Executive Summary

‘Today’s schools must equip students with the knowledge and skills they’ll need to succeed in an uncertain, constantly changing tomorrow.  But many schools look much the same today as they did a generation ago, and too many teachers are not developing the pedagogies and practices required to meet the diverse needs of the 21st Century learners. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ‘ (OECD, 2016)

In this proposal you will see a process for enabling children and young people; to develop as ambitious capable learners, healthy, confident individuals, enterprising creative contributors and ethically informed citizens. (Welsh Government, 2015)

The video proposes to demonstrate that learners have the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and personal attributes this will lead to providing them with habits for life.  The video presents learners demonstrating the Kolb model of reflective practice, (Leeds Beckett University (LBU), 2015) that if practiced and repeated will influence their thinking throughout their lives, as it will become a habit.

Robinson (2017) states there are two types of creativity; general creativity, which ‘in the general run of our lives we settle into routines of behaviour and habits of thought” (p138) and also personal creativity, which Robinson states is ‘where the individual talent meets personal passion’ (p140). It is often that we see and hear children in schools ‘playing’ in the foundation phase role corner using imagination, creativity and innovation but this kind of learning is somehow stifled, as they get older.  When do they lose their personal passion?

Wagner (2012) suggests that ‘the solution to our economic and social challenges is the same: creating a viable and sustainable economy that creates good jobs without polluting the planet.  And there is a general agreement as to what the new economy must be based on.  One word ‘Innovation’ (p2) Again I ask, at what age do learners stop innovating as part of their learning? 

We need to change the pedagogy in our schools to allow the realisation of the four purposes (Welsh Government, 2015) in which our children and young people will develop the skills, behaviours and attributes necessary for their future.  The McKinsey & Company (2010) Global Survey stated that 84% of executives said that innovation is extremely or very important to their company’s growth strategy. The culture in schools needs to change and creativity should not be confined to the arts says Robinson (2017). McKeown (2014) says that an ‘innovation culture’ is ’where people work to create and use new ideas’. (p52) He also states that the first challenge is to encourage creative behaviours and that this in turn leads to successful innovation (p53) We therefore, need to create an innovation culture in our schools.

How can this be realised in our schools.  The OECD (2016) states that there are ‘seven action-orientated dimensions’ which form part of an integrated model and that they are supported by four transversal themes: Trust, Time, Technology and Thinking together. It is my belief that the fourth theme ‘thinking together’ is a vital aspect of a child’s education and that if we create the culture for this to develop where children problem solve, critically evaluate, reflect and think creatively, then we will move towards creating this culture of creativity and innovation in our schools.

Background Information  

In 2015, the government accepted the recommendations for curriculum reform set out by professor Graham Donaldson, (Welsh Government, 2015).  The Curriculum reform is now referred to as Curriculum for Wales.  This document is the single most important thing to happen to Welsh Education since the devolution of education in 1998.

At the heart of Curriculum for Wales are the four purposes, which stress the need to place the learner at the centre of the learning.  These four purposes ‘guide all future decisions about national and local educational priorities, and underpin all teaching and learning in Wales’, (Welsh Government, 2015). To support this, the new curriculum, which is currently being co-constructed by practitioners and supported by various agencies and academics, will consist of six areas of learning and experience (AOLE).  ‘The intention is to signal the importance of educational experiences as an integral part of the curriculum, to broaden children and young people’s horizons, stimulate their imaginations and promote enjoyment in learning. The education of children and young people should include rich experiences that are valuable in their own right’  (Welsh Government, 2015).
The Areas of Learning and experience are still in draft form and will be shared with schools across Wales in Spring 2019.  However, as a pioneer school (identified by Welsh Government in 2015) Ysgol Cynwyd Sant, have been a part of the Expressive Arts Area of Learning and have contributed to the discussion around subjects, disciplines, knowledge and skills and the ‘What matters? Statements’.  It has become very clear that the rationale for this AOLE places a strong emphasis on creativity across the arts. It makes reference to words such as motivation, perseverance, thinking, imagination and learning from critical appraisal.  Through the expressive arts the learner is able to develop all four of the core purposes, which underpin the new curriculum.

