Steelcase Education Research Suggests Schools in UAE can use Space Design to Inspire Creativity

• Are traditional classrooms killing creativity? Ninety-five percent of students report an increase in their creative abilities in an active learning setting

Dubai, 24 November 2016:  New data released from Steelcase Education and academic researchers in Canada and the United States , reaffirms the positive correlation between an active-learning classroom design and a students’ engagement and ability to be creative. According to the research, 95 percent of students report that a change in classroom design to a more flexible space enhanced their creativity, and increased their engagement and motivation. 

The research also shows the additional results:

• 92 percent of students reported being more engaged in classroom activities; 
• 88 percent of students said new, flexible classroom design increased their motivation to attend class; 
• 84 percent of students said the innovative classroom would increase their ability to achieve a higher grade.

The research used the Active Learning Post-Occupancy Evaluation© (AL-POE) tool to measure multiple student engagement factors at four U.S. Universities. It aimed to investigate the effect of an innovative technology-supported learning environment on student motivation, creativity and 21st century skills. 

Creativity - the basis of innovation 
In a world of rapid change and increasing complexity, there is constant pressure to innovate. As a result, employers seek creative capabilities among their employees.  Companies succeed in direct proportion to their ability to innovate and differentiate themselves from competitors. However, employers throughout the Middle East complain that universities today don’t teach students how to tackle real-life problems. Active Learning classrooms can help. 

“Creativity is the basis of innovation, and that is what every company wants," says Sean Corcorran, General Manager of Steelcase Education. "Graduates need a depth of expertise in not just one or two areas, but the ability to apply knowledge from areas other than their own, collaborate across disciplines and approach problems in new ways. The physical, social and psychological effect that a learning space has upon student behaviour is far more significant than people realise, and engaging spaces are instrumental in allowing students to develop these skills.” 

Uncovering the myth of creativity 
Steelcase Education and the WorkSpace Futures team worked closely with neuroscientists from around the world in an attempt to decipher the myth of creativity. The preconceived notion that some people lack the ability to be creative is false. Creativity is something anyone can develop.

“The first challenge in teaching creativity is changing the perception that it's purely an artistic endeavor. Everyone has the capacity to think creatively, to have an enquiring mind, to be inventive and resourceful,” says Henning Beck, a neuroscientist and author based in Frankfurt, Germany. “Artistic creativity refers to taking colours and putting them on a canvas and creating something new. But when the brain is creative it is doing more than just randomly applying paint on a canvas, instead it is target oriented.” 

Most classrooms in the UAE today are still arranged in the traditional style with row-by-row seating and stationary furniture developed in the 19th and 20th century, leaving little room for creative growth. 

Three steps to more creative ideas 
The research shows that teaching creativity involves creative approaches to curricula, learning spaces, tools and technology. It calls for spaces that support individual and group thinking, building and presenting. 

Based on these insights and observations the Steelcase research team has developed a model for teaching creativity; a three-part process called Think. Make. Share. 

Think 
Students begin their creative process by studying exemplars, acquiring insights and ideas from them, thinking about the information and subtly modifying it. 

“You need knowledge to come up with new knowledge, an Active Learning Environment helps students focus on the early aspects of the creative process,” Beck said. 

Make 
Beck also suggests to “fail fast and fail early because sometimes the only way to create something is to make mistakes, which the brain uses to come up with new solutions.” Makerspaces offer spaces that encourage students to try out ideas, gain practical experience or simply make a mess to spark new ideas. This hands-on phase is the second step of the creative process. 

Share
While “the good idea at the end comes when people are alone, there is nothing more inspirational than a good conversation”, says Beck referring to the fact that although the individual thought process is important, sharing information, seeking opinions, collecting and providing feedback are integral elements of the creative process.

“Give students and teachers the authority and ability to reconfigure their learning space to the work at hand. Inspiring creativity is a story problem with multiple solutions. Not every solution will work for every institution or teacher. Innovation builds through a process of thinking, making things, sharing, listening and trying again. It requires an open mind and a willingness to experiment,” Corcorran said.