The Arts, Creativity, and Learning: From Research to Practice

Abstract

The need for a workforce capable of innovative, creative thinking and problem-solving must drive critical changes in how educators view schooling at every level. While teachers are encouraged to design teaching activities that promote creative thinking, little information exists on how they are to design and measure creative instructional strategies. This chapter focuses on how the arts, infused into instruction in all subjects, can foster deeper learning and creative thinking. True educational reform will require measurements of creative thinking, informed by the latest research from the learning sciences. Aligning the measurement of creative academic outcomes with arts-based pedagogical approaches can be an effective way to realize the goal of all learners becoming the innovative citizens of tomorrow.