Individual Creativity and Career Choices of Pre-teens in the Context of a Math-Art Learning Event

Kristof Fenyvesi,Helena Thuneberg,Franz X Bogner,Hannu Salmi

doi:10.1515/edu-2020-0147

Kristof Fenyvesi, Helena Thuneberg + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1515/edu-2020-0147

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Abstract

Abstract A sample of 392 students (aged 12-13 years, M± SD: 12. 52% girls) completed a learning module integrating informal hands-on mathematics and arts activity (extending STEM to STEAM). Within a 140 minute workshop period participants worked with commercially available ‘4Dframe’ Math and STEAM learning toolkits to design and create original, personal and individual geometrical structures. Two science pedagogues acted as tutors supervising the process and intervened only when needed. A pre-/post-test design monitored individual creativity, relative autonomy, and career choice preference. Path analysis elaborated the role of creativity (measured with two subscales: act and flow), and it showed that post-act, post-flow as well as relative autonomy are valuable predictors of career choices. Similarly, pre-creativity scores were shown to significantly predict the related post-scores: act and flow. As a consequence, our STEAM module was shown to trigger both the creativity level and the career choice preferences. Conclusions for appropriate educational settings to foster STEAM environments are discussed.

Highlights

IntroductionA crucial element in multidisciplinary learning processes is the project method (Dewey, 1980; Burnard et al, 2015; Lähdesmäki & Fenyvesi, 2017) throughout which students can actively participate in planning and selecting the lessons’ learning content, the learning methods, and the practices to be applied
There are numerous reports and policy documents (EU, 2015; KOFAC, 2017; BERA 2017) referred to in the education research literature today that point out variousA crucial element in multidisciplinary learning processes is the project method (Dewey, 1980; Burnard et al, 2015; Lähdesmäki & Fenyvesi, 2017) throughout which students can actively participate in planning and selecting the lessons’ learning content, the learning methods, and the practices to be applied
A path analysis elaborated the role of individual creativity with regard to the other variables, whereas post-act and post-flow, as well as relative autonomy, were shown to intervene with career choice preferences

Summary

Introduction

A crucial element in multidisciplinary learning processes is the project method (Dewey, 1980; Burnard et al, 2015; Lähdesmäki & Fenyvesi, 2017) throughout which students can actively participate in planning and selecting the lessons’ learning content, the learning methods, and the practices to be applied. Small groups are helpful when teachers need to reduce their actions to those of tutors (Johnson & Johnson, 2017). Another crucial aspect is for the knowledge gained in school to be linked to that acquired outside of school and vice versa (Burns & Silbey, 2008; Pitkänen-Huhta & Rothoni, 2018). Among the values stressed throughout this process, sustainability and its practices as a basis for individual and collaborative activity are found (FNCC, 2014)

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