SCHOOL EDUCATION SCHOOL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES, OBJECTIVES,

CREATIVITY AND OPEN CREATIVITY AND OPEN EDUCATION SYSTEMSEDUCATION SYSTEMS

Janez JustinJanez Justin

The educationist’s permanent call for The educationist’s permanent call for change in the educational processchange in the educational process

The content of that call: The content of that call: ‘‘productive thinking’productive thinking’ ‘‘critical thinking’critical thinking’ ‘‘problem solving’problem solving’ ‘‘creativity’ etc.creativity’ etc.

A 1950’s description of school A 1950’s description of school education objectiveseducation objectives

»Arguments in terms of the needs and »Arguments in terms of the needs and demands of society point out that we demands of society point out that we cannot expect to progress unless we cannot expect to progress unless we develop the creative potentialities of the develop the creative potentialities of the entire population. This is partly a problem entire population. This is partly a problem of identifying creative talent, but it also is of identifying creative talent, but it also is one of exploring the nature of productive one of exploring the nature of productive thinking and of finding better ways of thinking and of finding better ways of cultivating it.”cultivating it.” (Bloom, 1 (Bloom, 1956956))

A classification of the pupil’s A classification of the pupil’s thinkingthinking

1. knowledge1. knowledge 2. comprehension2. comprehension 3. application3. application 4. analysis4. analysis 5. synthesis5. synthesis 6. evaluation6. evaluation

The fifth class: synthesisThe fifth class: synthesis

Synthesis Synthesis is associated with:is associated with: creative thinkingcreative thinking uniquenessuniqueness new patternsnew patterns productive thinkingproductive thinking problem solvingproblem solving discoveriesdiscoveries

An equation:An equation:

Interest in operational objectives Interest in operational objectives == interest interest in assessement systemsin assessement systems

The first criticism:The first criticism:

1. 1. An obsession with operational objectives An obsession with operational objectives gives rise to pre-packaged learning modules gives rise to pre-packaged learning modules enablingenabling quantitative assessment of student quantitative assessment of student performance. performance.

2. T2. The teachers and students make efforts he teachers and students make efforts towards mastery of pre-defined knowledgetowards mastery of pre-defined knowledge..

3. T3. Thhisis undermines curiosity, imagination, undermines curiosity, imagination, creativity, and criticism. We thus put the pupils creativity, and criticism. We thus put the pupils on an intellectual diet.on an intellectual diet.

The second criticismThe second criticism

1.1.The lower end objectivesThe lower end objectives – – knowledge, knowledge, comprehension, applicationcomprehension, application – – aare meant re meant for those whose fate for those whose fate isis to become fully to become fully functioning consumers and production functioning consumers and production workersworkers..

2.2.TThe higher end objectiveshe higher end objectives – – analysis, analysis, synthesis, evaluationsynthesis, evaluation – – areare meant for meant for those who those who areare to become political and to become political and business leaders.business leaders.

A question, an answerA question, an answer

A question:A question: Is it true that in the educational process that is Is it true that in the educational process that is

piloted by detailed, meticulously assessed piloted by detailed, meticulously assessed objectives there is little room for pupil’s objectives there is little room for pupil’s creativity? creativity?

An answer: An answer: The question is ill-formedThe question is ill-formed. It. It is based on a sort is based on a sort

of semantic slippage. of semantic slippage. WWe are in fact dealing e are in fact dealing with two different with two different types of creativity. types of creativity.

A false equation:A false equation:knowledge knowledge == information information

““We are awash in data. A little of it is We are awash in data. A little of it is information. A smidgen of this shows up information. A smidgen of this shows up as knowledge. Combined with ideas, some as knowledge. Combined with ideas, some of that is actually useful.of that is actually useful.””

The thinking processThe thinking process

The mind does not think with data and The mind does not think with data and information, it thinks with concepts that information, it thinks with concepts that imply points of view and perspectives.imply points of view and perspectives.

Concepts are units of theories that provide Concepts are units of theories that provide us with ‘versions of the world’.us with ‘versions of the world’.

The school and other contextsThe school and other contexts

The school is a specific context where just The school is a specific context where just one among many possible ‘versions of the one among many possible ‘versions of the world’ is constructed for the pupils.world’ is constructed for the pupils.

In other contexts – local communities and In other contexts – local communities and industries, public services etc. – different industries, public services etc. – different concepts circulate, establishing sometimes concepts circulate, establishing sometimes different perspectives and creating different perspectives and creating different ‘versions of the world’.different ‘versions of the world’.

The two types of creativityThe two types of creativity

The creativity A:The creativity A: Pupils make synthesis within a single context Pupils make synthesis within a single context

(i.e. school) and single ‘version of the world’(i.e. school) and single ‘version of the world’ The creativity B:The creativity B:

Pupils make synthesis while dealing with Pupils make synthesis while dealing with several contexts and ‘versions of the world’ several contexts and ‘versions of the world’

Questions that remain to be Questions that remain to be answeredanswered

Should we pursue both types of creativityShould we pursue both types of creativity,, and and if so, what shares should they have in the if so, what shares should they have in the education process?education process?

How can we make sure that the How can we make sure that the creativity Bcreativity B resulting from associatresulting from association ofion of different contexts different contexts does not interfere with the does not interfere with the creativity Acreativity A that is that is limited to the academic context?limited to the academic context?

What strategy should be used in order to What strategy should be used in order to establish an open education system in which establish an open education system in which the two types of creativity complement each the two types of creativity complement each other?other?