Discusses the problem of creativity in physics education, focusing on A-level (advanced level) and bachelor of education students. Reviews results indicating low performance in creativity tests by the two groups and suggests that many educational institutions are not enhancing the development of natural talent. (LS)

This article describes a six-week course for design students called "Needs Awareness and Design" which stresses the development of creative thinking skills. Brainstorming is recommended for identifying many ideas, and synectics is stressed for actual problem solving. (DB)

Encourages child care professionals to encourage creativity in all aspects of their programs including: (1) passion in pursuit of ideas and in hiring staff; (2) nurturing relationships; (3) good role modeling; (4) making the space and time for goal development; (5) focus on values; (6) time for play; and (7) maintaining a balanced life. (SD)

This article shares critical reflections on cultivating community partnerships through arts education and provides an analytical framework for community building. It is argued that increasing access to arts education requires attention be paid not only to content issues in arts education, but, also, to holistic approaches that address the contexts…

The 25 strategies described in this book can be used to develop personal creativity, student creativity, and creativity in colleagues and staff members. The strategies are based on investment theory, a psychological theory of creativity, but any one strategy is consistent with many other theories. The investment theory of creativity asserts that…

This 9-week curriculum unit on trees is designed for gifted students in grades 1-5. The lessons are designed for 40-minute classes meeting two or three times a week and stress the development of creative thinking skills, creative problem solving and decision making skills, and critical and logical thinking skills. Each of the 12 lesson plans…

Courses designed to teach problem-solving and creativity, which are relatively new additions to college curricula, are discussed, along with their intellectual foundations and research on these two processes. The teaching of these processes involves the following course goals: teaching a specific subject, generally useful skills, and professional…

Five problem-based learning activities tested by fourth-grade gifted students are suggested. Each open-ended problem is intended to be worked on by a small group for 30 minutes. Student reactions are quoted and analyzed, noting that students became more willing to take risks, test the properties and limits of their materials, and learn from their…

A study examined domain specificity and domain generality of creativity in 109 second-graders. Children exhibited a range of creative abilities across different domains, rather than a uniform creative ability in diverse domains. Divergent thinking measures did not predict creative performance in at least two of three domains assessed in the study.…

This article discusses how creative thinking can be encouraged in students through such classic tools as brainstorming and the productive thinking elements of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. It describes how fairy tales can be used to foster these thinking skills and suggests classroom activities. (Contains two references.) (CR)

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of using an adapted version of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) to increase problem solving activities of kindergarten students, and to determine the practical significance of using CPS as a method for increasing problem solving skills of kindergarten students. Data were collected from…

A distinction can be made between the term "creativity" and creative thinking skills. Creativity typically refers to a talent for original and masterful production in the arts and sciences, and there is scant evidence that teachers have any influence on creativity of this kind. Creative thinking refers to a group of six thinking skills that if…

Research supported by the U.S. Office of Education, Project No. 8-B-002, Grant OEG-0-8-080002-0220-010

This study was an attempt to examine the relationship between readiness (as measured by the Metropolitan Readiness Test) and creativity (as measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking). The sample was 277 economically deprived kindergarten children in a city school system in the Southeastern United States. Scoring was carried out in terms…

This digest paper presents strategies and activities that can be used to encourage gifted students to develop their individual talents in the language arts. Suggestions for exploring poetic language especially free verse, include ideas for creating group poems and catalysts for creating individual poems. Suggestions for exploring the elements of…