The Role of Creativity in a scientific process

As talked about in an earlier post, the similarity between science and creativity is more than you would initially think.

As Barrow (2010) stated in the article 'encouraging creativity with scientific inquiry', today creativity is usually linked with the humanities and arts. It is rarely linked with science. However he then goes on to explain how numerous scientists, e.g. Darwin and Isaac Newton, have all linked in many ways creativity with scientific discovery. I, myself would never think artists and scientists approached anything in the same way in their fields but after watching the YouTube video about the similarities between the artist and the scientist, their processes to their fields of work are similar.
As Barrow (2010) stated 'art can influence science discovery and vice versa'.
Merten, S (2011) also investigates the 'natural combination' of art and science. She states in her article 'Enhancing Science Education through Art' how scientists use creativity daily in what they do. They both share the 'common trait' that they are constantly asking questions, trying to find solutions, and wonder about the world they live in.

I agree with Barrow (2010) when he states that students' ideas on science are 'shaped' by their experiences in school. The investigations I remember doing are very much like how Barrow explains in the article: Investigations are short
They just seem to be conducted so that the teacher can prove/shown what has been studied. Usually very much like following a recipe.
Student usually does not understand why this investigation is being carried out.
How can a student express themselves creatively when what their doing is so structured?
I was never encouraged to ask questions, or follow my own instinct. Just to simply follow the textbook.
Students should be encouraged to ask more questions in things that they are interested in (Barrow 2010) and to investigate what this causes and it effects. This can be linked with the Leonardo effect - child led investigation into what they want to know and learn. I believe by instructing their own learning, and investigating something they have an interest in, children will learn more. They need to ask questions and find their own answers.
"Cschszentonhalyi and Penick consider question-posing and problem-finding are at the heart of originality; thereby, strongly associated with creativity". Barrow (2010).
The Leonardo Effect is a perfect way of doing this.

In America, the use of the 'four question strategy' is a good way of encouraging students to be creative, because it they can choose their approach, how they will collect the data and form their own conclusion, whilst feeling comfortable. Here in the UK, I do not feel there is enough space or time for students to be creative in science, therefore I do not feel the four question strategy will work. Some teachers are more concerned about all results showing the same thing and being right, rather than allowing students to do their own thing and ask questions about it.  

References

BARROW, L. Encouraging Creativity with Scientific Inquiry. Creative Education, Columbia, p. 1-6, June 2010.

MERTEN, S. Enhancing Science Education through Art. Creativity in Education , Arlington, v. 35, p. 31-25, October 2011.

What is creativity? An introduction to the module.

In our first lecture to the introduction to our module we were asked "what is creativity?"

A simple question that really did make you think!
We all wrote down what we thought creativity was and then swapped papers with another person.

This is the answer I got:

I completely agree with creativity being linked with using your imagination to discover new ideas. I also think creativity is working on old ideas and making something yours and making it meaningful to you, whatever it may be. I think creativity is about having no boundaries and not being afraid to take risks. 

In the lecture we also got the chance to see some of Suzie's big "C" heroes. 

I couldn't think of any of mine during the lecture, but when I thought about it there are quite a few people who have influenced me with their creativity during my life. 

The first is an artist that was introduced to me by my mother. 

Vincent Van Gogh. 

His painting 'sunflowers' is my favourite. 

Whenever I look at it I feel warm and happy. I think he's a creative genius to have the power to make you feel something from a painting. 

The second is a music artist who I believe is beautifully creative in her lyrics. 

Lana Del Ray 

Her voice is so powerful and different. 

The last Big C hero I am going to share is my favourite director, Baz Luhrmann. 

He's so clever at making things his own, which is what I think creativity is all about. 

Films such as Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge and most recently The Great Gatsby all have the same feel about them. You watch a film by Baz Luhrmann and you know it's been directed by him. 

Finally we were asked to write down our final thoughts on what impact creativity has on our lives. 

My answer was simple. 

"We would all be robots without creativity". 

Art vs. Science

When I first thought of art and Science together I thought "complete opposites - chalk and cheese".

I could not understand how science could be creative. 

However the more I thought about it, the more it makes sense. 

Science and art are more similar than you think; both are an attempt to better understand the universe around us. 

The common characteristic between scientists and artists: playfulness and the willingness to be creative with their projects. 

I looked at a YouTube video in which an artist and a scientist talked of their approaches to research.

 They both come to a conclusion that their approaches are in fact very similar. 

They both build on prior knowledge, research, calculate and implement ideas. Scientists work to solve a problem whilst artists work to answer a question. The one difference is measuring their work. There is no way for artists to measure their work like there is with science. Art is more personal.
See the label 'ScienceAndCreativity' to further explore this idea.   

In order to further explore how science could be creative, we looked at the Leonardo effect, which is all about creatively exploring the curriculum. 

"A perfect blend of art and science". 

 

We, ourselves, did our own Leonardo effect project. 

STAGE 1: capture the learner's imagination: 

In our groups we went around each table which had a piece of paper on each with a word in the middle:

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Water. 

We had to go around and write as many things as we could from our experience with the four elements. This then inspired us to write questions about what we wanted to find out. It could be anything. For example: 

Earth: how long until the world ends? 

My group talked about water, and our curiosity took us to fish and why/how they could breathe under water. 

STAGE 2: development 

During stage 2 we went away in our groups and used multimedia to further develop our ideas. 

In a classroom this could be taken to great lengths. For example taking children to an aquarium and studying fish and how they move and breathe. 

Stage 3: creation

This was the chance for us to put what we had found out into a creative context. We had studied each step of how a fish breathes underwater, and so decided to create a poster to illustrate our ideas and form a visual representation: 

Stage 4: reflect and communicate. 

This was a chance for us to show everyone the work we had done and to communicate what we had learned. 

My thoughts: 

The Leonardo effect is a great way of putting science and art together to make it creative and exciting. 

This is such an exciting, new approach to education today. Children have the chance to lead their own learning and to really discover what they want to know, whilst keeping within the curriculum. It covers a variety of key skills including communication, knowledge and understanding and self evaluation. It also builds on confidence and self esteem as the children stand up and show the work they have done themselves. 

Another thing I thought of is the doors that this approach opens for teachers. With the demands of the curriculum and testing, I feel teachers are finding it hard to be creative themselves with their lessons. As it says on the website, the Leonardo Effect is a great way to 're-energise' teaching. As I myself, want to go into teaching, this is such a positive strategy I am excited to use.

To explore this idea of Schools 'killing' creativity, please click on the label SchoolsKillCreativity or KenRobinson

 

 

Refrence

http://www.leonardoeffect.com/ Accessed 23/04/13