Machinima as a learning tool

This article proposes that machinima is a practice-based approach to learning digital creative practice. It features excerpts from key informant interviews with six prominent machinima artists: it is the first time they have been brought together to consider the role of machinima as a learning tool from their different perspectives. The article begins with a review of machinima as an example of digital creative practice, akin to mashup and remix genres. The nature of machinima is presented through interviews, providing an overview of its authenticity, roles of networks and communities of practice, transdisciplinary creative practice, transliteracy, transferability and accessibility as a learning tool in developing competency in digital creativity. It is suggested that machinima is ‘digital clay’ that has the potential to add value to practice-based learning in a connected world. The article concludes with a summary of the unique contributions that machinima gives the creative learning process.     

Game-based creativity assessment system: the application of fuzzy theory

“Creative development” and “creativity” have become important topics in the field of education research. The assessment of creativity is a key to understanding how instructional strategies influences the creative process and the output of learners. At present, most methods of assessing creativity are paper-and-pencil tests scored by individuals. Despite the professional training of evaluators, subjectivity in scoring assessments remains inevitable. Therefore, a completely objective tool of measurement is crucial for the progress of education to eliminate the subjectivity in manual grading. This paper presents at first place a review of the literature related to the development of creativity, the assessment of creativity, and further on the means of measuring creativity, particularly in a digital game environment. Our focus is on the application of computing technologies for the assessment of creativity, while exploring the possibility of using computerized systems such as fuzzy logic and hybrid methods to produce objective measurement results. The results of Pearson correlation coefficient between the fuzzy inference scores and the Williams CAP scores is 0.805, which shows the strong construct validity. Additionally, the fuzzy inference system can eliminate subjectivity in scoring and provide analysis results to enhance creativity, unlike paper-and-pencil scores provided without explanations.     

创造性思维培养与表现——刍议创意素描教学

创意素描教学,就是要培养学生创造性思维能力,掌握创意设计的理念和方法,通过对学生创造性思维的培养,从具象到抽象、从写实到意象的训练,学生无限的创造力一定会大大激发出来。     

Creativity and Stress

Involvement in an organizational change programme presented an opportunity to study relationships between stress and creativity in the organization. Levels of stress were close to population norms, whereas the scores from the Creative Climate Questionnaire indicated a stagnated (as opposed to innovative) organization. Strong negative correlations between stress and creative climate scores were found, especially for stress arising from relationships with others and from organizational structure and climate. In addition, differences in both stress and creativity scores were found between samples from five different levels in the organizations hierarchy. The higher the level, the less the stress and the better the perceived creative climate. It is suggested that this is a function of the type of culture pertaining in the organization. Keywords: Creative climate, occupational stress, organizational hierarchy.     

Promoting creative thinking through the use of ICT

Abstract A great deal has been written about the use of web-based technologies such as the Internet in promoting learning in education. In schools, research has focused primarily on social interaction and group work, student achievement levels and curriculum development. Very little study seems to have been brought to bear upon the promotion of creative thinking by the use of online technologies, and this paper attempts to contribute to this field of study. This paper reports on a pilot study which has investigated the creative impact of information and communication technology (ICT) in a rural primary school in South-west England. The school is unique because it provides a personal networked computer for each of its 41 Year 6 students (aged 10–11 years). A small group of students were interviewed about the learning activities they engaged in over the year, and this paper reports on initial findings with a special emphasis on creative working and thinking ( n  = 6). A model of creativity is presented with three discrete but related modes of activity — problem solving, creative cognition, and social interaction. The paper provides new findings about the nature of creativity in the context of computer based learning environments.     

