The Limitations Impacting Teachers’ Understanding of Creative Thinking

Abstract

With creative thinking being the new educational buzzword due to its inclusion in numerous curriculum rewrites around the world, one has to wonder how educators are adjusting to its inclusion. There is substantial research outlining the barriers that inhibit the teaching of creative thinking in the classroom. This article evaluates this topical research identifying the limitations impacting teachers’ understanding of creative thinking. It includes the limitations of no consensus amongst a variety of creativity terms, the restrictions teachers place on themselves and those that are placed on them, and syllabus boundaries. This review paper also analyzes this research in respect to teachers’ teaching philosophy and makes recommendations on the next steps.