Education assistant

Running head: CREATIVE THINKING 1

CREATIVE THINKING 2

Creative Thinking

Student Name

Institution Affiliation

Creative Thinking

Empirical Research

Topic: Improving Student Creative Thinking Ability with Problem Based Learning Approach Using Hawgent Dynamic Mathematics Software

Tan, S., Zou, L., Wijaya, T., & Dewi, N. (2020). Improving Student Creative Thinking Ability With Problem Based Learning Approach Using Hawgent Dynamic Mathematics Software. Journal on Education, 2(4), 303-312. https://doi.org/10.31004/joe.v2i4.324

An empirical research articles are known as the ones that give the results and reports based on the actual experiments and observations. The article fits as an empirical research because an actual experiment was conducted by collecting the student data from the class 3A and 3B of the elementary school. The data was collected in a manner that students were subjected to a conventional learning and also using the hawgent dynamic mathematic software. The approaches used was targeting on collecting numerical data that makes it a quantitative research that is one of the aspect that defines the empirical research. The research was conducted in a manner that post-test score was used as an assessment of the students’ critical thinking ability and the data collected using the software. The indication that showcases the experiment and the real observation that was conducted supports the idea that the article is an empirical research that adopted the quantitative approach.

Summary

The article discusses about the creative thinking abilities of the students in elementary school in Cimahi, Indonesia. The lack of mathematical creative thinking in the classroom is caused by a poor or wrong learning process that the teachers imposed to the students. There is no possibility that the teacher in the classroom directs or commands students to adopt the creative thinking but the creative thinking is achieved through a learning process. The article highlights that the learning process using the problem-based learning that is supported by the hawgent dynamic mathematical software can direct the students to be more creative in academic subjects especially mathematics. A problem-based learning is pushed in the article as a technique that works best for the interest of the student to have better skills and ability to think creatively in handling mathematical tasks. A quantitative data was collected in the process through the post-test score to evaluate the students’ performance after being subjected to problem-based learning. The data collected was then analyzed and processed using the SPSS software 19.0 version and the Microsoft excel. The outcome of the research indicated that the adoption of the problem-based learning that is aided by the hawgent dynamic mathematical software results to an achievement and improvement in creative thinking abilities of students.

Analysis and Application

The author has analyzed the article in a manner that it portrays that critical thinking matters a lot in the learning process of students especially for the mathematics subject. According to the author, lack of mathematical critical thinking abilities is associated to the failure of the teaching fraternity to incorporate a problem-based learning and this is an indication that the teachers are using incorrect learning process in the classroom that contributes low creative thinking in the classroom. The author also highlighted the hawgent dynamic mathematic software is there to aid problem-based learning that is argued that it contributes to a success in achieving creative thinking in the classroom that facilitate the improvement of academic grades for students in their mathematics exams. The author finally stated that achievement and improvement of creative thinking abilities of the students is experienced when process learning approach is adopted and aided by hawgent dynamic mathematical software. The approach was reached after a successful research process and data collected through post-test score assessment. In addition, the article content is applied in the educational context especially in other technical subjects where students are prepared to think creatively in approaching to technical concepts.

Literature Review

Topic: A Review of Articles Using Observation Methods to Study Creativity in Education (1980–2018).

Katz‐Buonincontro, J., & Anderson, R. (2018). A Review of Articles Using Observation Methods to Study Creativity in Education (1980–2018). The Journal Of Creative Behavior, 54(3), 508-524. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.385

Explanation

A literature review article is the type of article that gives its results and findings after reviewing other peer-reviewed articles. The article falls under the literature review/a metal analysis because the article has 37 articles that are from 1980-2018 that are reviewed to give the information that is present in the article. The literature review article does not conduct an actual observation or experiment but relies on the data and information that was collected in the 37 articles. The picked 37 articles are all peer reviewed an indication that shows them as trusted sources of information.

