Fostering creativity in school aged children through perspective taking and visual media based short term intervention program

Abstract

Creativity is known today as an ability that can be developed and improved. The substantial research in the field of creative studies showed that creative thinking abilities can be enhanced through intervention and training. In a previous study, we presented the effectiveness of a unique and innovative short-term intervention program for enhancing creative thinking, focusing on divergent thinking skills (Doron, 2016). The present study samples 286 school children, ranging in age from 10 to 14, who participated in an intervention program that had taken place over a period of ten weeks. The intervention included a series of assignments, inspired by theoretical and practical concepts such as perspective taking and the use of media in education. Uniquely, we allowed creativity training to diffuse into children’s everyday life by tasking children with practicing elements of the program in their free time, while watching television or other media for their enjoyment. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the program, in enhancing divergent thinking skills, which were measured by fluency and uniqueness scores according to Tel Aviv Creativity Test (TACT). Results showed that children who participated in the program activities scored significantly higher in the creativity tests at the end of the program and indicated that creative thinking, and divergent thinking abilities in particular, can be enhanced through the kind of intervention that was proposed in the study.