A Review of the Effectiveness of CPS Training: A Focus on Workplace Issues

A major focus within the field of creativity has been on the development of methodologies aimed at deliberately nurturing creative thinking. These methodologies have attempted to mirror the creative process in ways that allow individuals and groups to explicitly call on and employ their creative faculties. In an attempt to uplift employees’ creative capabilities many of these methodologies have been introduced into organizations through training programs, as well as through application to business challenges. Do these methods work? What is the empirical evidence that these deliberate creative process methods enhance employees’ creativity? Though there are a handful of creative process methods, few have married the concern for application with an interest in demonstrating the benefits of these applied efforts through systematic research. Creative Problem Solving (CPS), one of the more popular creative process models, has been one of the rare exceptions. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the research literature that reports on the impact of CPS training carried out within organizational contexts, that is training programs that involved professionals or students working on real business challenges. Additionally, the positive benefits of CPS are further examined through reports that cite the outcomes of applying CPS to business challenges. In a field replete with methods that have been commercialized, it is imperative to strike a balance between research and practice as an imbalance towards practice may foster a field dominated by individuals who offer untested products and services.     

Creative Problem Solving in Second Life: An Action Research Study

A digital Creative Problem‐Solving (CPS) process was facilitated in a 3D virtual world in order to assess whether such an environment was conducive to remote synchronous creative collaboration. IBM associates comprised the majority of the group that was involved in the process. Insights regarding the experience working within this virtual environment are discussed at length as seen through the eyes of the authors (CPS facilitators) of this paper and through the eyes of the participants. Data was gathered through a short feedback form administered to all participants, and informal interviews were also held to explore ways to improve the CPS experience. Results were encouraging. In common, participants reported that their experiences were deeply engaging and conducive to creative collaboration. An argument is made for the early adoption and use of this type of virtual worlds for remote‐synchronous creativity interactions. Finally, from a systems view of creativity, the authors identify opportunities for future research studies that examine the efficacy of creative collaboration within virtual worlds.     

A Competence Portfolio for Professionals in the Creative Industries

Within the last decade, the role of the Creative Industries has grown to become an important part of the economic system. The increasing acceleration of new developments in media and ICT technologies greatly affected the Creative Industries' dynamic with a direct impact on the people working in this sector. Since only a few studies focus on competences needs, more or less isolated from the trends within the industry, we address the topic of individual competence shifts in the turbulent environment of the Creative Industries. We investigated the trends regarding competence shifts and their implications as well as the competences which are essential for creative professionals. We conducted a broad literature review as well as a qualitative study, which includes interviews and workshops with industry experts on trends within the Creative Industries and corresponding dimensions and demands for competences. We present four requirements that call for shifts in the education of competences. Based on the discussion of requirements, we present a competence portfolio for the Creative Industries along the dimensions of professional, methodological and personal‐social competences. The portfolio clearly indicates which competences should be taken into consideration for the development of curricula and study programmes in the education of creative professionals. A generalization of these findings suggests new challenges for companies relying on creative professionals.     

Evaluation of fostering students' creativity in preparing aided recalls for revision courses using electronic revision and recapitulation tools 2.0

In this study, the electronic revision and recapitulation tools 2.0 (EREP2.0) were used to foster creative moments while creating aided recalls (ARs) (pictures electronic notes etc.). Creative and critical thinking is associated with vital skills which enable students to deal with often complex knowledge domains through an informal way of learning. Enabling learners to develop their own representations of information can be a first step to deal with complexity and to foster creativity. In an exploratory study, n = 25 students used EREP2.0 to develop learning questions and ARs for an ongoing course on biological psychology. EREP 2.0 was evaluated with respect to user friendliness, the fostering of creativity and the expected support for cognitive skills according to Bloom's taxonomy. The influence of students' experienced creativity on experienced learning support was tested via Kruskal–Wallis test. Fifteen students reported moderate to high, 4 students low and 5 students no support in creativity. Students who experienced their work as creative felt better supported in comprehension, χ ²(3) = 9.04; p = 0.029, and synthesis, χ ²(3) = 9.46; p = 0.024. No statistically significant effects were found for other categories of Bloom's taxonomy. EREP 2.0 did support the experience of creativity and thus synthesis and comprehension skills.     

