-centred approaches, open-ended ethos, synergistic collaboration and knowledge connection.

The following sections propose pedagogical theories and digital tools which may support the development of digital creativity in the classroom.

3.1 Pedagogical underpinnings

To our view, four pedagogical theories are particularly suitable to the application of digital creative teaching practices, namely, experiential education, critical pedagogy, constructivism and constructionism.

3.1.1 Experiential education

This movement questioned the pedagogical assumptions of its time, to which education relates to an accumulation of knowledge, in favour of active student-centred methodologies based on learning by doing and problem-based learning. To this view, learners build knowledge on the basis of the present experience and the active interaction with their environment [ 35 , 36 ].

3.1.2 Critical pedagogy

This philosophy and social movement denounces the ‘banking concept of education’ which consists of simply depositing knowledge in a decontextualised manner [ 37 ]. At the contrary, Freire promoted the importance of developing learners’ critical awareness towards the society and viewed education as a path to empowerment and emancipation. In this line, education should directly connect to meaningful problem-solving [ 38 ].

3.1.3 Constructivism

This influential paradigm considers knowledge as an experience that is developed by interacting with the world on the basis of prior knowledge. Hence, students are not passive recipients of knowledge. Rather, they make sense of the world by actively building and transforming meaning [ 39 ]; teachers become facilitators who guide students towards processing information through active exploration. From this perspective, every learning process is creative, as learners create their own meaning as they attempt to understand the world. As stated by Craft [ 40 ], ‘in a constructivist frame, learning and creativity are close, if not identical’ (p. 61).

3.1.4 Constructionism

Influenced by Freire and Piaget, Papert elaborated the theory of constructionism. He shares Freire’s endeavour to free the latent potential of students, by creating learning environments which connect to their passions [ 38 ]. Building on constructivism, constructionism argues that learning better occurs when students make and share tangible artefacts [ 41 ]. Hence, this theory is directly related to the maker and digital making movements.

Papert pioneered the educational use of digital technologies. More than information and communication devices, he considers technologies as powerful educational tools which allow students for concretising and expressing their ideas by designing, building and engineering. Constructionist learning environments are usually not based on a fixed curriculum. Rather, students use technology to build their own projects, while teachers act as facilitators of the process [ 38 ]. Hence, learners become designers. The constructionist view highlights the importance of social participation in the knowledge construction process and considers making as an inherently social activity, through which learners design artefacts that are of relevance to a larger community [ 42 ].

3.2 Digital tools for creativity

We suggest the following tools and educational strategies which may support digital creative teaching activities.

3.2.1 Manipulative technologies

Manipulatives, in the context of education, are physical tools that engage students in hands-on learning. Based on the constructivist theories, the manipulation (i.e. organisation, combination, comparison, etc.) of objects, such as blocks, figures and puzzles, is central to the learning process, as it stimulates multisensory experience. Commonly, manipulatives are used to teach STEAM to young students and to bring fun to the learning process [ 43 ]. Recent studies show a high level of acceptance of digital manipulatives by teachers and students, as well as a positive impact on learning (e.g. [ 44 ]).

For example, Magic Blocks [ 45 ] are RFID-tagged logical blocks which children can manipulate in order to perform educational tasks set by a real or a virtual teacher, to stimulate learning of mathematical and logics concepts. LittleBits 1 are small electronic objects, each one with a distinct function (motion, light, sound, sensor, etc.) that easily fits to each other through magnets, used to create electronic circuits. They stimulate the inventive nature of children to create numberless projects while they learn not only logic, maths and electronics but also product design, prototyping and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, digital manipulatives stimulate a makers attitude, turning students into active creators. Learning in a makers environment provide opportunities for disrupting students’ conventional practices of invention, exploring through play, failure, risk-taking and refiguring creation as remix and craft [ 46 ].

Virtual manipulatives, such as Wolfram Demonstrations Project, 2 Shodor Interactivate Activities 3 and GeoGebra, 4 completely substitute the physical elements. Empirical studies show that virtual manipulatives encourage creativity and increase the variety of solutions that students encounter [ 46 ], which is in line with the constructivist theory.

Cubelets 5 and Robo Wunderkind 6 enable young children to design and construct robots through manipulatives—mountable blocks that contain the functions of a robot (a switch, a motor, a sensor, etc.). These tools demonstrated to positively change students’ attitude towards STEM and computer science [ 48 ], as well as to foster critical thinking skills [ 49 ].

3.2.2 Educational robotics

Educational robotics uses tangible materials to teach a variety of topics, including STEM, literacy, social studies, dance, music and art [ 50 ]. Such teaching strategy enhances students’ learning experience through hands-on/mind-on activities integrated with technology. Nowadays, a large number of educational robotics tools are available on the market, including LEGO WeDo 7 and LEGO Mindstorms, 8 mBot, 9 Bee-Bot, 10 Ozobot 11 and Dash and Dot. 12 For the younger learners (age below 6 years) educational robotics often focuses on learning the basic programming principles, simple logics and mathematics concepts. Commonly, the creation of both hardware and software parts of a robot encourages children to think imaginatively, stimulates them to analyse situations and applies critical thinking in solving real-world problems.

