Enacting Creative Thinking Skills Using Design Process in Technology Classrooms

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Creativity is rapidly becoming central to scholarly discourse, research, and education practice. It is central to modern society and forms the basis for innovation and progress. In the current era, creative thinking skills (CTS) are pivotal skills one must possess to compete, succeed, and participate in the global economy. Therefore, the Ministry of Education must ensure the cultivation of such skills in today’s classrooms to produce the kind of learners that will be the perfect fit for societal needs around the globe. As such, Creative Thinking Skills development is one of the core objectives of the South African Curriculum and Technology Education (TE), encouraging learners to be creative and innovative. The study examined how Technology teachers enact Creative Thinking Skills in their classrooms. The study was based on a qualitative research approach complemented by the case study research design. Purposive sampling was used to sample four Technology Education teachers as study participants. Data was collected through interviews and complemented by observations and document analysis concerning four Technology teachers. The study discovered that although the design process (DP) is available to support them, teachers still struggle to adequately articulate the idea of creative thinking and what it entails. The study suggests that to support learners, technology teachers should engage themselves in a lesson study approach with colleagues in nearby districts to receive continuous pedagogical training that will help them understand the nature and components of creative thinking.