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Enhancing the creative process for learning in primary technology education

journal contribution
posted on 2006-09-01, 00:00 authored by Alistair Webster, Coral Campbell, B Jane
When undertaking design and technology activities, children are provided with opportunities to create solutions to problems in new and innovative ways. The mental processes involved in the generation of new ideas may be enhanced when children’s attention is not focussed and is allowed to wander in a relaxed and uncompetitive environment. Research indicates that the two mental states, generative and non-generative, cannot exist simultaneously. This paper reports on a research project which investigated the impact on children’s thinking when a period of non-focussed thinking became part of the technology process. The results support the previous proposition that a child’s non-generative/analytical mental state needs to give way to a generative state so that a child can be more fully creative. Moreover, from this study that documented children’s ideas during their involvement in a design and technology activity, teachers are urged to provide an incubation period as part of the technological process in the classroom, so that children’s creativity can be fostered.

History

Journal

International journal of technology and design education

Volume

16

Issue

3

Pagination

221 - 235

Publisher

Trentham Books

Location

Stoke-on-Trent, England

ISSN

0957-7572

eISSN

1573-1804

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2006, Springer