A self-taught artist describes the creative process and a technique for developing one's intuitive drawing ability. The article identifies seven basic motifs derived from natural forms and illustrates how these motifs are used in the artist's work. (DB)

This article reviews the basic tenets of the Situational Leadership model, examines the steps of the Conflict Model for decision making, and presents a conceptual model that integrates the two. The integrated model aims to provide a systematic means for allowing individuals to learn how to participate in organizational decisions. (JDD)

Discusses the importance of teaching improvisation. Defines improvisation as the spontaneous generation of melody and rhythm without specific preparation or premeditation. Answers reasons for not teaching improvisation. Suggests training the ear, providing models, allowing for imitation, developing performance facility, guaranteeing success, and…

Introduces this special issue on how educators in various countries facilitate creative thinking in their students. Notes that some of the articles contain information or examples demonstrating originality, flexibility, or important personality traits that contribute to creativity, such as risk-taking, and that others address the need for…

A study examined whether it was possible to teach five children (ages 5-6) with autism to use symbolic pretend play. The intervention used structure, affect, and repetition and progressively faded out the structuring over three phases. All of the children were able to use some symbolic acts within play. (Contains references.) (CR)

This study explored classroom provisions to enhance creative thinking in one Australian elementary school. The study and a literature review suggest that creative thinking is not being promoted in most schools. Although teachers' attitudes are slowly developing in favor of creative thinking, creatively talented children are still at risk of not…

How much confidence, based on recent research evidence, can educators have in using creativity training programs in their classrooms? In general, little research has been done since the significant reviews conducted 5 years ago, and much of the research is inaccessible to teachers. Research continues to focus primarily on using strategies in…

In this article, the author argues that visual culture is an essential direction for contemporary art educators who are committed to examining social justice issues and fostering democratic principles through their teaching. The study explores how visual culture education can empower students to perceive and meaningfully engage in the ideological…

In this article, the author contends that in order to fulfill music education's purpose of developing a child's capacity to make and experience music, attention must be paid to developing listening in performance ensemble classes. Music educators cannot assume that being involved in the refinement and performance of music contributes to becoming a…

Media literacy is a topic that is being addressed globally as greater numbers of people become aware of the need to teach audience members how they are influenced by the media. Here, two of its broad categories - captive and voluntary - are identified. Examples of media literacy programs in Canada and Australia are also presented to illustrate the…

Teachers know that a constructivist approach involving project-based, student-centered activities can result in students taking an active role in their own learning and engaging in thought-provoking challenges. When accomplished with collaborative activities, students develop skills that will serve them well in the future in any group project.…

Most teachers probably are unaware that there are various ways to access the enormous educational benefits of music. Even if budgeting concerns threaten a school to ax it's marching band, musical theater program, and after-school ukulele band, music does not have to banished from a teacher's classroom. Integrating music with other academic…

This article reports the findings of a research project that investigated the nature of the teaching and learning process in music composition. Over the period of one semester, the formal interactions in one-on-one study sessions between an eminent composer-teacher and an experienced graduate student-composer were videotaped. Following the…

According to John Thompson, Web 2.0 is here. Having moved away from its roots in a read-only medium, the Internet is now a place where any and all users can create, upload, and transform information. A crucial consideration for Thompson is how this technological transformation will affect the pedagogical practices of institutions of higher…

We investigated the effects of divergent thinking training (with explicit instruction) on problem-solving tasks in a sample of Third Culture Kids (Useem and Downie, 1976). We were specifically interested in whether the children's originality and fluency in responding increased following instruction, not only on classroom-based worksheets and the…