Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Educational Technology Beyond Content pp 193–206Cite as

Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Attributes of the School Environment That Teachers Relate to Creative Instruction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Creative instruction is widely regarded as effective teaching that enhances learning and promotes learner creativity. The benefits to students are clear. However, contemporary research does not identify how instructional creativity is enabled and limited by the environment. This investigation addresses this gap by looking beyond the school environment as an academy where only learner creativity is valued. The insights of measurably creative teachers are synthesized as an approach to discovery that is unique to this area of research. The findings suggest that teachers with a high or substantial creative ability relate distinct attributes of the physical and socio-organizational environment to the creativity of their professional experiences and that the attributes are interrelated. This mixed-method study contributes important knowledge which can be used to improve the design of schools and optimize both learner and instructor creativity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Althuizen, N., Wierenga, B., & Rossiter, J. (2010). The validity of two brief measures of creative ability. Creativity Research Journal, 22(1), 53–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ambrose, D. (2005). Creativity in teaching: Essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions. In Creativity across domains: Faces of the muse (pp. 281–298). New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andiliou, A., & Murphy, P. K. (2010). Examining variations among researchers’ and teachers’ conceptualizations of creativity: A review and synthesis of contemporary research. Educational Research Review, 5(3), 201–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Auzmendi, E., Villa, A., & Abedi, J. (1996). Reliability and validity of a newly constructed multiple-choice creativity instrument. Creativity Research Journal, 9(1), 89–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basom, M. R., & Frase, L. (2004). Creating optimal work environments: Exploring teacher flow experiences. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 12(2), 241–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beghetto, R. A. (2006). Creative self-efficacy: Correlates in middle and secondary students. Creativity Research Journal, 18(4), 447–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beghetto, R. A. (2007). Creativity research and the classroom: From pitfalls to potential. In A. G. Tan (Ed.), Creativity: A handbook for teachers (pp. 101–114). Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Benade, L. (2017). Being a teacher in the 21st century: A critical New Zealand research study. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Boulos, A. (2013). Conceptualisation of constraints on creativity in teaching in higher education: Towards the possibility of challenging practices in an Irish university (Doctoral dissertation).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bramwell, G., Reilly, R. C., Lilly, F. R., Kronish, N., & Chennabathni, R. (2011). Creative teachers. Roeper Review, 33(4), 228–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brennan, K. (2015). Beyond right or wrong: Challenges of including creative design activities in the classroom. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 23(3), 279–299.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnard, P. (2012). Rethinking creative teaching and teaching as research: Mapping the critical phases that mark times of change and choosing as learners and teachers of music. Theory Into Practice, 51(3), 167–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Y.-Y., Wang, W.-C., Liu, K.-S., & Chen, Y.-L. (2010). Effects of association instruction on fourth graders’ poetic creativity in Taiwan. Creativity Research Journal, 22(2), 228–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheung, R. H. P. (2012). Teaching for creativity: Examining the beliefs of early childhood teachers and their influence on teaching practices. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(3), 43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craft, A. (2011). Approaches to creativity in education in the United Kingdom. In J. Sefton-Green, P. Thomson, K. Jones, & L. Bresler (Eds.), The Routledge international handbook of creative learning (pp. 129–139). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craft, A., & Jeffrey, B. (2004). Creative practice and practice which fosters creativity. In Supporting children’s learning in the early years (pp. 105–112). London: David Fulton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cramond, B., Matthews-Morgan, J., Bandalos, D., & Zuo, L. (2005). A report on the 40-year follow-up of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking: Alive and well in the new millennium. Gifted Child Quarterly, 49(4), 283–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cropley, A., & Cropley, D. (2008). Resolving the paradoxes of creativity: An extended phase model. Cambridge Journal of Education, 38(3), 355–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cropley, A. J. (2000). Defining and measuring creativity: Are creativity tests worth using? Roeper Review, 23(2), 72–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cropley, D., & Cropley, A. (2010). Functional creativity. In Cambridge handbook of creativity (pp. 301–318). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Davies, D., Jindal-Snape, D., Digby, R., Howe, A., Collier, C., & Hay, P. (2014). The roles and development needs of teachers to promote creativity: A systematic review of literature. Teaching and Teacher Education, 41, 34–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diakidoy, I. N., & Phtiaka, H. (2002). Teachers’ beliefs about creativity. Advances in Psychology Research, 15, 173–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dul, J. (2009). Business ergonomics beyond health and safety: Work environments for employee productivity, creativity, and innovation. In Contemporary ergonomics (pp. 16–23). London: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dul, J., & Ceylan, C. (2011). Work environments for employee creativity. Ergonomics, 54(1), 12–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ford, A. (2016). Planning classroom design and layout to increase pedagogical options for secondary teachers. The Journal of the International Society for Educational Planning, 23(1), 25–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Futures, A. O. (1999). National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education. Department for Education & Employment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glăveanu, V. P. (2012). What can be done with an egg? Creativity, material objects, and the theory of affordances. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 46(3), 192–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goff, K. (2002). The abbreviated Torrance test for adults (ATTA). Bensenville, IL: Scholastic Testing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grainger, T., Barnes, J., & Scoffham, S. (2004). A creative cocktail: Creative teaching in initial teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 30(3), 243–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasirci, D., & Demirkan, H. (2007). Understanding the effects of cognition in creative decision making: A creativity model for enhancing the design studio process. Creativity Research Journal, 19(2–3), 259–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henriksen, D., & Mishra, P. (2015). Introduction to the special issue: creativity, technology & teacher education. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 23(3), 273–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horng, J. S., Hong, J. C., ChanLin, L. J., Chang, S. H., & Chu, H. C. (2005). Creative teachers and creative teaching strategies. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 29(4), 352–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeffrey, B. (2006). Creative teaching and learning: Towards a common discourse and practice. Cambridge Journal of Education, 36(3), 399–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jindal-Snape, D., Davies, D., Collier, C., Howe, A., Digby, R., & Hay, P. (2013). The impact of creative learning environments on learners: A systematic literature review. Improving Schools, 16(1), 21–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafashpour, A., & Gharibpour, M. (2016). The relationship between physical workplace attributes and organizational creativity, case study: Knowledge-based companies. Armanshahr Architecture & Urban Development, 9(16), 105–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, K. H. (2006). Can we trust creativity tests? A review of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT). Creativity Research Journal, 18(1), 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kristensen, T. (2004). The physical context of creativity. Creativity and Innovation Management, 13(2), 89–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lembo, D., Mecella, M., & Vacca, M. (2013). BPM4ED: A research project for designing 21st-century schools. Bulletin of the IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technology, 15(3), 14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lilly, F. R., & Bramwell-Rejskind, G. (2004). The dynamics of creative teaching. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 38(2), 102–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, Y. S. (2011). Fostering creativity through education: A conceptual framework of creative pedagogy. Creative Education, 2(3), 149–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, B. (2001). Creative teaching, teaching creativity, and creative learning. In A. Craft, B. Jeffrey, & M. Leibling (Eds.), Creativity in education (pp. 35–44). New York: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens, Y. (2011). Creative workplace: Instrumental and symbolic support for creativity. Facilities, 29(1/2), 63–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, S. H. (2002). The classroom environment and its effects on the practice of teachers. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(1–2), 139–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCoy, J. M. (2005). Linking the physical work environment to creative context. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 39(3), 167–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCoy, J. M., & Evans, G. W. (2002). The potential role of the physical environment in fostering creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 14(3–4), 409–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McWilliam, E., & Dawson, S. (2008). Teaching for creativity: Towards sustainable and replicable pedagogical practice. Higher Education, 56(6), 633–643.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, D. P. (2013). Moods, emotions, and creative thinking: A framework for teaching. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 8, 34–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nickerson, R. S. (2010). How to discourage creative thinking in the classroom. In Nurturing creativity in the classroom. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearlman, B. (2010). Designing new learning environments to support 21st century skills. In 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn (pp. 116–147). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plambech, T., & Van Den Bosch, C. C. K. (2015). The impact of nature on creativity: A study among Danish creative professionals. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 14(2), 255–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plucker, J. A., Beghetto, R. A., & Dow, G. T. (2004). Why isn’t creativity more important to educational psychologists? Potentials, pitfalls, and future directions in creativity research. Educational Psychologist, 39(2), 83–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, A., & Petocz, P. (2004). Learning domains and the process of creativity. Australian Educational Researcher, 31(2), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03249519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reilly, R. C., Lilly, F., Bramwell, G., & Kronish, N. (2011). A synthesis of research concerning creative teachers in a Canadian context. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(3), 533–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes, M. (1987). An analysis of creativity. In S. G. Isaksen (Ed.), Frontiers of creativity research: Beyond the basics (pp. 216–222). Buffalo, NY: Bearly. (Original work published 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rinkevich, J. L. (2011). Creative teaching: Why it matters and where to begin. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 84(5), 219–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein, L. D., McCoach, D. B., & Siegle, D. (2013). Teaching for creativity scales: An instrument to examine teachers’ perceptions of factors that allow for the teaching of creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 25(3), 324–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Runco, M. A., & Jaeger, G. J. (2012). The standard definition of creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 24(1), 92–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saldaña, J. (2015). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Los Angeles: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, R. K. (2004). Creative teaching: Collaborative discussion as disciplined improvisation. Educational Researcher, 33(2), 12–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, R. K. (2010). Learning for creativity. In R. A. Beghetto & J. C. Kaufman (Eds.), Nurturing creativity in the classroom (pp. 172–190). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, R. K. (2011). Explaining creativity: The science of human innovation. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stansberry, S., Thompson, P., & Kymes, A. (2015). Teaching creativity in a master’s level educational technology course. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 23(3), 433–453.

