An investigation of the relationship of hemispheric dominance (dichotic listening) and divergent thinking (Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking) with 27 preschool children indicates that divergent thinking is associated with right hemispheric dominance in children as young as four years. (Author/PN)

Preschool children received either play tutoring or skills tutoring in an attempt to determine (1) whether play tutoring increases children's verbal intelligence and creativity and (2) which factor--play or adult contact--is responsible for gains from play tutoring. Adult contact was found to be the chief reason for cognitive gains. (Author/PP)

Playgrounds should be diverse and flexible so that children have many different opportunities for natural, creative play. Equipment should encourage group activities, challenge children at different levels of development, and enhance physical fitness. Such playgrounds could receive enthusiastic public support. (PP)

Presents an example of what can happen when a teacher is deprived of all decision-making powers with respect to her job, and is required to adhere blindly to restrictions of prescribed programs imposed from outside. Denial of autonomy leads to decline in the teacher's interest and a consequent loss to students. (Author)

In a three-year cumulative study, more than 1,000 children were observed either in randomly arranged preschool classrooms or in classrooms deliberately arranged to promote learning. Creativity, oral language use, and development of science and number concepts were significantly higher for children in the specially planned classrooms. (Author/SJL)

This study extends previous work in the use of descriptive reinforcement procedures to increase productivity of new forms in artwork. Subjects were four kindergarteners who demonstrated an absence of diverse forms in their paintings. Results indicated that form diversity was improved and that the improvement lasted over time. (SJL)

At present, art-educational research seems locked into a number of unexamined assumptions--largely derived from European Romantic ideology--about artistic productiveness as a desirable psychological trait. We need to know more about other cultural patterns of artistic behavior and the historic and social factors that influence them. (Author/SJL)

Strategies to develop creativity were given to high school teachers in a graduate course, Developing Creativity in Teaching. Higher degrees of creativity emerged when the groups used the instructor's clues to write a story and when group brainstorming and writing, as opposed to individual writing, were done. (Author/SJL)

This article compares three theories of the creative process taken from aesthetic philosophy: aesthetic enjoyment (D. W. Gotshalk), aesthetic experience (John Dewey), and aesthetic knowledge (Susanne Langer). Each shows different versions of the learning that accrues from creative activity. From this, curriculum planning and teaching suggestions…

Our culture enforces compliance and obedience in all its institutions and at every level. These institutions systematically discourage independent thought or unconventional action. Schools can play an important role in educating strong, independent thinkers. Teachers should act to reward creative disobedience and to discourage conformity. (JN)

The independent sector is seen as a powerful and positive force in our national life because of its freedom from constraints, its pluralism, its environment for innovation, home for nonmajoritarian ideas, stimulus to individual initiative, opportunities for participation, role as an instrument of community, etc. (Author/MLW)

Curriculum reform should recapture meaning in education, return childhood to children, and emphasize exploratory activity and analogic cognitive processes. (Author/MLF)

The effects of self-instructional use of programed creativity materials for gifted and regular students were investigated. Pre- and post-tests of creative thinking were administered. Students in the creativity training group attained significantly greater gains on verbal fluency. Creative thinking abilities were improved for both gifted and…

Evaluation of Israeli students, 392 in grades 7-9 and 381 in grades 10-12, in the domain of literature supported the construct validity of the 4 X 4 Structure of Giftedness Model, in which giftedness is conceptualized in 4 categories of general and specific intellectual ability and original thinking and 4 ordered ability levels embedded in a…