Reconceptualizing the Role of Creativity in Art Education Theory and Practice

Abstract

Reconceptualizing contemporary notions about creativity in visual arts education should be an important issue in art education today. Currently, creativity may not be a primary focus at National Art Education Association conferences or in its publications. There are recent indications that art education is a site where creativity can be developed and nurtured for all students with emphasis on both individual processes and cultural practices. It is advocated that through critical analysis of concepts related to art education and creativity that research and practice can be developed to cultivate creative education for all art students. Topics discussed in this article, related to reconsidering creativity, include the history of creativity in art education, definitions of creativity, assessment of creative processes, dispositional factors and creative individuals, cultural variability and creativity, and educational interventions that promote student creativity. NAEA Convention and PublicationsThe 2008 National Art Education Association (NAEA) annual convention is a good place to begin exploring how creativity is viewed in the field of art education today. The theme of this convention was "Innovations in Teaching, 1 See http://www. theimaginenation.net for more information about this poll. Correspondence regarding this article may be sent to the author at Zimmerm@ indiana.edu Reconceptualizing the Role of Creativity in Art Education Theory and Practice 2 Note that sessions that referred only to creating as making artwork were not counted as directly related to the topic of creativity. 3 NAEA Books 2007-2008 publication listing in Art Education (November, 2007), 6 (6) 1-15.Learning, and Leading." A dozen of the 117 exhibitors' booths, where art materials and resources were sold and distributed at this convention, advertised creativity as being an integral part of their programs, resources, or media. Emphasis in the main, but not exclusively, was on inherent creative possibilities of media and programs and developing student creativity. Examples ranged from topics such as "renewing the creative spirit" by having art teachers participate in media workshops; using high quality art supplies for achieving "a world of imagination," "celebrating creativity" by building student self-esteem through promoting student artwork for parents to purchase; "creativity express" where making animated movies and games help "develop creative kids;" and books promoting "visual literacy" by developing students' skills of "observation, reflection, and creation."In the 1023 sessions at the NAEA convention, there were 16 sessions in which the concept of creativity in art education was mentioned in either the title of a presentation or its description in the convention program book. 2 These sessions could be found across many divisions, workshops, and affiliates with a notable exception of creativity not being mentioned in any of the titles or program descriptions of the 58 research sessions. The 16 sessions focused on creativity from many di...

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