Creativity in cultural-historical psychology: Implications for the development of creativity in school environment

Abstract

The basic objective of this paper is the articulation of possible implications for the development of creativity in school environment which rely on the existing achievements in cultural-historical psychology. After a brief historical reconstruction of the current ‘crisis’ in psychology of creativity and the review of alternative cultural-historical research model, some of the basic ideas by Vygotsky and contemporary Tetradic model for the development of creativity have been presented as the most relevant achievements. In this paper five fundamental presumptions concerning the development of creativity have been articulated and the same are used to analyse the possible implications for educational practice. These implications refer to dynamic relations between individual and social, creative and developmental, semiotic, affective and behavioural aspects of creativity, as well as the development of imagination during the ‘critical’ period of adolescence. Some of the proposed educational practices include dialogical modes for constructing knowledge, fostering of open attitude towards the sudden appearance of unexpected solutions, creation of various forms of collaboration and mutual vision, as well as the usage of metaphors and humour. Finally, what is highlighted is the practical value of cultural-historical theory of creativity, and further theoretical improvement of implications and examination of their efficiency in empirical studies in school environment have been proposed.