Creativity, Technology & Education: Exploring their Convergence

In this collection of beautifully written essays, Mishra, Henriksen, and the Deep-play Research Group challenge myths about technology and creativity, debate time-honored instructional practices, and play with new ideas for schools to care for and nurture, rather than constrain, creativity. These essays are provocative … refreshing, [and] insightful —Dr. Yong Zhao, Foundation Distinguished Professor, University of Kansas and Fellow, Mitchell Institute for Health and Education Policy, Victoria University, Australia.

What is creativity? Why is it important? What does it look like across different disciplines and contexts? What role does technology play, if any, in the creative process? And finally, what do creativity and technology have to do with education? These are the questions that underlie the collection of articles in this book.

These essays provide a broad analytic frame for thinking about creativity, technology and education and describe classroom examples as well as strategies for evaluating creative artifacts and creative environments. All of these are grounded in specific examples from across a wide range of disciplines and contexts—art, mathematics, engineering, computer science, graphic design, architecture, science to name just a few. The final essays take a broader perspective on creativity and technology focusing both on our highly inter-connected YouTube world but also possibilities for the future.

Creativity, Technology & Education: Exploring their Convergence is a vital resource for educators and practitioners as they seek to incorporate creative work and thoughtful pedagogy in their personal and professional lives. 

“Enhancing creativity and effective applying of technology are crucial to the success of society. This is a pioneering book which has important enlightening significance in guiding teachers’ reflective education practice, such as integrating technology into education properly, attaching importance to grow student’s creativity thinking skill.” (Yanmei Yin, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Vol. 15, 2019)

“The book is designed to be easily used by students and teachers. … As it touches upon so many matters and introduces a variety of theoretical perspectives, the book is a goldmine when looking for references and must-reads for students and (starting) housing scholars.” (Jana Verstraete, Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, Vol. 34, 2019)

Punya Mishra is Associate Dean of Scholarship & Innovation and Professor in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. He also has an affiliate faculty position in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. He is nationally and internationally recognized for his work on the theoretical, cognitive and social aspects related to the design and use of educational technologies. His more recent work has focused on educational innovation, creativity and aesthetics. Punya is a gifted, creative and engaging public speaker, as well as an accomplished visual artist and poet. 

Danah Henriksen is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Innovation at Arizona State University. Her current work and research highlight aspects of creativity, thinking skills, and design thinking for education. Her work has been published in both peer-reviewed journals as well as practitioner venues. She has co-edited special issues on creativity and technology for both the  Journal of Technology and Teacher Education and TechTrends. She teaches courses on educational psychology, systems change and leadership, design thinking and creativity in educational settings.