Developing Creativity in Cooperative Contexts

1
Developing Creativity in Cooperative
Contexts

• While we are getting started, please take a
  moment to consider your own creativity
• On a scale of 1 (not creative at all) to10 (very
  creative), how might you describe your own
  creativity? Take a moment to write your number.
• If you are not a 10, take a moment to write a few
  words that you think might describe a 10.

2

• Developing Creativity
• in
• Cooperative Contexts

3
Please consider these questions

• How might these ideas relate to my work?
• What piece or pieces of this presentation might I
  want to think more about?
• How might I use one of these ideas to nurture my
  own creative spirit?

4
In your sharing group, please

• take a moment to introduce yourselves. Make sure
  you find out where your sharing partners traveled
  from for this conference.
• discuss the words you each used to describe a
  10.
• work together and choose three words that you all
  agree might describe a 10.
• The person who traveled the farthest will be
  the groups recorder.

5

• The recorder will stand and share one word from
  his/her groups list.
• Other groups will check their lists. If your
  group had the same word or a word you consider a
  synonym, the members of your group will raise
  their hands and--on the count of three--call out
  We had that.

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The Components of Creative Performance

• Domain-Relevant Knowledge and Skills
• Creativity-Relevant Techniques
• Intrinsic Motivation

7
Factors Influencing Intrinsic Motivation and
Creativity

• cooperative contexts

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When students work in cooperative contexts,
they are more likely to

• use contextual information.
• choose challenging options.
• be good problem solvers when there is more than
  one way to solve a problem.
• report high levels of satisfaction with learning.

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Developing Cooperative Contexts

• Safety Issues
• Base Groups Tribes Child Development Project
  Out-of-class cooperation
• Equity Issues
• Complex Instruction Structures

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Factors Influencing Intrinsic Motivation and
Creativity

• cooperative contexts
• work that is authentic, complex, and worth doing
• Complex Instruction Group Investigation Progra
  ms such as Roots and Wings and Fish Banks

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Factors Influencing Intrinsic Motivation and
Creativity

• cooperative contexts
• work that is authentic, complex, and worth doing
• student-centered choices

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Developing Student-Centered Choice

• the power of the first example
• student generated ideas how and what
• an idea-generation period
• large formats
• interpersonal and small-group learning skills
• controversy

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Factors Influencing Intrinsic Motivation and
Creativity

• cooperative contexts
• work that is authentic, complex, and worth doing
• student-centered choices
• student expectations for feedback, evaluation,
  and rewards

14
Feedback and Creativity

• start with student-centered reflection
• avoid personal praise
• use specific, positive feedback
• teach specific, positive language
• focus on the future, student choice, and the
  pleasures of learning

15
Evaluation and Creativity

• provide opportunities for non-evaluated work
• use non-comparative, non-competitive language and
  evaluations
• avoid evaluating creativity
• avoid prescriptive tools

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Guidelines

• facts and information
• application and analysis
• organization, planning, and presentation

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Reward and Creativity

• use teacher language that suggests learning is
  interesting
• avoid competitive language
• avoid an expectation of reward
• develop whole-class celebrations that center on
  learning

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Factors Influencing Intrinsic Motivation and
Creativity

• cooperative contexts
• work that is authentic, complex, and worth doing
• student-centered choices
• competency-centered and student-centered feedback
  and evaluation
• creative language and creative contexts

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Using Creative Language and Developing
Creative Contexts
F

• incorporate the language of possibilities
• invite creativity
• articulate the pleasures of learning
• provide contextual stimulation
• develop your own interests
• demonstrate life-long learning
• appreciate interdependence with students
• be courageous
• be patient

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Please take a moment to reflect and discuss

• How might these ideas relate to my work?
• What piece or pieces of this presentation might I
  want to think more about?
• How might I use one of these ideas to nurture my
  own creative spirit?