«CREATIVITY IN TEACHING AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS LEARNING»

 

Onlaskan Zh.

 

L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University

Master’s student of the Theory and Practice of Foreign Languages Department

Astana, Kazakhstan

 

Keywords: creativity; creativity in teaching and learning; arts-enriched learning; creative drama; learning for creativity.

 

Nowadays education is an indicator of each country’s economy and policy. The most developed countries pay a lot of attention to their educational system and quality of education at universities. Moreover, teachers try to make lessons creatively with the help of new innovational technologies and new approaches in order to attract many students from the world. There are several significant techniques for creative teaching: brainstorming, concept mapping, role-playing, questioning activity, filmmaking, arts-enriched learning and creative drama. At present teachers everyday, face with a deluge of information. It is important to assess that information and to find out highly effective ways of using it in teaching foreign languages at universities. Teachers need creative and analytical skills.

Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed.[1]

 

Some aspects of creative teaching in Asian countries

There are some countries of Asia were considered the creative methods of teaching. At first time China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan did not accept creativity in education. Even Chinese culture has viewed play as valueless approach. Many parents thought that play is wasting time and there is no education. Asian teachers suggested that using creative methods especially playing games during the lesson is appropriate for children in the kindergarten not for students at universities. However, the world is changing. Furthermore, the educational value of creative approaches has been researched and it had positive affect. Teachers started to include various kinds of creative methods in learning foreign languages. Playing games, storytelling and creative drama were examined. Using such kind of techniques helped to learners to improve their ability to communicate, express themselves verbally and non-verbally, collaborate with each other and use foreign language spontaneously. Studies have also admitted that creative drama motivates to learn.

Recognizing the significant impacts of creative approaches a number of Asian countries have reformed their education curricula to encourage teachers to change formally serious lesson into an informally playful learning environment.

 

Some aspects of creative teaching in Europe

European Union plans for education connected with the 2000 Lisbon agreement. The Union pays a lot of attention to the quality of education especially at universities because it is becoming the main outcome of economic production. It is known that European countries have the most competitive, prestigious and famous universities in the world. For example: Oxford is the oldest university and a world-leading center of learning, teaching and research, The University of Cambridge is one of the world-leading research universities. The education system need for creativity and innovation in order to attract learners from the world.

The creative learning tool of the University of Sheffield in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is researched the creative methods of teaching. The university is popular with its production of educational media. An academic who wanted to motivate and engage his students initially offered filmmaking. 12 filmmaking projects were studied in departments of English Literature, Architecture, Information Studies, Biblical Studies, Law, Sociology and Hispanic Studies. Students were given filmmaking tasks connected with their future profession as follows: English Literature and Hispanic Studies learners studied texts and filmed a short section of the text; students from the School of Law selected any topic they had studied, and make a presentation about it. All students were actively involved into filmmaking. During the filmmaking process students collaborated and discussed with each other, studied deeper the subject, thought every detail of the film, had a fun. Moreover, learners were highly motivated. Students reported that they were inspired to want to make more films, enjoyed themselves and the experience helped them to understand their subject better.

Usually I find literature quite boring, but doing something exciting with Galdós’s work really interested me … Thank you for teaching this course because I’ve really enjoyed it and it’s definitely been my favorite module that I’ve studied at Uni. (Hispanic Studies student).[4]

Moreover, feedback from teachers was very positive:

What a wonderful innovation, I bet they all had a ball doing this. There really is a problem with getting students to read longer works of fiction, this seems to be an ingenious and very fruitful way of welding their love of visual culture to the text. (External examiner).[4]

According to the results of research work different kinds of skills what creative learning develops was established and illustrated on the Picture 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Picture 1 Skills for development of learners.

Giving to learners a possibility to creatively interact with and interpret the textual subject matter provided a new level of understanding. On the other hand, filmmaking helps students to make their time at university unforgettable.

This article has provided research evidence for effectiveness of creativity, creative activities, art-enriched curriculum, drama pedagogical practice and also filmmaking on student’s creative development. The educational systems of Asian and European countries were studied. The findings show a big value of creative learning in modern life. First of all, it is important to mention that new innovational approaches conform to requirements of labor market. Secondly, teachers train students in creative ways of thinking which will be beneficial for learners in future to be competent employees.

In conclusion, students’ education depends on teachers’ competence, motivation and the use of creative methods during the lesson is the key element of efficient teaching of foreign languages.

 

References

1.            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativity

2.            Anna N.N. Hui, Bonnie W.Y. Chow, Aubrey Y.T. Chan, Barbie H.T. Chui & C.T. Sam (2015) Creativity in Hong Kong classrooms: transition from a seriously formal pedagogy to informally playful learning, Education 3-13, 43:4, 393-403.

3.            Asma Mansoor (2010) Teaching Creative Writing to University Level Second Language Learners in Pakistan, New Writing, 7:3, 201-218.

4.            Claire Allam (2008) Creative activity and its impact on student learning – issues of implementation, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45:3, 281-288.

5.            Trevor Davies (2006) Creative teaching and learning in Europe: promoting a new paradigm, The Curriculum Journal, 17:1, 37-57.

6.            J. Ogunleye (2002) Creative Approaches to Raising Achievement of Adult Learners in English Further Education, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 26:2, 173-181.

7.            Clegg, S., Hudson, A., & Steel, J. (2003). The emperor’s new clothes: Globalisation and e-learning in Higher Education. British Journal of Sociology, 1(24), 39–53.