CEP 818: Creativity in Teaching & Learning -- Fall 2012

Instructors: Punya Mishra (punya@msu.edu), Kristen Kereluik (kereluik@msu.edu), and Laura Terry (terrylau@msu.edu)

Reflection: CEP 818 was a fascinating class and a fun one to take. The idea of play as work and work as play is a perfect model for learning and one that is not taken advantage of enough. What most surprised me about this course is the idea that creativity can be developed. Often creativity is thought of like a talent, something one has or doesn't have. CEP 818 helped me see that it is more like a muscle or skill. It can be exercised and strengthened using the proper tools. One of the projects that I worked on during the semester was NaNoWriMo, which stands for National Novel Writing Month. I flipped the reading lens of my classroom to instead focus on students seeing themselves as writers of literature. I wrote along with my students and although I did not finish my novel by the end of the month, I have been inspired to continue working on novel writing as a personal creative outlet.

Description: A critical part of becoming creative is being able to play with ideas and concepts and feel comfortable in doing so. This course seeks to develop such an approach. In an interactive series of modules, teachers explore the meaning of creativity and strategies for thinking creatively, particularly in the context of teaching and learning. The course places emphasis on trans-disciplinary creativity. Trans-disciplinary creativity argues that there are deep and fundamental connections between art and science, applied and pure knowledge. Teachers are encouraged to find commonalities between strategies and habits of thought used by creative individuals in any discipline.




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