Fostering Future Creativity: Enhancing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in Classroom Learning8/19/2023 While we strive to prepare students for real-world demands and opportunities, as well as equip them with 21st century skills, we sometimes overlook the fact that, as educators, we carry the responsibility of imagining and establishing environments where everyone can unleash their creativity and discover their full potential.The new edition of the course “Creativity for the future: promoting Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in the classroom” took place in Tenerife from 13/08/2023 to 19/08/2023. The participants came from all across Europe, with Milena from Collège Sainte-Claire in France, Veronika from Sofie - mateřská a základní škola, o.p.s. in Czech Republic, László from Göllner Mária Regionális Waldorf Gimnázium és Alapfokú Művészeti Iskola in Hungary, Zsuzsanna from Budapesti Műszaki SZC Neumann János Informatikai Technikum in Hungary, Senka from Inholland in the Netherlands, Anca, Romeo and Elena from ASOCIATIA SMART EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS in Romania, Dana and Zuzana from Evanjelická spojená škola in Slovakia, Veronika, Svetlana and Tomas from PREBONUS Consulting, ltd. from Slovakia, Katarina from Evanjelicka Spojena skola in Slovakia, Kristīne from Tukuma 2.vidusskola in Latvia, Éva from Dunakeszi Radnóti Miklós Gimnázium IV. Béla Király Tagintézménye in Hungary.
The participants encountered a series of challenges designed to illuminate the ease with which obstacles to unconventional thinking can be surmounted by employing specific strategies. For instance, the implementation of the "6 Thinking Hats" method facilitated the application of lateral thinking, concretely linking it to existing subject matter. Individual experimentation and peer evaluations underscored the universal utility of this approach across subjects, spanning from sciences to language learning. Additionally, it emerged as a potent formative assessment tool, fostering students' propensity to think outside the conventional parameters.Participants switched to using visual techniques, trying out new activities that sparked creativity and encouraged sharing ideas. This helped expand the concept of "visual thinking" beyond just art and brought in a fresh, digital, and inventive element.Recognizing the importance of developing students' critical thinking abilities in an age of overwhelming information, there was a focused effort to engage students actively. The participants took part in discussions and exercises that could be adjusted for various classroom situations. The goal was to enable students to become proactive and thoughtful participants in their own learning experiences.However, integrating creativity and critical thinking into the classroom isn't solely about finding new solutions; it frequently springs from reenvisioning conventional methods.At the end of the course, groups of participants created a personalized collage of their training and cultural getaways in Puerto de la Cruz. The week ended with a symphony of laughter, creativity and new experiences.
|
Welcome to the ELA Blog. Here you will find articles and photos of our courses and have a look at the topics addressed during the week in Bologna, Palermo and Tenerife. You will also have the chance to take a peek at our projects and check out what we have been up to.
Archives
February 2025
Categories |