Ina addition, robots can be involved in teaching and learning social skills [ 51 ]. Indeed, robotics activities are usually organised in a collaborative manner, with a small number of students working together to achieve the proposed objectives [ 52 ]. Hence, teamwork and cooperation are an integral part of any robotics project: students learn to express their ideas and listen to those of their peers; all can offer arguments and reach conclusions jointly. Students focus on resolving problems for achieving the goals of their projects and learn from their errors on the way.

3.2.3 Game design and coding

Since Papert first introduced the Logo programming language and the ‘Logo turtle’, coding and developing computational thinking skills have become more and more important in today’s world and particularly in education [ 53 ]. Mass acceptance is enabled by the availability of programming tools which are appropriate for younger learners. Indeed, several visual programming languages using puzzle-like blocks appeared in recent years, such as Scratch 13 , Kodu 14 and Alice. 15 Students focus on learning programming concepts and practise a variety of skills [ 54 ], instead of solving syntax problems. Those programming environments, when appropriately integrated in teaching practices, promote exploration, risk-taking and autonomous learning, as well as increase students’ motivation [ 55 ] and spark students’ imagination [ 56 ].

3.3 Digital creative pedagogies (DCP)

Learning environments refer to both the physical and organisational aspects of creativity at stage. Among other components, creative learning environments promote exploration and discovery and present few constraints in terms of space and time, as well as provide a safe and non-judgemental climate.

Teaching strategies refer to the approaches and methodologies used by the teacher to reach specific pedagogical objectives. For example, problem-based learning, project-based learning and inquiry-based learning allow for exploring scientific phenomena by fostering students’ curiosity. Usually, inquiry processes apply a cycle of learning actions, which do not necessarily occur in a linear sequence, that is, asking questions, proposing hypotheses, investigating those hypotheses, generating new knowledge, discussing results, presenting evidences and reflecting on emerging solutions. This open-ended process engages students in creative problem-solving and evidence-based reasoning. Students learn how to formulate problems into key questions so to get the best possible answers and propose creative solutions.

Teacher-student interactions constitute an essential factor to provide rich learning processes. Indeed, learning occurs in social contexts, and creativity emerges with respectful exchanges which promote risk-taking, tolerate uncertainty, see failure as positive and promote students’ autonomy.

Digital tools are instruments which mediate the learning process; they aim to facilitate learners’ expression, as well as to extend their possibilities and abilities while carrying a task. Digital tools also enhance manipulation, experimentation or risk-taking, which are key aspects of creativity. As argued earlier, manipulative technologies, educational robotics tools and game design/coding environments are particularly suitable to support digital creative practices.

Table 1 summarises the characteristic components of DCP and their corresponding dimensions.

Table 1.

The components of digital creative pedagogies (DCP).

4. Conclusions

This chapter aimed to embed educational creativity in today’s digital society. Based on the seminal theories of creativity and creative education, we proposed an innovative framework for applying creative teaching practices mediated by digital technologies: in the light of constructivist and constructionist approaches, we suggested a series of digital tools which are particularly suitable to the emergence of creativity, i.e. manipulative technologies, educational robotics and game design and coding. Furthermore, we shaped the concept of digital creative pedagogies (DCP) and established a set of characteristic components of teaching practices which contribute to the development of students’ creativity. We make the assumption that the application of this framework allows for engaging students in new, personally meaningful processes and in the creation of original outcomes, as well as for enhancing learning in any curricular subject.

The proposed framework highlights four different dimensions of DCP, namely, learning environment, teaching strategies, teacher-student interactions and digital tools. Each of these dimensions is equally important for ensuring the emergence of creative learning processes. Indeed, the use of adequate teaching strategies would allow for fully exploiting the affordances of the selected digital tools. Furthermore, a safe and flexible learning environment, paired with supportive interactions between teachers and learners (and among learners themselves), would create the necessary conditions and balance so that the learning activity takes on its full meaning.

The chapter contributes to linking two key educational research trends: one on creativity and the other on digital technologies. It provides educational practitioners and researchers with concrete strategies and tools for shaping and applying creativity in the digital classroom.

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Let’s Talk Styluses

In a dream world, all of our students would have an Apple Pencil , but with a $99 price tag, this isn’t realistic. While there are some excellent alternative styluses for student use, as long as your students have one, they’ll be able to create amazing work. If you’re new to the world of digital drawing, start by trying out some cheap, simple styluses in your classroom.  You will get what you pay for, but it’s a cost-effective way to get your students creating digitally.

8 Digital Drawing Activities to Try in Your Art Room

As you look through this list of digital drawing activities, you might be thinking, “Well, I could do this with traditional drawing methods.” While, that’s mostly true, using a digital tool to help introduce new drawing concepts alongside traditional methods can be more efficient with class time. It also allows students to create without any inhibitors.

