For the concept of creativity in education, there are now countless sources from multiple aspects. Today, the most well-known environments, with millions of users, are MIT Scratch and the nonprofit initiative, "dedicated to expanding access to Computer Science in schools", code.org. Another initiative about creativity, worth mentioning is the Teach INC Project. A related Guidebook of the Project presents the 12 creativity techniques which can be used in the classroom… Yannis Kotsanis, 21/01/2019 Head of R&D Dept. Doukas School R&D in Education Specialist, Member of the SEE Board Post Published for: SoFIA Education Experts

1. 12 Creative Techniques for every-day Teaching
One of the oldest ideas about creativity is related to “children as software designers”. The old but diachronic
Papertian approach, as expressed by his concept of “constructionism”, locates the importance of educational
innovation in developing "better things to do and more powerful ways to think about what you are doing". The
ideas of "building", "constructing", or "knowledge-representing" are central metaphors for a newest
elaboration of the old idea of learning by doing, rather than by being told (e.g., Papert and Harel).
For the concept of creativity in education, there are now countless sources from multiple aspects. Today, the
most well-known environments, with millions of users, are MIT Scratch and the nonprofit initiative, "dedicated
to expanding access to Computer Science in schools", code.org.
(Source: psifiakesergasies.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/code)
Another initiative about creativity, worth mentioning is the Teach INC Project*
. The project has the following 3
outputs:
 the goal of the 1st output is to define the competences needed by (future) secondary school teachers to
enable them to embed creativity and innovation into their teaching activities in a coherent and holistic
manner,
 the 2nd output defines the learning objectives and assessment methodology, and
 the 3rd output achieves to design and create the content and materials of the learning platform.
The Guidebook of the 3rd output presents the following 12 creativity techniques which can be used in the
classroom:
1. The Storytelling method focuses on the learning process by breaking down the story structure into
important elements. It is used to spark interest, inspire conversation and give a sense of community! (e.g.
source: storytellingschools.com).
2. Six Thinking Hats, a teaching technique to promote critical and creative thinking. It is used to explore
different perspectives towards a complex situation or a challenge! (e.g. source:
www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php).
* Acknowledgment to Greek Team of the Project development: D. Raftopoulos, T. Economou, K. Alexiou.

2. 3. The SCAMPER technique helps to generate ideas by encouraging the exploration of existing ones, by asking
questions from different perspectives. (e.g. source: mgrush.com/blog/2013/05/02/scamper).
4. Design Thinking nowadays is one of the most used teaching frameworks to encourage students to explore,
empathize, innovate, and prototype in approaching a problem. It’s a creative interactive method that
fosters students’ critical thinking and communicative competence. (e.g. source: www.interaction-
design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process).
5. Value Grid technique teaches students how to count higher values and develop greater number awareness
using place value charts (e.g. Guidebook).
6. Transformational Learning involves gaining an awareness of your current habits of mind and resulting
points of views. It promotes "students' active engagement in developing knowledge and skills, critical
thinking, higher-order skills, and communication". (e.g. source: www.edutopia.org/blog/big-things-
transformational-teachers-do-todd-finley).
7. World Café is a structured conversational process using “café” type atmosphere to facilitate the
conversations with the purpose of seeing different views and drill into new ideas of critical thinking about a
particular context. (e.g. source: www.theworldcafe.com).
8. Experiential Learning is the process defined by "learning through reflection on doing". It is a way of active
learning which allows students to create connections between actions and results and increases their
motivation and long-term memory. (e.g. source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiential_learning).
9. Brainwriting technique can be used as an alternative or to complement brainstorming, and often yields
more ideas in less time. It helps to engage shy students, share knowledge and get different perspectives.
It’s simple and easy to learn! (e.g. source: www.mycoted.com/brainwriting).
10. Serious Games is a game-based learning process used to increase motivation and engagement and
improve learning outcomes. It creates opportunities to develop skills like problem-solving, decision making,
multitasking and collaboration! (e.g. source: www.edutopia.org/article/games-for-serious-learning-matt-farber).
11. The Five Ws and H, is a technique based on "reporter questions" the answers to which are considered
basic in information gathering or problem solving. The aim of this inquiry approach is to understand the
given problem more precisely in order to be able to define it better and to find a solution. (e.g. source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Ws).
12. Lateral Thinking is a set of processes that makes you think outside the box! It involves discarding the
obvious, leaving behind traditional modes of thought, and throwing away preconceptions to provoke fresh
ideas! (e.g. source: www.edwdebono.com/lateral-thinking).
Yannis Kotsanis, 01/04/2019
Head of R&D Dept, Doukas School
R&D in Education Specialist, Member of the SEE Board