For this new curriculum to happen there will need to be a strong focus on pedagogy.  This forms a whole chapter in the Successful Futures document (Welsh Government, 2015), comprising of 12 pedagogical principles.  The development of these principles lies in the craft of ensuring that the learner becomes more in control of the learning as they engage with the principle and become more interdependent, (heutagogy model) and that the teacher features less.  For example Principle 4, “Good teaching and learning means employing a blend of approaches including those that promote problem solving, creative and critical thinking”. (Welsh Government, 2015).  However, as Robinson states ‘Creativity is possible in any activity that engages our intelligence’ (2017, P3.) and the AOLE for Science and Technology has dedicated part of its curriculum to develop ‘design thinking which supports innovation and progress.’ It makes reference to providing authentic contexts in which to work so that it adds relevance and focus to the learning.  This again is one of the main 12 pedagogy principles, which is essential to enable our learners to become the successful innovators of the future.  So how do ensure that these skills become embedded behaviours or habits?

Costa & Kallick describe ‘Habits of Mind’ as knowing how to behave intelligently when you DON'T know the answer. (2008) Boyes and Watts describe the habits as ‘thoughtful behaviors ……that allow us to cope with a complex and rapidly changing world. (2009, P1.) They go on to say that developing Habits of Mind promote positive relationships, develop communication techniques and strategies as well as flexible thinking strategies to complex situations requiring authentic problem solving and decision making’ (2009,p1.)  There is coherence between the new Curriculum for Wales, (Welsh Government, 2015) and the necessity to give our learners the right learning environment, the right culture to develop as creative innovators and develop these life long habits.

The Kolb model of reflective practice LBU (2015) allows the plan to be actioned, practiced, analysed and improved and when repeated the process allows the learner to develop divergent thinking as well as convergent thinking.  The model, which is cyclical and convergent in method, allows the learners to be analytical in their approach towards improving their actions, until they get it ‘perfect’.  The model supports individuals working on small projects or groups working together, collectively.  It supports a pedagogical approach in the first instance but soon moves to the heutagogy model when the learners become more interdependent and take ownership over their decision making. 

Kolb’s reflective cycle, LBU (2015) has been mainly used with adult learning in the past and there is no evidence to support that this will impact on children’s learning or that it will support the embedding of analytical behaviours or habits.  It is dependent on developing a language associated with the cycle that must have a common understanding so that these skills are transferable.  

Albert Einstein is said to have defined Insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  The difference with the Kolb model is that the learner has to analyse and draw conclusions and change or tweak before having another go.

In further evaluation of the Kolb model, C I believe that other models can be used in a cyclical way that are equally as evaluative and innovative in their approach for example Edward De Bono’s thinking hats. It is possible to use these in an analytical way which allows for creativity and innovation.  This lateral and divergent thinking process works according to Robinson (2017) because it makes freer associations unlike a logical–deductive thought, which sometimes leads to a limited set of answers and sometimes only one. 

In conclusion, I believe that if thinking skills are taught, where learners understand WHAT needs to be done and is supported by the development of the right language that the Kolb model of practice, Leeds Becket University (2015) reflection, understanding and repetition can be applied to most learning activities which promote creativity and innovation. This model of iterative tasks would enable the observer to develop and evaluate learner progress, as the action is cyclical and repeated.  Evaluating learner progress can be done using both formative and summative assessment.  For example, the outcome of the process might be marked and given feed back, which would inform the pupil’s next attempt, thus using the assessment for learning strategy. On the other hand, the skills, which are being developed or acquired throughout the iterative task, are assessed throughout and is assessment for learning.  The learner would demonstrate progress in their learning by building on their skills, knowledge and personal attributes which would enable them to meet the four core purposes of the new curriculum for Wales  (Welsh Government, 2015).


References
Boys, K. and Watts, G. (2009). Developing Habits of Mind in Elementary School. 1st ed. Alexandria: ASCD, p.1.
Costa, A. and Kallick, B. (n.d.). The 16 Habits of Mind.
Donaldson, G. (2015). [online] Gov.wales. Available at: https://gov.wales/docs/dcells/publications/150225-successful-futures-en.pdf 
Kools, M. and Stoll, L. (2016). What Makes a School a Learning Organisation?. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Marla, M., Gregg, B. and Howe, A. (2010). McKinsey & company : Innovation & Commercialization. [ebook] Available at: http://http//:www.innovationmanagement.se/.../mckinsey-global-survey-results-innovation-and-co 
Mckeown, M. (2014). The innovation book. 1st ed. United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited, pp.52,53.
Robinson, K. (2017). Out of our minds. 3rd ed. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Capstone, pp.138,140.
Skillsforlearning.leedsbeckett.ac.uk. (2015). Example 1 - Kolb's Learning Cycle | Models for structuring reflection | Skills for Learning Preview. [online] Available at: https://skillsforlearning.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/preview/content/models/02.shtml 
Wagner, T. (2015). Creating innovators. 1st ed. New York: Scribner, p.2.