Design fixation has been found to be complex in its definition and expression, but it plays an important role in design idea generation. Identifying the factors that influence fixation is crucial in understanding how to enhance the design process and reduce the negative effects of fixation. One way to potentially mitigate fixation is through…

For over 250 years, the RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) has been committed to finding practical solutions to today's social challenges. The Society's way of working consists of providing a platform for critical debate and new ideas; working with partners to translate knowledge and progressive thinking…

Integrating the arts into higher education pedagogy provides an opportunity for cultivating rich ideas and high-level thinking, capitalizing on the creativity that every person already possesses and uses (Livingston, 2010). As Newton and Plummer (2009) note "the use of the creative arts as pedagogical strategy enables individuals to better…

Creativity is an area of great interest in the current context within the UK. It is fundamental to successful learning however somehow education removes our artistic and creative abilities and affects the development of important skills such as problem solving. This paper builds on the initial findings of an evaluation report conducted by a…

As teachers of the arts we are committed to nurturing the creative potential of all our students. We value process and want to inspire young artists to find their unique voices. But do we? Habitual models of teaching, along with external pressures in the settings in which we teach--including pursuing models and language of "best…

A book written in a foreign language and migrated to the US along with its author, an art historian, finds a new communicative dimension by becoming a ready-made for art making purposes. Starting with an introduction explaining the genesis of the collaborative project "Access Denied," this article focuses on one of the series'…

In this chapter, four longtime adult literacy practitioners recount their pathways into the field in the late 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Their stories highlight the creativity and openness that characterized literacy work in those years and point to what has been lost as the field has become dominated by the Workforce Investment Act and the…

WebQuests have been a popular alternative for collaborative group work that utilizes internet resources, but studies have questioned how effective they are in challenging students to use higher order thinking processes that involve creative problem solving. This article explains how different levels of inquiry relate to categories of learning…

In 2005, the Warwick Arts Centre launched the "Boys Dancing" project through the formation of the West Midlands Boys Dance Alliance. Aimed exclusively at boys and young men, the project has offered a range of performance-making opportunities with male professionals including Liam Steel (DV8, Stan Won't Dance) and David McKenna…

This article provides an overview of the current trends in assessment practice within the field of graphic design. The demands placed on educators to apply sound assessment practice for Higher Education subjects is as intense in the field of graphic design as in any other. Forcing the assessment of creative visual work into existing assessment…

This article explores and contextualizes improvisation in music from an educational perspective. First, recent brain research that sees improvisation as a distinct cognitive activity is examined and used to illustrate the importance and uniqueness of this often ignored area of music learning. Next, the implications for the music classroom are…

The new mission of schools should be to prepare children to work in jobs that do not exist, to solve problems that are not yet apparent, using technologies that are still to be invented. That means equipping them with the ability to apply and reapply knowledge in inventive ways. Yet today's schools, even schools with excellent "results," fail to…

Bottom-up managed change processes offer the advantage to use the creative power of faculty to design and implement blended learning programs. This article proposes four factors as crucial elements for a successful bottom-up change process: the macro and micro contexts, the project leader and the project members. Interviews were conducted with 5…

Purpose: In a knowledge economy where innovation is a way for an organization to gain a competitive advantage, team creativity becomes an important factor of success. This paper aims to look at how a team's creativity is influenced by the degree of the team's knowledge sourcing. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical model is developed and…

This article connects arguments in the field of integrated and multi-professional working concerning the need to promote a strengths-based approach to children, childhood and children's services with writing about creativity in schooling. It utilizes strength-based and social justice approaches to encourage professionals who work with children and…