Creativity in Higher Education

Abstract

This article explores problem finding as a lens to highlight creativity in problem-based learning (PBL) in higher education. By discussing two empirical examples from two social science and humanities educational programs at Aalborg University, Denmark, a Deweyan, experiential learning approach is put into play with socio-cultural and socio-material learning perspectives to explore how materials may support students’ critical-creative problem inquiry. The empirical analyses point to new insights for creativity in PBL as requiring students to build a certain basis of critical judgment to find problems, that is, competences to explore and question social and societal conventions, norms, and taken-for-granted worldviews, including those independent of the predefined objectives of their educational quests. The article points to the potentials of integrating materials and metaphors in PBL-project and group work to explore PBL and critical creativity as interconnected and, in some respects, mutual prerequisites for PBL in higher education.