The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Critical Creative Moments in Swedish Classrooms

På svenska

Author

Editor

  • Rachael Jabocs

Summary, in English

The aim was to study critical creative moments (CCM:s) – that is creativity related situations – in Swedish 5th grade classrooms and discuss these with teachers and students. Two observers visited each of the two classrooms on four different occasions in different types of classes (different subjects). The lessons were videotaped and the creative moments were identified by the observers during the live observation sessions and during repeated video reviewing. The teachers and students were shown short videos and were asked to comment on them. Four teachers and 35 students were observed and interviewed. The results demonstrated both positive and negative CCM:s. Some took place as a result of active pedagogic strategies from the teachers but most CCM:s arose accidentally in the classroom and were often initiated by the students. Comments from the school actors revealed that teachers were positive towards creativity as a phenomenon and did appreciate or at least tolerate creative moments as they arose naturally in the classroom (e. g. students joking or taking creative breaks playing with pens and erasers). Students were of the opinion that the positive creative moments facilitated learning. Teachers were not conscious of what strategies possibly could be creativity squelchers. Neither were they aware of active strategies for stimulating creativity in the classroom. The most depressive finding was that not once during the observations was creative behavior encouraged directly. The participants – both students and teachers - believed that pedagogical methods identified in earlier studies to be conducive for creativity, such as self-initiated learning and student participation, could be used to a larger extent than was done today.

Publishing year

2012

Language

English

Pages

33-43

Publication/Series

Creative engagements with children: International perspectives and contexts

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Inter-Disciplinary Press

Topic

  • Psychology

Keywords

  • Creativity
  • school
  • pupils
  • observation
  • teachers’ notions
  • students’ notions

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 978-1-84888-127-3