Creativity and Technology Integration

In most of us there lies a realm of creativity especially within children. Products of creativity are within all of us and the expression of divergent thought can be framed in both its quality to originality and appropriateness. Each of us would like to take claim to the originality of a creative idea but here lies the problem of appropriateness: to be acceptable in creativity you must also be forthcoming in originality.

In my last in-service I explored the idea of creativity and the Digital Native. I asked the question to my audience who were mostly teachers, “Where do you think the Digital Native becomes creative with technology?” A long pause fell over the room as I studied each individual and looked for a glimmering eye that I could recognize for a response. As I scanned the room for an answer most heads were ducking. The answer I was to expand upon now emerged from the back of the room with a reply of; “From home in the confines of their unsupervised room.” Now with the answer emerging I structured my next response with another expository; “Where is it that the Digital Native spends most of their time?” The answer was given simultaneously from the room like a choir singing out the chorus lines of My Space and You Tube.

The point of the two questions was to bring out the idea that most technology and creative development is being experienced at home, in most cases unsupervised. A discussion then followed on how there is a huge gap between the digital native and the digital immigrant and that the digital immigrant reserves the idea of technology integration because they may no longer be the masters of content. In fact the Digital Native becomes the master of content when introducing technology into the classroom. Yet, by not introducing technology into the classroom we deprive so many students a constructive way to develop the tools of technology to enhance their world in a positive social environment that strengthens learning and the collaborative expansion of knowledge.

So what becomes the answer to this gap between the digital native and the classroom teacher who may be the digital immigrant? The answer is simple, become a facilitator of learning and not a master of content when it comes to technology. Additionally teachers should familiarize themselves with places where students can go on the World Wide Web to be both productive and creatively appropriate.

Here are some resources for you to explore:

http://www.enidk12.org/~itdepartment/unitedstreaming/index.html

Technology Integration and Project-based Learning

http://www.danpink.com/excerptwnm.php

http://creativecommons.org/learnmore

http://ccmixter.org/

http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/

http://magnatune.com/

http://creativecommons.org/

http://talkingscience.speedofcreativity.org/

http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/

http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/06/20/podcast160-alan-kays-educomm-2007-keynote/