How can creativity be used to enhance learning



How can creativity be used to enhance learning?

The Learning Hive – Phase 1 Cross Pollination.

The seeds of interest in this project were sown in a Staff Development session in January 2010 to introduce Chantry High School staff to the new and innovative learning area within Chantry High School called The Learning Hive. Staff were invited to join a working party to plan and work through a learning experience with a group of Year 7 pupils that would fully make use of this pilot space and its facilities and experiment with Learning and Teaching ideas in a cross-curricular manner. At the heart of this work would be ’How can creativity be used to enhance learning?’ In addition, the use of this pilot space would inform further work for the Building Schools for the Future (B.S.F.) planning for a rebuild of the school from 2012.

As ‘Being Creative’, is one of the six dimensions of ‘Being a Learner’ as part of a package for ‘ A Vision for Learning’ this seemed a valid and interesting Continuing Professional Development opportunity for myself after teaching in a formal classroom situation for the majority of 25 years of teaching.

The planning for this Learning experience started with an after school session with Karen Hansen, an expert on Imagination Facilitation from ‘Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination’ on ‘Why promote Creativity?’ Her ideas included

• To promote more rigorous and critical thinking

• To allow learning objectives to be achieved more readily

• To increase motivation and deep concentration

• To improve relationships

• To develop talents of the individual

• To develop skills for adult life including adaptability and coping with uncertainty.

• To lead to discovery and identification.

These key ideas fitted well with the school’s three aims

To listen more- to those with whom the peoples may work, to look after each other more- when perhaps working creatively in groups or supporting each other with feedback and to achieve more- by having more freedom to be creative.

In early February a working party had formed who would participate in an intensive CPD experience together with partners from the ‘Creative Partnerships’ group ,as we were included in the Change Schools programme, and with ‘Edison Learning’, education consultants. We understood that between us we would plan one of two 4-day sessions of Creative Learning. The Learning Objectives and Outcomes were to be decided by the working group. Each session would involve a cohort of seventy Year 7 pupils from a range of ability tutor groups. The working party members came from diverse curriculum areas: Humanities( Geography and History), Science, Performing Arts, Maths, English and P.E. None of us had worked together before, we did not know who we would be working closely with and we did not have any planning time focused on the Creative Project prior to the intensive development meeting held on February 16 and 17 at Ravenwood Hall Hotel in Suffolk. In hindsight this might have been useful in order to make most efficient use of time at Ravenwood.

Planning at Ravenwood Hall

It quickly emerged at Ravenwood on 16 February that we would be working directly with creative partners Rachel Wingfield, a specialist in transformative ecological design and Stuart Silver, a multi-media artist who used digital media within performance and film making. They both gave detailed presentations to introduce themselves and the type of work they had been involved with in the past. As part of my own personal development this was valuable to find out about other career areas.

The team building exercises that we were involved in also promoted discussion and humour especially the strategy chair game. They have since been used to good effect in the classroom.

We were subsequently sub-divided into our actual working teams late on Day 1.Kelly Howes (Head of Science), Mike Davies(Teacher of Maths and Business Studies) and I (teacher of Geography, Humanities and German ) were grouped together with Rachel Wingfield, in order to plan a sequence of work. We were to lead the first session from Tuesday 16 March – Friday 19 March 2010 . This emerged as national Science Week and so creative scientific experimentation would be a pivotal part of our plans. In addition, the spring Term in Humanities would cover a module of work on ’Work and Leisure’ and so trying to work creatively on an aspect of this: Tourism, seemed a viable route way for planning. The numerical investigative skills which Mike could lead would be Interwoven with these ideas. We agreed that we would contribute ideas and tasks using our own expertise and divide other administrative tasks between us.

