Judit Szepesi

1.31 Creative Thinking in Art Education: Development and Assessment (Paper)

Judit Szepesi – Hungarian Academy of Arts, Research Institute of Art Theory and Methodology, Budapest, Hungary

Andrea Kárpáti – Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary

Abstract:

PISA (the Program for International Student Assessment) in its 2022 international survey included a new area: Creative Thinking (CT), involving 21,000 students aged 15 from 64 countries and economies. CT was assessed in four domains: visual and written expression, scientific and social problem solving. Tasks required generation, evaluation and improvement of ideas that can result in original and effective solutions, “advances in knowledge, and impactful expressions of imagination” (PISA 2022). This presentation will focus on Visual skills and imaging competence that assumed an important role in the solution of the tasks and the result of the survey: the PISA Creative Thinking Framework, a skills cluster active in all important domain of human activity from science to the visual arts. This presentation focuses on the domain of visual expression in Creative Thinking: its subskills and their development. In a comparative study of art education experiments with Corvinus University of Budapest, Kyushu University, the University of Lapland and in consultation with the PACO Design Collaborative, Milan, Italy, we introduced developmental programs based on the educational models of Design Thinking and the PISA Framework. In the Hungarian project discussed in this paper, STEAM (integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) is in focus of one of the programs. The educational interventions are assessed through process-oriented portfolio assessment, the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Task (Urban and Jellen, 1986) and, in the Hungarian study, also through a standardized complex problem-solving task. The pilot experiments in Hungary were carried out in a secondary grammar school with a specialization in economics and a vocational school with mechatronics specialization. The CT program in visual expression was suited to their interests and learning needs. We will show how training in creative thinking improves visual skills and complex problem-solving skills as well.

5.28 Teaching the Methodology of Creative Thinking: The Potential of Blended Learning (Paper)

Judit Szepesi – Hungarian Academy of Arts, Research Institute of Art Theory and Methodology, Budapest, Hungary

Abstract:

This proposal relates to the Creative Thinking development project proposed by A. Kárpáti, E. Gaul, co-presenters, and to our in-service training program aimed at fostering creative problem solving through project-based work in a blended learning environment that utilises personalised and interactive instructional design principles. For artist-educators with irregular schedules, blended learning seems to be the ideal, cost-effective solution for the expanding of professional knowledge and continuous mentoring while they experiment with the new Creative Thinking content. Our learning environment offers an illustrated, searchable lesson plan and learning materials database, as well as direct, personalised consultation through state-of-the-art conferencing tools. On-site course modules involve workshops acquiring new creative methods and assessment tools, and for sharing educational experiences with the CT-based teaching materials. The online curriculum is structured in a standardised format (SCORM, HTML5) and is based on the PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Framework (cf. OECD 2023. PISA 2022 Assessment and Analytical Framework, Chapter 4, pp. 140–168). 

Two types of learning materials were developed: 1) background information and on-site group, pair or individual tasks for the face-to-face course modules, and 2) materials for individual instruction delivered via the online learning modules of the blended course. These modules contain direct links to relevant research literature and teacher manuals of good practice. We also included self-assessment exercises and small home assignments for participants related to their own teaching experiments to help consolidate acquired knowledge. Self-paced learning coupled with onsite workshops proved both accessible and motivating. The blended training course material was created using the open source eXeLearning XHTML open-source editor in HTML5 and made available on the dedicated Art Education Portal of our Institute. It is also downloadable as an e-book (without the interactive features). The presentation will show details of the training material and its focus on supporting teachers as creative thinkers.