Thinking outside the box

Most education stakeholders agree that creative thinking is a key competency that young people need to develop for the future, and for some years now almost all future-oriented educational frameworks or skills rankings place creative thinking near the top of their priorities.
The OECD’s report “Thinking Outside the Box: The PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Assessment” highlights the importance of creative thinking in education and provides a framework for assessing and fostering this skill in students. In this blog article, we will explore practical ways in which schools can improve their students’ creative thinking skills.
What’s in the report?
The OECD’s report “Thinking Outside the Box: The PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Assessment” sheds light on the importance of creative thinking in education and provides practical guidance for schools and teachers to improve students’ creative thinking skills. In this blog article, we will take a closer look at the key findings of the report and explore what schools and teachers can do to promote creative thinking in their students.
The report discusses the development and assessment of creative thinking skills in students, which are essential for success in the 21st-century economy. It presents the results of the PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Assessment, which measures students’ creative thinking skills in problem-solving, communication, and collaboration. The assessment was designed to measure students’ ability to generate original ideas, use critical thinking to evaluate them, and communicate their solutions effectively. PISA identifies four dimensions of creative thinking: problem formulation, idea generation, solution implementation, and solution evaluation. Each dimension is essential for developing students’ creative thinking skills, and the report provides practical examples of how teachers can support these dimensions in the classroom.
The report also identifies the key factors that influence the development of creative thinking skills, including the learning environment, teaching practices, and curriculum design, emphasising the need for a holistic approach to education that integrates creative thinking skills into the curriculum and encourages students to think outside the box. It highlights the importance of teacher professional development in promoting creative thinking in the classroom. Teachers need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively promote creative thinking, and professional development opportunities can help to achieve this. This can involve creating a classroom culture that values creativity and encourages students to take risks and experiment with new ideas. Teachers can also provide opportunities for collaboration and teamwork, which can help to foster a supportive environment.
In a nutshell, the OECD’s report “Thinking Outside the Box: The PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Assessment” provides valuable guidance for schools and teachers to promote creative thinking in their students. By focusing on problem formulation, idea generation, solution implementation, and solution evaluation, teachers can help students to develop the creative thinking skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. By embracing creativity in education, we can help our students to become innovative thinkers and problem-solvers who are well-equipped for the challenges of the future.
Supplementary readings
For those who want to learn more about creativity in education:
  • “Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education” by Sir Ken Robinson: This book argues that creativity should be at the centre of education and that current educational systems stifle creativity. The author suggests practical ways in which schools can foster creativity in their students.
  • “Teaching for Creativity: Two Dozen Tips” by Robert J. Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams: This article provides practical tips for teachers who want to foster creativity in their students. The tips are based on the authors’ research on creativity and education.
  • “Creativity in the Classroom” by Mark A. Runco: This book provides a comprehensive overview of creativity in education, including how it can be fostered, assessed, and integrated into the curriculum. The author also explores the challenges of implementing creative teaching practices.

  • “Creative Thinking and Arts-Based Learning: Preschool Through Fourth Grade” by Joan Packer Isenberg and Mary Renck Jalongo: This book focuses on the role of the arts in fostering creativity in young children. It provides practical ideas for integrating art, music, drama, and dance into the curriculum to promote creative thinking.