Fostering creativity and critical thinking with the use of ICT: Theoretical foundations and empirical examples

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to highlight some theoretical foundations for a connection between critical thinking and creativity as concepts to develop at school, to find the feasibility of use of ICT in such lessons, and to give examples of lessons conducted in such a logic. The competence approach, despite the ambiguous attitude towards it in secondary vocational education, has been re-examined by researchers in connection with a new wave of discussion on how to develop key competencies in secondary education. Critical thinking and creativity are seen as part of key competencies. The article describes in detail these constructs and correlates with well-known works of Russian and foreign practitioners and psychologists, such as L. Vygotsky, J. Piaget, and J. Dewey. The concepts overlap in many ways, which should be taken into account when evaluating innovation and designing educational experience of students. Despite the some differences, the existing modern didactic Russian and foreign approaches (such as problem-based learning, activity-based approach, student-centered learning, and others) meet the objectives and organization of a lesson, which foster critical thinking and creativity. Portable digital devices contribute to the development of greater student autonomy, which is one of the most important components of the development of key competencies. The final part of the article is structured through three theses on implementation of ICT in such lessons with examples of use of such practices by teachers during the project “Fostering creativity and critical thinking in education with the use of ICT” in 2018–2019. Examples allow us to determine how theoretical concepts, having many diachronic intersections, can be implemented in practice.