By Anne
Tue 29 Sep 2009

A good starting point for defining creativity is 'All our futures: Creativity, culture and education', the National Advisory Committee's report (DfEE, 1999). This report states that we are all, or can be, creative to a lesser or greater degree if we are given the opportunity. The definition of creativity in the report (page 29) is broken down into four characteristics:

First, they [the characteristics of creativity] always involve thinking or behaving imaginatively. Second, overall this imaginative activity is purposeful: that is, it is directed to achieving an objective. Third, these processes must generate something original. Fourth, the outcome must be of value in relation to the objective.
Debating the characteristics highlighted by this definition can be a helpful starting point for agreeing what your school actually means by creativity

By steven
Mon 9 Nov 2009

Perhaps we have moved on from the all our futures definition of creativity. 1999 seems like a long time ago and as we move into a period of recessions words like "Purposeful, objective and value" take on new meaning and cultural significance. Perhaps a more useful definition would be the more open "To bring into being or form out of nothing" this is less value laden and directive and allows for an open debate within a school and a wider context.

$postUserCreator.displayImage.getImage(45).toHtml() By James
Tue 8 Dec 2009

A consultant named Mathilda Joubert defined creativity as the application of independent, original thinking. This to me sums up that it is a process and is something all teachers should wish to cultivate

$postUserCreator.displayImage.getImage(45).toHtml() By Helen
Wed 9 Dec 2009

I always worry about that adjective "purposeful".

Some very exciting creative acts are borne out of purposelessness.

Too much sense of purpose can be counter productive.

By Carol
Fri 11 Dec 2009

I believe that creativity is born out of passion and curiosity - that to be creative is to bring something tangible into being from nothing but passion and curiosity

By Wyl
Wed 13 Jan 2010

In response to Steven and Carol in particular, is creativity not the process and outcomes of synthesis - combining two or more entities to create something new?

If we accept that nothing comes from nothing (passion and curiosity with no object are surely formless?), creativity becomes more to do with the innovative use of, or combination of existing elements.

By Paul
Wed 12 May 2010

Imagination can be described as the foundation for creativity, followed by the development or of the 'piece', say in the case of an artist canvas or a actor drama piece, but until it is seen through performance or exhibition the creative process is incomplete. However there is in many artists minds a desire to create to not to exhibit, but then, themselves become the audience.

This is a really interesting topic and much discussion is out there away from educational organisations - Ken Robinson's work, 'Element' worth a read and his TED talk "Do schools kill creativity" aswell as organisations such as IDEO- all good regarding, passions, creativity and thinking.

By steven
Mon 17 May 2010

Perhaps after attending the creative partnerships day on new technologies and been asked to define what creativity means and why we do this work I could add to this strand.

It feels a bit silly to talk about Witgenstien and a bit ponsy but there is something in his thinking about language and how meanings are negociated within groups which seems really important. My first post was about trying to make the word useful again as for me it's lost it's strength. At the meeting somebody said that words mean different things in education and I think it's only in the trying to find some sort of shared defination that words like creativy become useful. We have to be careful not to confuse the "Art for arts sake" argument with the need to nurture and develop young people expressive lives and sense of place.