Creativity is a vast and complex concept that is difficult to understand or pin down. One minute there’s a blank page and then next an idea appears. What happened in between?
Some assume the process of creativity is a binary personality trait reserved for “creative types”, but this understanding causes problems said Dan Griffiths, Nord Anglia Education’s STEAM & MIT Programme Manager.
“It implies so few of us are creative,” Mr Griffiths said.
“We see this in traditional views of subjects — creative minds belong in the arts, right?”
Mr Griffiths said anyone can be creative and that developing creative ways of thinking are what have contributed to advancements in every known field, including mathematics and science: “Using creativity to find alternative approaches to problems leads to discoveries that the same old well-trodden paths don’t uncover.”
Developing creativity is also a fundamental skill young people need to succeed in the workplace now and in the future, especially in a world where many of the jobs of tomorrow do not currently exist.
“We may not be able to predict the job market, but the ability to think differently when approaching problems or generating ideas will prepare students for any career.”