By the end of the remaining half day at Ravenwood, with input from Rachel, we had ideas that the 70 pupils would be divided into groups of six and would participate in Digital Exploration. Each pupils would have a different role as Scientist, Chef , Fashion Designer, Historian and Banker to discover various facets of a number of locations with differing landscapes, climates and cultures. India, Norway, Italy and Morocco were named originally as possible locations for the travellers who would feed back information, images and advice to a virtual travel agent about these areas. These vague plans were entered onto a newly created ’Wikispace’ at by Rachel. We felt that this initial planning time was short and we left Ravenwood with interest and enthusiasm for the project but reservations about the amount of time remaining that we would have together in a busy term to plan the scheme of work successfully.

Planning back at Chantry High School

Our individual passwords on the Wikispace account gave us the ability to communicate with Rachel. I could have used this facility better and the other members of the group felt hesitation in using it too, although Kelly did update ideas, such that by a later planning day of March 5, we found that on meeting Rachel face to face, any ideas that we had in school were somewhat different from Rachel’s. It also emerged clearly on that day that we would also be working with Rachel’s work and personal partner, Matthias who had brilliant ideas creatively and technically but possibly too adventurous for the size and ability of the cohort and the facilities we had available, even in the Hive.

The refined proposal for the 4 day session posted on the Wikispace states that the Overview was to have pupils working in twelve small teams leading to the creation of a presentation, short film or brochure about their journey to three different countries, Italy, Norway and India. Each day the whole group would gather for a virtual flight to a new destination. The scene would be set using sounds and images, mostly provided by Rachel and Matthias, including ‘Google Earth’ and pupils would be guided to virtually explore and find out all they could about each location through the various arranged activities.

On day 1 each pupil would be given a template for a passport onto which they would put their photo and details. As they travelled and completed tasks they would gain travel stamps to show recognition of their achievement. Mike arranged this. I organised the printing of a 3-D Globe for each pupil, suggested by Matthias, which would provide an early kinaesthetic task for all. Also at the end of each day we thought it was valuable to gain pupil feedback through the writing of a postcard home, to say where they had been, what they had done and also enjoyed. We provided a post box as a collection point for these.

Although we had been given the freedom to experiment in the Hive, as a school team we felt strongly that we had to have a strong structure to how we organised the event. We were responsible for the area and therefore with many of the pupils being new to the environment they needed ground rules for it’s use. Key concerns that we also had at this stage were that the pupils in Year 7 had a low ability skew. We needed to regroup three higher, middle and low ability tutor groups known as 7SAN, 7GRU AND 7 NSI into 12 smaller working groups and Kelly in particular worked on creating mixed ability groups with advice from their Year Manager and tutors. As we didn’t know the majority of the participants name badges were organised with a view to building relationships with the pupils from the start. With such a large group, in a space that was unfamiliar to us as a team of teachers, we felt that free movement wasn’t an option and so the investigative activities were initially arranged on a rota basis with three larger groups of four timetabled to move at a particular time. This rota would be relaxed by the last day when small groups would be working on their films and presentations. We realised that social relationships were better within two of the three larger groups than the third and this needed rearrangement as time progressed in order to raise achievement.

We had to consider resources that we needed. The preparation that took place in advance was worthwile. We prepared 12 boxes of equipment, already available in the Hive, that each group was responsible for. Each pupil was also to have a book where they could record their journey. Any written work went into these, postcards and sketches could be stuck in but we left the presentation of these journals to the pupils. As each of the first three days involved scientific experimentation in the wet area, chemicals and hardware were ordered. The creative practioners brought along more creative specialist materials like paints and we bought other craft materials as we felt necessary from day to day – the unstructured, flexible approach! We also consulted with the IT support team who were on hand at the beginning of the early days especially to make the Notebooks available and check data projectors among other tasks.

The four day Digital Experience

The group planning and name badges aided the initial registration of unknown pupils. We started with the whole group together to introduce the practioners. The pupils found calling them by their first names strange at first and they were curious about who they were.