Summary

The article discusses more about the integrative literature review of published articles that have adopted either the quantitative or qualitative observation methods. The articles review articles that discusses about the adoption of the observation methods in the process of developing creative thinking in the education sector. The empirical research was conducted to focus on understanding the behavior and interactions that are unfolding in real-time and is known to be salient in assessing the processes that have an association with the generation and adoption of the creative ideas. There is an argument based on the research that the observation technique is underutilized in the field of creative studies and the primary reason is that the process of collecting data takes a longer period and require many resources. The article expresses there is a gap in achieving creative thinking in the education sector because there is no protocol and research practices that are used to achieve them. The article demonstrated that the quantitative and qualitative research techniques hold the rich potential in advancing creative thinking in the educational environment. The research highlighted that classroom observation of teaching has an influence on student creative ability. Good classroom communication and promotion of teamwork and collaboration increase the chances of student developing strong creative thinking.

Analysis and Application

The authors analysis indicates that teachers has a role to play in terms of developing creative thinking for students and this include the development of a better learning pedagogy that incorporate observational learning. The author believes that the observational research moves beyond descriptive analysis and it works best for the creative thinking and learning for students. The 37 reviewed articles support and promotes creativity in a manner that teachers and student behaviors has a huge contribution to supporting environment for a creative learning and should be distinguished through an observational approach. Communication is also an issue that the author expressed as an important factor that facilitates creative thinking for students and it is achievable through nonverbal cues and other best approaches. Teachers get an opportunity in learning about their students during a successful observation that works best when an effective communication is held. In the education sector observational learning approach should be considered in building student creative thinking ability that matters in their learning of technical subjects like mathematics and also apply it in future academic studies. Observational learning is key in the education sector that helps students imitate information that is shared by the teacher and this built their ability to transfer knowledge and information by thinking creatively. An example is student drawing especially those in a lower grade where the copy what the teacher has provided by observing it and this makes it possible for them to create their own images in future.

Explanation of Educational Practice or Policy

Title: The development of STEAM educational policy to promote student creativity and social empowerment

Allina, B. (2017). The development of STEAM educational policy to promote student creativity and social empowerment. Arts Education Policy Review, 119(2), 77-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/10632913.2017.1296392

Explanation

The article fits into the category as an article that provides an explanation about educational practice or policy. The article has highlighted about the approach in achieving creative thinking in a learning environment and this include the need for recognizing learning diversity, increase student engagement and the potential enhancement of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The article highlights the STEM educational policy that is needed in the education sector to facilitate the success of creative learning. An educational policy plays the role of bringing together the researchers that looks for best ways of achieving creative thinking and learning and the practitioners by coming up with policies that helps in bridging the divide. Teachers interact with researchers through educational policies that are developed as guidelines like the STEM educational policy that is needed to recognize arts and design subjects that are there to promote creativity.

Summary

The article expresses about STEM argument about broad-based education that is much important in create a huge field for students to learn based on their abilities and interests. There is the need to create a platform where students gets to learn subjects that they understand better and also are passionate and determined to study about them. Broad-based education based on STEM encourages diversity in learning that is key in appreciating and embracing the differences that is there in the learning environment. The article is explaining about the need to have a STEM educational policy that brings about diversity and incorporate art and design in the curriculum as core subjects alongside the STEM to give an opportunity to students that are good in art and design to take the opportunity with seriousness it deserves. An educational policy that promotes the integration of art and design into the STEM would promote creative thinking because the students would be dealing with subjects that they are passionate about and they are likely to come up with new and best ideas that would change the sector and the life of a student. Creativity comes with much support and resources and the key issue is that the student must be passionate about an issue to achieve success because this is what would drive them come up with unique things that make education a transformational perspective. The STEM educational policy also has highlighted the need of offering enough resources in schools to subjects like art and design in an equity manner to have success in the art education. The educational policy is important in creating advocacy about the reasons why creative thinking is not achieved in an educational institution. There is the need of advocating for diverse subjects where each subject is given enough resources and students allowed to venture into subjects of interest that makes it possible for them to be creative in tacking with tasks in the subjects.

Analysis and Application

The author has expressed that adding art and design subjects to STEM is an approach that facilitate diversity in education and give students opportunity to learn what they are interested in making them productive in the subjects and increase creative thinking. The author also highlighted that the success of STEM educational policy that seeks to add art and design should consider offering enough resources needed to achieve success in creative thinking. The article is applied in the educational context in a manner that additional pedagogy that is used by teachers should be diverse enough because different students have approaches of achieving creative thinking. The article should be applied in schools to teach multiple subjects and students given an opportunity to choose subjects that makes it easier in making them think creatively because creative thinking is achieved when students are much interested.