What's stopping us? Barriers to creativity and innovation in schooling across Europe

Shakuntala Banaji, Sue Cranmer, Carlo Perrotta

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (Book)Researchpeer-review

    13 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Theoretical definitions of creativity influence how and to what extent it is valued pedagogically and hence the usefulness accorded to innovation in the classroom. If it is seen as a realm for young geniuses, removed from the everyday of learning situations, then creativity becomes an elite affair and not the remit of most teachers. Similarly, if pedagogic innovation in teaching is something that requires an enormous infrastructure of new technological tools, then its absence can be blamed on the lack of such tools. A democratic view of creativity as something that can be nurtured to greater or lesser extents in all humans and that enhances both learning and life-skills, however, is, of late, a more common claim in discussions of this topic. Classroom practices, however, do not always remain in synch with the latest debates in any given field. This chapter articulates practical insights from research carried out by the authors for the Institute of Prospective Technological Studies (henceforward IPTS) in Seville on creativity and innovation in compulsory education across Europe.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationHandbook of Research on Creativity
    EditorsKerry Thomas, Janet Chan
    PublisherEdward Elgar Publishing
    Chapter30
    Pages450-463
    Number of pages14
    ISBN (Electronic)9780857939814
    ISBN (Print)9780857939807
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 29 Nov 2013

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