I had prepared a welcome to the Hive power point which set out basic ground rules and Rachel led with an introduction, travelling by plane with images and sounds to Italy where they would encounter a Volcanic Landscape around the Naples area. Pupils were asked to note down key words that would relate to the stimuli that they were given before meeting their groups to prepare passports, World maps and then move in their larger groups to either Volcano experiments, a mathematical exchange rate exercise or I worked with pupils to create Japanese Haiku poems using the images and key words of the Volcanic landscapes they had created or seen earlier.

I believed that Haiku poems constructed using a 5 syllable, 7 syllable, 5 syllable rule were accessible to the whole ability range and the more able could add more verses and more descriptive language. Those that finished quickly were keen to receive my immediate feedback and as a film crew was recording the day’s events, some were filmed reading out their finished work. Some pupils enjoyed the freedom to express themselves, for others it was a writing exercise that didn’t compare to the kinaesthetic and creative enjoyment of making volcanoes.

My emphasis on the use of image had resulted from reading the Geographical Association manifesto on ‘A Different View’ 2009.In relation to use of photos, it is recommended ‘ to provoke a discussion of young people’s geographies’-that young people grow up in a world that they are familiar with but also ‘there is a need to challenge and excite them with content that might be beyond their immediate horizon’. The Association states that ‘images are important in recording physical processes and environmental change’.

The Creative practioners also wanted to use image in a more technical manner by getting the pupils to find an image relating to the locations we had discussed. In small groups pupils then had their photographs taken and Rachel and Matthias used their expertise to superimpose the pupil image onto that of the location. The outcome was that the pupils could create a postcard of where they had supposedly been. Some pupils thought this was really fun. Others wasted time in front of camera and the issue of pupil management and pupil staff relationships came to the fore. Rachel and Matthias hadn’t quite expected the management of pupils to be as challenging and as time consuming as it turned out to be and felt that the additional activities perhaps detracted from what they had intended for the day.

The aforementioned postcards home were used as a plenary for the day and a means of immediate feedback to staff which we considered to be a successful part of the planning.

Overall the most creative elements of this day – the volcano experiment and involvement in the creation of postcards-were successful and did leave an impression on a lot of pupils that seemed to enhance the learning of that landscape.

Pupils travelled North to experience the sights and sounds of Ice related to Glaciers in Norway on Day 2. A similar format was used with a scientific experiment to celebrate science week based on pupils finding out the effect of gradient on the rate of glacier flow. The numerical tasks required pupils to investigate population density between Italy , Norway, the UK and India which was the focus for the following day. All pupils contributed to this. They also compared the countries in terms of wage differences.

The Humanities task was to take various images of Norwegian glaciers and sketch their own impression of them, label them with key words if they wanted to, or using a range of creative resources turn their sketches into collages. Some pupils really took their time and enjoyed sketching, others felt they couldn’t draw but when reassured that they could actually use an outline sketch as a first stage they wanted to create textured pieces of more abstract work.

Probably the most successful activity of the day was the most creative. Rachel and Matthias demonstrated to the whole group how they could use lining paper when rolled up to form large triangular shapes which they then formed into strong pyramids and continued to then ‘mountain build’. Pupils divided tasks well within their groups and for the first time good relationships between staff and pupils really came to the fore. Some of the less able pupils from the lower ability group 7NSI excelled with their concentration and determination. Given a time limit to produce the highest and strongest mountain, certain pupils suddenly became quite involved and competitive. This allowed the staff to take an observers role and encourage. Matthias also provided plastic construction rods with connectors that were used for a similar purpose. One pupil who had social difficulties in his group was happy to work individually with these with success.

The day was concluded with an exhibition of mountains, some were photographed and filmed and a repeat of the postcard feedback exercise which gave positive feedback especially to the science work and the creative mountain building.

The sounds and images of a market throng and life in Mumbai, India greeted pupils on day 3. The science experiment focused on heat and the change in water temperature when heated in black or shiny tubes. Pupils then related this to the reflection or absorption of heat in different coloured clothing and what would be the best type of clothing to wear in India.

