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Show page 22 leSSOIlS, Spring 2004 This may explain why professors' personal opinions need to be integrated into the evaluation process. Professors are not grading a multiple choice test where there is only one right answer; there is no right or wrong when grading creative assignments. While students do not agree that their creativity should be graded in assignments and projects, they do understand that it is a necessary element of a complete education. Creativity in the classroom allows students to understand even the most complex material with ease. Dr. Jonathan Butner, professor of social and quantitative psychology stated, "creativity can be taught, in the sense that it is a recombination of ideas with the addition of new insight. Therefore, professors need to show students how to do that, and if it is done in a creative way, then students are going to understand concepts better and retain them longer." Professors use creative assignments to see if students are capable of integrating course information to their lives. If students are not required to be creative in some way, then professors could be hurting students more than helping. In the "real" world, there is no clear-cut answer. Therefore, professors who teach a black and white technique may actually be doing a disservice to their students by restricting their ability to problem solve. Creativity, when used to make connections with material that would otherwise have been overlooked, is considered to be helpful by students. However, many wish that they were not graded on the amount of creativity that was put into the assignment. For example, if they are required to produce a piece of work in an art class, many feel that being given a low score because it was not "creative" enough restricts their creative potential. Students simply do not want to adhere to their professor's definition of creativity and many would rather that grades were based on their effort in a project or assignment. Evaluating a student's creativity skill is a mixed bag. Overall, students respect professors who implement creativity into their courses. Many believe creativity is not something that should be stifled and professors who allow students to be creative are favorable in the eyes of many. Likewise, students believe that it is important for professors to be creative in order to facilitate the learning process. With these ideas in hand it appears that there is no easy solution to the criticisms of evaluating and grading creativity in an academic setting. Nevertheless, creativity is a tool that is integral to the learning process. Professors who encourage students to think "outside of the box" may broaden the students' horizons and facilitate more creative thinking. "Through Brooklyn Bridge Cables" Lozowick (1938). Courtesy Mary Francey at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts |
