What Is Creativity?
A definition of the terms creativity and creative learning in the context of the Derbyshire Creativity Strategy.
The most widely accepted definition of creativity was generated by the National Advisory Committee for Cultural and Creative Education (NACCCE 1999) as:
"Imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value."
However, creativity is not necessarily about coming up with something unique or original. Those 'light bulb' moments are equally valuable whether we are uncovering knowledge that's already known or coming up with something new and different for ourselves, individually or collectively.
There are many misconceptions about creativity. In the committee's report 'All Our Futures' three important points were made about creativity.
Creativity is:
- in all areas of learning, not just the arts
- for all, not just the few who are extremely talented
- an important factor in improving achievement, not just a treat.
Creative Partnerships offer this definition of creative learning:
"Creative learning is simply any learning that develops our capacity to be creative. It equips young people with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today's world, nurturing ways of thinking and working that encourage imagination, independence, tolerance of ambiguity and risk, openness, and the raising of aspirations."