Linked to this I intended to get pupils to use the Internet and especially bbc.co.uk/weather to investigate comparative temperatures in Italy, Norway, India and the U.K. and also weather forecasting. However, the Internet was not working so investigation had to turn to outside the block where the intention was to observe our own weather. The maths tasks asked pupils to graph comparative temperature data, to record their findings and also to consider the concept of temperature range.

Rachel followed this with a whole group presentation of silhouette animation and how to create silhouettes and film them with flip cameras to create a final film from each group. Pupils started this with a simple scenario. They had to storyboard a journey from Chantry to Mumbai. They had to include why they were travelling there and their experiences. They could then divide tasks amongst them to create one or more sets using a range of resources including paints and the silhouette characters who were involved. Once all the components of the film were made, filming started. Luckily the clamp stands used for the science experiments came in very useful for holding the flip cameras stable.

At the end of Day 3 I felt cheated that my activity had been spoiled by lack of Internet access but positive about how the beginning of the creative filming task had allowed me to praise pupils who were acting more positively and responding in a much more pleasant manner.

The whole thrust of Day 4 was to complete the filming and editing of each groups film and write a presentation of their intentions in the film. The editing was the responsibility of Matthias who had to work fast to guide pupils through the process on the Apple Mac computers, which they enjoyed. He then set up the films ready for the final whole group session where each group presented their work from the front of the room. For some pupils it was very difficult to introduce their films in front of eleven other groups but this was a successful conclusion.

The most creative task at the end of the four days had many elements of Being a Learner. Generating the initial ideas for the storyboard, thinking flexibly and problem solving and using a range of media were included as part of Being Creative. Being a Participator was crucial in making a successful group film- proposing manageable steps forward, developing confidence in risk taking and responding with excitement all helped to make the films more individual pieces and Being a Team worker by understanding and valuing the views of others when storyboarding and using and finding humour when adding speech to the films led to a successful outcome.

Pupil Evaluations

Pupils overall enjoyed ‘being creative’. One pupil enjoyed making slime for Glaciers and making a Volcano. He also enjoyed ‘Making a Puppet Show’ because of the technology also involved such as Netbooks, I-Macs and Flip Cameras. He stressed the fun he had editing his group film. He enjoyed the photo booth idea of being photographed with different effects. He liked building the 3D Mountain and learning about different places by listening to the sounds. Somebody else stated that through making the films they learnt to use the Apple computers. They enjoyed the whole film making process taking an idea from start to finish and also the experimentation because they had the chance to get messy. They did mention cleaning up the slime! For these pupils at least Creativity had enhanced their experience of learning.

Staff evaluations

My experience was positive overall. I came away drained from a very intensive four day experience. I felt well supported by my close colleagues and had benefitted from the team experience. I was pleased that I had moved out of my normal comfort zone and met the challenge of working in a new environment. In terms of Skills based learning, the pupils had worked creatively but we needed more time to plan carefully with the Creative Practitioners. Our most creative work really came in the last two days. Perhaps we should therefore have started with a shorter amount of delivery time and built up to a four day stint.

Our planning needed more of an emphasis on Being a Learner from the start. Our lack of planning time back in school meant that we worked individually and felt we had to contribute something from our own discipline rather than seeing the complete ‘Big Picture’.

In terms of pupil achievement, we didn’t have a means for formal recording of individual progress or achievement apart from the passport cards. Successful completion of these however led to ‘Congratulations’ postcards being sent home and there were many opportunities for praise to pupils directly.

Creativity back in the Classroom.

I tried out the use of Puppets in Modern Languages activities but I would like to try this again in the new academic year.

This experience also gave me the opportunity to see pupils I taught, trying out different activities. The fact that I saw less able pupils from 7NSI really enjoying the kinaesthetic activities of mountain building led me to advising a close Humanities colleague with whom I share the group to try model building with them in a later Humanities topic of ‘Settlements. Pupils responded really well to this, working in teams to plan and build them, to photograph them and then peer assess and finally evaluate their own work.

I conclude that creativity can be used to enhance learning.

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