AWE: an animated work environment for working with physical and digital tools and artifacts

We discuss the design, development, and testing of animated work environment (AWE), a novel, programmable, AWE supporting everyday human activities at work, at home, or at school in an increasingly digital society. A physical example of the emerging genre of "architectural robotics," AWE features a programmable, reconfigurable “wall,” three horizontal, mobile work-surfaces, and embedded information technologies. AWE is the result of an iterative design process involving surveys, task analyses, virtual and physical prototyping, and usability testing accomplished by a transdisciplinary team of engineers, architects, sociologists, and human factors psychologists. Usability testing has demonstrated AWE’s potential to enhance working life: AWE adapts to variations in complex activities involving users working in one physical place with physical and digital tools and artifacts.     

综合性设计教育与创造性人才培养

设计的灵魂是创造性,而目前国内的设计教育并不能解决学生创新能力的培养问题。综合就是创造,设置综合性的课程体系、教学内容,配备具有综合素质的教师等措施是培养学生成为设计人才的最佳途径。此文对以培养学生创新能力为目标的综合性设计教育办学方法进行探讨。     

色彩教学中创作意识引导的意义

文章结合毕业创作课程的体会,从毕业创作的"果"反思色彩教学中的"因",将毕业创作课程发现的问题进行"因果"反思,提出为什么要在色彩教学中引导学生的创作意识。通过在色彩教学过程中的思考与实践,探讨如何能更好地引导以增强学生的创作意识。文章认为基础教学与创作脱离,会导致学生缺少在绘画实践和主观情感表达的领悟,教学的最终目的是通过课程训练来开发学生的创造性思维,增进绘画技能的同时也应多关注学生自身表达的欲望。     

Utilizing sensor data to model students’ creativity in a digital environment

While creativity is essential for developing students’ broad expertise in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, many students struggle with various aspects of being creative. Digital technologies have the unique opportunity to support the creative process by (1) recognizing elements of students’ creativity, such as when creativity is lacking (modeling step), and (2) providing tailored scaffolding based on that information (intervention step). However, to date little work exists on either of these aspects. Here, we focus on the modeling step. Specifically, we explore the utility of various sensing devices, including an eye tracker, a skin conductance bracelet, and an EEG sensor, for modeling creativity during an educational activity, namely geometry proof generation. We found reliable differences in sensor features characterizing low vs. high creativity students. We then applied machine learning to build classifiers that achieved good accuracy in distinguishing these two student groups, providing evidence that sensor features are valuable for modeling creativity.     

Digital games as creativity enablers for children

This article deals with the issue of creativity and the way this can be supported within technology-enhanced learning experiments. Drawing on a long-term research project in the field of games-based learning, the article describes the methodology adopted during the in-field experiments carried out with the aim of developing young children's creativity. The results of the study, which are presented and discussed, confirm the hypothesis that digital tools can contribute to fostering creativity. As a matter of fact, the analysis of the available data showed that during the 3-year study, students' creative skills and attitudes appreciably increased, in particular those related to figuring out and enacting original solution strategies for the digital games at hand.     

Creativity,method and process in digital fabric printing: a 21st century paintbrush

Abstract

This paper analyses how the arrival and widespread use of digital printing affects the artist as maker in the postmodern world of instant reproduction. In response to the question of using digital printing as an artistic tool, a 21^st century paintbrush, the marks and imagery of paintings and drawings of the author's own work produced over the past few years were analysed. The digitally printed fabric outcomes, large scale painterly prints, will be presented as examples of how digitisation becomes a powerfultoolto the textile artist with the creative textile maker manipulating technology and not being controlled by it. The conclusion will show how digitisation and new technologies should not be seen as creating isolation but can be integrated into the textile artist's tool box to inspire and enhance creativity.     

