Creativity and Critical thinking to foster students’ future

Teachers, nowadays, have the responsibility to foster students' futures through the cultivation of creativity and critical thinking skills. Their duty is to encourage students to be creative and to bring out the best in themselves and provide them with skills to face the challenges of the 21st century.
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The new edition of the course “Creativity for the future: promoting Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in the classroom​” took place in Palermo from 08/09/2024 to 14/09/2024. The participants came from all across Europe, with:  Amy Fitzpatrick and Laura Rodriguez from Europaskolan Södermalm, Sweden; Jaqueline Lobeck and Eileen Kliche,  from Germany, BBZ Rendsburg-Eckernförde; one participant from Hungary, Krisztina Nánási, from Bálint Márton Általános Iskola és Gimnázium; and then three participants from Norway: Hanne Helen Nicolaysen, Gry Halvorsen Gomnæs and Henriette Birkeland-Håkenrud, from Hønefoss videregående skole.

​Participants explored learning and innovation skills, digital literacy, and career and life skills, with a particular emphasis on the 4Cs: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. Most notably, they gained insights through practical exercises into how our cognitive processes and problem-solving abilities vary when confronted with challenges.
 
The course also focuses on addressing common barriers to innovative thinking by applying specific strategies. Structured thinking techniques are utilized to practice lateral thinking and develop practical applications for existing content. Individual exercises and peer reviews demonstrate that these techniques are applicable across various subjects, such as science and language learning, and can serve as formative assessment tools to foster creative thinking in students.

​Another topic covered was visual strategies, where participants explored new activities aimed at enhancing students' creative expression and providing a basis for brainstorming or discussing ideas. The traditional view of "visual thinking" as being related to new digital perspectives.
 
Teachers also engaged in role-playing scenarios to address various situations, alongside reasoning, questioning, and debating activities. These methods can be adapted to diverse classroom contexts to encourage students to become active and aware of their own learning. Cultivating students' critical thinking skills is crucial in a world where they are frequently passively exposed to large amounts of (dis)information.
 
As the course concluded, participants engaged in various cultural activities that facilitated the exchange of experiences and opinions. These activities also provided valuable opportunities for networking and socializing. The week ended with a vibrant display of their training and cultural experiences in Palermo, highlighted by a range of events that celebrated their creativity and team spirit.
 
Discover more about this course here.