How New Tech Can Boost Learner Creativity in the Classroom
There’s a reason learners today are increasingly attracted to the video game medium. Video games have a lot of thought and creativity poured into them to make them as exciting and artistic as possible. They encourage learners to bring out their artistic selves and express themselves in ways that they did not think possible.
It is impossible to understand the tech’s full potential if we continue looking at is as only a screen. Instead, we should begin thinking of it as a paintbrush. Essentially, we must stop looking at computer devices as machines and recognize them as new mediums for creativity.
Tech can be excellent in helping learners express their creativity. Here’s how:
Digital Storytelling
Historically, stories have been utilized to convey information and knowledge that is easy to understand and internalize – it is a powerful way to communicate with others. Storytelling can improve learners’ creative skills and help them explore the meaning of their experience and work. There are many tools to help learners make their own digital stories, like Slidestory and StoryBird.
Creative Thinking Blogs
Blogs are an excellent tool for learners to develop their writing and creative thinking skills. They allow learners to post whatever, whenever they want, comment on the material of others and share.
Topics can be discussed openly, which gives learners a space to vent and share their interests without worrying about grammatical errors or grading. Virtual classrooms, like Pedagogue, can be a great place to implement this idea.
Audio and Visual Tools
There are many easy-to-use tutorial and video creation tools that educators and learners can use in the classroom. Learners can use them to make their own videos and share them with the class, providing an excellent opportunity to develop creativity.
Their creations can even ignite class discussions about the content they are learning. These videos can be posted on the creative thinking blog stated above to be viewed and discussed by learners from other classes.
Why Is Learner Creativity Essential?
Without creativity, kids will struggle to become individuals with independent thought. When you foster creativity, you’re preparing kids for the real world.
Since the school system has contributed to the decay of creativity in learners, it is crucial to foster creativity in the classroom as well. Specific skills are prioritized over others, making kids robotic and systematic in their thinking rather than autonomous and capable of critical thinking.
Wrapping Up
Creativity is a critical skill that every learner needs. What better way to develop such a necessary skill than to use the thing that most kids love – tech. We hope that you’ve been inspired to integrate tech into your class rather than resist it.