1. Merge Traditional Artmaking with Digital Drawing

When it’s time to explore new techniques, students are often fascinated with the results. For example, exploring watercolor techniques is a rewarding experience, but sometimes we don’t know how to take those process explorations a step further. A perfect solution is to take a photo of a traditional artmaking process and enhance it with digital drawing.

2. Teach Depth and Space

Understanding foreground, middle ground, and background is essential for understanding how to create depth in an artwork. It can also be the weakest part of a composition when students don’t truly understand how to create space. Using a digital drawing app to teach this concept is a game-changer! Since students can work in layers, they can visually see how overlapping and changing the size of objects can create a difference in their artwork.

3. Bring Everyday Objects to Life

Every once in a while, our students need something to refuel their creativity. This personification activity is perfect for that. Start by taking a photo of an everyday object and bring it to life with digital drawing. This is an excellent opportunity for students to explore mark-marking and familiarize themselves with the drawing application they are using.

4. Monitor Your Students’ Work

If you are using iPads with your students, you should be using Apple Classroom . Apple Classroom is similar to  Google Classroom but is much more compatible with iOS devices. When using the Tayausi Sketches drawing app connected to Apple Classroom, you can see what students are creating from your device. This not only allows you to monitor what your students are doing, but it also allows for quick, easy sharing of artwork. You can easily project a student’s in-progress piece for discussion with just a simple tap.

5. Teach Perspective

Teaching students to draw in perspective isn’t always the most delightful part of being an art teacher. No matter how hard we try, understanding how to use a ruler is a lost art! Choosing to introduce your students to perspective by using digital drawing will save your sanity, and the process will seem so much easier for your students. Since many of the apps have functions to turn drawn lines into straight lines, you can still get the beauty of a perspective drawing with the help of some digital aid.

6. Create Digital Sketchnotes

We know that creating sketchnotes is beneficial in the retention of student learning. So, why not try digital sketchnoting? Not only will students be able to swap out colors easily, but they can also quickly pull in images. This will help them to retain even more!

See how use sketchnotes in your art classroom with  Implementing Sketchnotes PRO Learning Pack. 

7. Create Bubble Letters

Creating block or bubble letters is always tricky for students. Some of our students long to learn how to do it but get frustrated after erasing for the hundredth time. The great thing about digital drawing is the simple tap can make that modification of the undo button. Teaching your students how to do this with directed instruction will build confidence, while then allowing them to take their designs to the next level.

8. 3-D Forms & Value

One of the fundamentals of drawing is identifying value and using it to create 3-D forms. The great thing about teaching value is that it can be taught with any medium. However, having your students create 3-D forms with pencil the very first time they’re introduced to the concept can be tough. For some students, this can take forever! Before, letting them loose with pencil, try introducing the concept of creating 3-D shaded forms through digital drawing first. This way if students do not understand the concept, they can immediately make changes. From here, challenge your students to apply what they’ve learned by using traditional art materials.

Teaching digital drawing shouldn’t replace traditional drawing methods. However, it can be a tool to teach the same concepts in a more time-efficient way. We want our students to create. As our students get older, they will most likely have a phone or tablet on them at all times. If we teach them to use these tools for artmaking now, they’ll continue their creative ventures for a lifetime.

Do you teach digital drawing?

What is your favorite digital drawing application?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Abby Schukei

Abby Schukei, a middle school art educator and AOEU’s Social Media Manager, is a former AOEU Writer. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences for her students through technology integration, innovation, and creativity.

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Creativity in Teaching and Teaching for Creativity

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In this book, the authors write about creativity in teaching and how to enhance creativity in learners. They highlight the new reality of teaching and learning in the digital era, specifically the impact of artificial intelligence, data economy, and artificial minds on modern teaching practices, curriculum design, and the role of teachers in classrooms.

Creativity in Teaching and Teaching for Creativity: Modern Practices in the Digital Era approaches human intelligence as a universal gift. It emphasizes that the creativity of human beings is not only a natural quality, but one that can be enhanced as a result of learning. The book suggests new teaching models and approaches and discusses how the role of teachers in the classroom has fundamentally changed, emphasizing the emotional connection between students and teachers.

The book will find interest among higher education policymakers who believe in the transformation of the education industry, research scholars who are pursuing their Ph.D. in the fields of education technology and education and learning, as well as those working in the area of education technology and artificial intelligence.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 | 6  pages, human creativity and giftedness, chapter 2 | 6  pages, human intelligence and giftedness, chapter 3 | 15  pages, critical digital pedagogy – innovative model, chapter 4 | 15  pages, creativity in teaching and teaching for creativity – engineering students, chapter 5 | 18  pages, creativity and human development towards self-actualization, chapter 6 | 17  pages, supporting creativity and mathematical talent development.

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