Teaching creatively and teaching for creativity – theory, teachers’ attitudes, and creativity-based practices

Abstract

ABSTRACT Numerous studies highlight the benefits of incorporating creativity in teaching, but practical experience shows that putting these theories and policies into practice often lacks the necessary resources. The current study focuses on three aspects of creativity in teaching: (a) Theoretical – how do policy documents and educational researchers refer to creativity in teaching and what are their recommendations regarding its implementation in the education system? (b) Attitudes – what do teachers know and what are their positions regarding the integration of creativity in teaching? (c) Practical – whether and how teachers use creativity-based practices in their teaching. We conducted a descriptive analysis of 36 teachers’ lesson plan performances and 11 interviews to answer the research questions. Findings revealed a gap between theory and practice: despite the teachers’ positive attitudes about integrating creativity in teaching, many of them did not apply these contents. Ways to minimize this gap between theory and practice are discussed.