“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.”-Malcolm Forbes. For centuries scientists and scholars have researched the correlation between creativity and education. Many have deeply investigated this intriguing relationship. From the reputable author and psychologist, Robert Sternberg (1996), to most recently Sir Kenneth Robinson, a renowned ‘educationalist’ and author (2006). Many speculations were made and countless theories arose, yet the question remains the same. Does education really kill creativity? Education is the base that helps a person distinguish between absurd and intelligent ideas, enabling a person to have a smarter way of thinking, without education the world would not be the same.
Education is the base upon which knowledge and understanding are built, it is the ground upon which an inventive, rational and creative way of thinking are established. According to Kenneth Robinson (2006) “Schools educate the creativity out of kids”. To support his claim, he asked people of different ages to conduct an experiment in which they would come up with different uses for a paperclip. Robinson says that the majority of people can think of ten to fifteen different uses. When he asked kindergarten children theycame up with about two hundred different uses.Robinson claims that one of the most creative responses was “imagininga paper clip that is thirty feet high.” however, if one examines the practicality of such answers, it is clear that they are not rational. It is likely that older people can only think of a few solutions to this question because they received an education that helped them differentiate between realistic and ridiculous ideas. This is how education rationalizesand develops one’s way of thinking(Silby 2014). Education also fosters useful and creative ways of thinking that benefit society. According to European statistics on the quality of life indicators (Eurostat, 2014) Students who drop out of school at a young age have greater chances of social segregation and bankruptcy. They are also unlikely to engage in civil life and in the political issues of their community. Education builds up a person’s understanding of the world they inhabit, thus enabling them to perceive their capability to influence it.
Without education the 21st century as one knows it would not be different from the Stone Age. Education has enabled the humans to create a modern,technology-operated world. There are many notable figures in history who are proof that education makes a difference in a person’s achievements and contributions. For example, the well-known scientist Louis Pasteur who discovered vaccinations and microbial fermentation, studied at the EcoleNormaleSuperieure’ (Cohn, 2014). Another influential figure is the renowned scientist and physicist Albert Einstein. Einstein completed his education up to his doctorate degree (Noble Media, 2014). Finally, the literary genius, William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was educated in the King Edward VI School” (Best, 2013). These are only a few examples of individuals that used education to transform and give back to the world.Statistics show that countries with more educated citizens produce more innovative and ingenious inventors and creators. According to the Global Innovation Index for 2015, Switzerland has been dominating the innovation polls for half a decade. The Swiss nation is famously distinguished for prioritizing education (Lanvin, 2015). This is valid proof of the power of education in cultivating creativity.
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Many claim that education systems ultimately kill creativity. However, including creativity in education has been a priority in many educational systems around the globe for decades. According to (Jeffery, Craft, 2004) It has been confirmed that creativity is a skill that can be taught and needs to be practised in order to be mastered. Countless countries have long implemented regulations for reinforcing creativity in their curriculums. “In Canada “creative thinking” is outlined as one of the common essential learning. In Kentucky, USA, one of the learning goals is to enable students to “use creative thinking skills to develop or invent novel, constructive ideas or products”. In Korea the National Curriculum defines an educated person as “healthy, independent, creative and moral”” (Shaheen, 2010) Education systems have included many diverse ways of encouraging and cultivating creativity, many of these ways are subtle and may go unnoticed unless studied deeply. The creative process must go through four phases. The first is to recognize a problem. The second is to examine that problem through operations such as testing and analysis. After that, generating a new concept. Lastly, coming up with a final theory using methods such evaluation. (Stouffer, Russell and Oliva, 2004) It is clear that the stages of the creative process are practised regularly in many schools, thus proving that education does develop creativity.
Education is the heart and soul of creativity, without education the world as one knows it would be a dull and uncreative place. Education has enabled humans to surpass the dark ages into an innovative, inventive and imaginative age. The way that education fosters creativity may be subtle, but it is there altogether and has been proven to be effective. Achieving creativity has always been one of the fundamental goals of education.