Creativity in Communication: A Theoretical Framework for Collaborative Product Creation

Most creative acts occur in a collaborative context. Recent research contributions see the relevance of collaborative creativity but they lack a theoretical basis. What exactly is understood by collaborative creativity and above all, how it is examined, appears not to be the focus of well‐founded analyses. The key objective of this paper is to present a new model characterizing collaborative product creation. This model describes theoretical essence needed for any creative collaboration. As a result, the phenomenon of communication is crystallized as the driving force for collaborative creativity. The article is divided into three sections. First, the paper focuses on creative collaboration in previous creativity research. It is shown that a different understanding of collaborative creativity exists. Second, four dimensions of the new model are presented: type of communication, course of performance, working style and the relation between the nature of problems and the implication of solutions. Lastly, the relevance of the observations for future research and creativity management is discussed briefly.     

Impact of using interactive devices in Spanish early childhood education public schools

The adoption of Information and Communication Technologies in early childhood education is crucial for adapting traditional classrooms to the digital era. Over time, young children are increasingly using touch screen technologies such as tablets at home and in early childhood settings. However, the literature shows that there is a significant gap in knowledge of using this technology in early childhood education. Most researchers have focused on the pedagogical theory behind using touch screen devices, but there have not been many empirical studies about how these technologies affect students' learning processes. This paper presents three learning experiences where early childhood students perform educational activities using tablet computers, interactive whiteboards, and paper cards. The results show that students who used the technology were more motivated and achieved better results that those who used paper cards.     

Creating Sounding Underground

Sounding Underground is an online interactive sonic environment that links sound excerpts from the metros of London, Paris and Mexico City, as selected by commuters, as meaningful moments of sound from their commuting routine. Designed as a navigation structure, the environment draws on identifiable architectonic spaces such as entrances and corridors, but also incorporates more abstract ‘spaces’ based on memorable sounds that passengers had in common. The creation of the environment focused on the perception of social, political and symbolic experiences, and was derived from an iterative ethnographic and artistic practice which involved self-reflection, interviews, recordings of and listening to the journeys, and commuters' selections of sounds. This article describes the process of creation through the abstraction of a physical space, as well as the responses the work has evoked in the users and the academic community. It exemplifies the transdisciplinary nature of practice-based research involving the creative use of digital technologies.     

Interview: Paul Paulus on Group Creativity

Paul Paulus is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington. Paul Paulus's research interests revolve around Group Creativity: On the one hand, creative processes are often conceptualized as individual‐level phenomena. On the other hand, complex problems in innovation management often need the collaboration of various experts to create novel solutions. Interestingly, although common sense suggests that individuals are more creative in a group context, research indicates that this is oftentimes not the case. The question on how to structure creative processes in groups in such a way that groups can actually benefit from their creative potential is therefore crucial. Paul Paulus has spent much of his academic career addressing this intriguing question. He and his research team have discovered many factors that influence group creativity and have been able to demonstrate conditions under which group interaction enhances creativity. For the past eight years he has been working with a multidisciplinary team to better understand the cognitive, neural and social factors that underlie the group creative process (Paulus et al., 2010 ). They are presently funded on a three year project to investigate innovation processes in networks.     

Virtual reality application influences cognitive load-mediated creativity components and creative performance in engineering design

Virtual reality (VR) can promote design performance, and may generate a high cognitive load and affect creative design thinking as well. In order to examine the effect of VR application on cognitive load and engineering design creativity, this study recruited 81 eighth-grade students as participants and employed a non-equivalent-groups quasi-experimental design to examine how VR application influences creativity components and creative performance. A creativity component scale (creative motivation, creative thinking, and professional cognition), a measurement of creative performance, and a cognitive load scale were used to collect data. The study also investigated the ability of VR application to predict creativity components and creative performance, using cognitive load as the mediator. The conclusions are as follows: (1) VR application had marked effects on professional cognition and creative motivation but no effect on creative thinking skills. (2) VR application had marked effects on the novelty and usefulness aspects of creative performance, particularly with respect to usefulness. (3) VR application had marked effects on extraneous and germane cognitive load, but no influence on intrinsic cognitive load, and (4) Both VR application and cognitive load were able to predict creativity components and creative performance. Their abilities to predict creative performance approached an acceptable level. Nevertheless, VR application had no effect on general creative thinking skills; therefore, other teaching strategies are needed to strengthen creative thinking.