    Google Scholar 

  • Starbuck, D. (2012). Creative teaching: Learning with style (2nd ed.). London/New York: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Starko, A. J. (2014). Creativity in the classroom: Schools of curious delight. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. J. (2015). Teaching for creativity: The sounds of silence. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 9(2), 115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torrance, E. P. (1974). The Torrance tests of creative thinking-TTCT Manual and Scoring Guide: Verbal test A, figural test. Lexington: Ginn. Tsai, K. C. (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, S. (2013). Teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions of creativity across different key stages. Research in Education, 89(1), 23–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, T. B. (2007). The multiple roles of educators in children’s creativity. In A. G. Tan (Ed.), Creativity: A handbook for teachers (pp. 101–114). Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wendt, E. W. (1961). Teaching as a creative process. Peabody Journal of Education, 39(1), 3–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/01619566109537014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, I., & Lorenzi, F. (2016). The development of a model of creative space and its potential for transfer from non-formal to formal education. International Review of Education, 62(6), 771–790. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-016-9603-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woods, P. (1995). Creative teachers in primary schools. UK: McGraw-Hill Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zane, L. (2015). Pedagogy and space: Design inspirations for early childhood classrooms. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zolfaghari, A. R., Fathi, D., & Hashemi, M. (2011). Role of creative questioning in the process of learning and teaching. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 2079–2082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.404

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Design, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA

    Jody Nyboer

Authors
  1. Jody Nyboer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jody Nyboer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Design, Housing, and Apparel, University of Minnesota, College of Design, Saint Paul, MN, USA

    Brad Hokanson

  2. Career and Information Studies, University of Georgia Learning, Design, and Technology, Athens, GA, USA

    Gregory Clinton

  3. Instructional Design & Technology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA

    Andrew A. Tawfik

  4. Graduate Programs Office, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    Amy Grincewicz

  5. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Matthew Schmidt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Nyboer, J. (2020). Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Attributes of the School Environment That Teachers Relate to Creative Instruction. In: Hokanson, B., Clinton, G., Tawfik, A.A., Grincewicz, A., Schmidt, M. (eds) Educational Technology Beyond Content. Educational Communications and Technology: Issues and Innovations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37254-5_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37254-5_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-37253-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-37254-5

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation