Fostering creativity through design and technology education

Abstract

Present and future generations need an education that prepares them to pro-actively manage and direct the ongoing change that modern societies are faced with. This is done by creatively applying acquired knowledge to new, unknown situations. The 4P framework – Person, Process, Product, and Press, can guide a holistic exploration of creativity. The authenticity in Design and Technology Education and frequent practice of the design process are key to foster the metacognition required for creativity. Teachers, however, are faced with dilemmas, having to compromise between the requirements for creativity and the demands of education systems. Hence, this project-dissertation aims to develop a practical toolkit for creativity, addressed towards Design and Technology teachers. This is done in 2 Phases. Phase 01 involves interviews with 4 Design and Technology teachers to understand creativity within the local context. This phase and the literature review inform the development of the toolkit, which is then evaluated through interviews with 3 Design and Technology teachers in Phase 02. It emerges that teachers focus primarily on the creative Product, and that creativity is reduced when students cannot express their ideas. With the design process at its core - facilitated through the spiral curriculum and specific design tools - the toolkit addresses all 4Ps with the creative Person as its long-term goal. Phase 02 shows that the toolkit reaches the intended aim to support high-level thinking required for creativity. Ultimately, this project-dissertation highlights the role of Design and Technology Education in preparing present and future generations for the society they design and live in.