Associating creativity, context, and experiential learning

Abstract

One of the difficult aspects of defining creativity is that the term means many things to each of us, and reflects our unique perspectives and experiences. Our situatedness within a unique, personal context means that the concept of individual creativity defies formal scientific definition. This paper is an attempt to conceptualise creativity differently. It tries to break new ground by defining it through the process of being creative within a dynamic environment. We consider how individuals think about creativity, especially outside the confines of our institutionalised learning, and through the lens of experience. The context is a rising public and scholarly interest in the topic but using the complimentary frameworks of situated cognition and experiential learning. This conceptual paper takes a critical look at formal learning and human creativity, and the role teachers, educators and policymakers play in the process.