Promoting creativity in elementary mathematics education

Abstract

Creativity is seen as an important competency in current and future society and promoting students’ creativity is high on the educational agenda. It is considered important that students do not only learn to reproduce knowledge and skills, but also learn to creatively apply these knowledge and skills to create and discover new possibilities and to solve problems. This doctoral research provides more insight into how students’ creativity can be promoted in education, and specifically in elementary mathematics education. The research shows that it is important to structurally foster creativity within multiple disciplines in elementary education. Furthermore, this dissertation accentuates the importance of crossing disciplinary boundaries in education to promote students’ creativity: interdisciplinary education may support students to break away from established mindsets in order to create novel ideas, solutions or (artistic) products. Moreover, the research shows that in order to nurture creativity in (interdisciplinary) mathematics education, it is important that open opportunities with less-specific learning goals are offered to students, and that the teacher encourages students’ creativity by an open atmosphere in the classroom, and by clearly emphasizing that creative responses are valued. The research also demonstrates that several factors may hinder the implementation of these strategies, such as the use of existing mathematical textbooks in elementary schools. Several implications for educational practice are generated.