Fostering students' future through the cultivation of creativity and critical thinking.

As educators, we are committed to equipping students with the 21st-century skills they need to excel in their future careers and face life's challenges. However, we sometimes overlook our responsibility to dream and establish environments that encourage everyone to tap into their creativity and unlock 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 19/03/2023 to 25/03/2023. The participants came from all across Europe, with Henrik Öfjäll, Erica Lundqvist, Rebecca Hedström, Emma Burman and Anna Lena Svanborg from Anderstorpsgymnasiet in Swedan; Anna Petrago,  Liene Veģere and Arnis Pekša from Jelgavas Valsts ģimnāzija in Latvia; Henriëtte Johanna Jansen – de Vries and Maria Johanna Appelman from Praktijkonderwijs Accent Nijkerk in Netherlands; Tea Antolcic from Dormitory Maksimir in Croatia; Juta Birznieve and Svetlana Biktimirova from Liepaja Secondary School N5 in Latvia; Georgios Bouliakoudis and Evanthia Rizopoulou from Trito Dimotiko Scholio Nigritas in Greece; and Karina Zarina, Ieva Eglite and Klinta Purina from Vidzeme Technology and Design Vocational School in Latvia.

During the discussion of essential competencies for thriving in the 21st century, participants explored learning and innovation skills, digital skills, as well as career and life skills, emphasizing the importance of the 4Cs: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. Notably, through hands-on activities, we acquired knowledge on how our brain and thinking capabilities function differently when faced with problem-solving scenarios.
 
The participants were confronted with a variety of challenges aimed at highlighting how typical obstacles to thinking outside the box can be easily overcome by implementing specific strategies. For instance, by utilizing the 6 Thinking Hats approach, the attendees were able to exercise "lateral thinking" and apply it concretely to the content they teach. With individual practice and peer feedback, it was evident that this method can be implemented in any subject area, ranging from science to language learning, as well as a formative assessment tool that encourages students to think creatively.
 
The participants explored new techniques aimed at fostering students' creative expression and promoting brainstorming and idea sharing through visual strategies. We sought to challenge the conventional view of "visual thinking" solely through the lens of art by offering a novel and digital approach.

Given the overwhelming amount of (mis)information that students are exposed to passively in today's world, it was necessary to consider the significance of developing their critical thinking abilities. The participants actively participated in activities that promoted reasoning, questioning, and debate, which could be tailored to various classroom settings to empower students as active and mindful learners.
 
In order to incorporate creativity and critical thinking into the classroom, it is not only necessary to explore new solutions, as innovation can also arise from redefining conventional methods. Our participants found it enjoyable to engage in traditional games such as Taboo and Battleship, and they had the opportunity to modify these games to suit their respective subjects, thus enhancing their learning experience.
 
At the conclusion of the course, each individual had the opportunity to showcase their unique learning and cultural experiences in Tenerife through a personalized display. The week was bid farewell with various enjoyable activities ranging from a fashion show to a snowball battle, leaving behind a memorable and enriching experience full of creativity and laughter.
 
Discover more about this course here.