The Scientific Study of Expert Levels of Performance: general implications for optimal learning and creativity 1

Recent research in many different domains of expertise has shown that the large differences in performance between experts and novices are frequently reproducible under standardized conditions and can often be captured with representative tasks in the laboratory. Furthermore, these differences in performance are predominantly mediated by complex skills acquired over a decade, as a result of high daily levels of activities which are specially designed'to improve performance (deliberate practice). The effects of extended deliberate practice are remarkably far‐reaching and include physiological adaptations and qualitative changes in performance mediated by acquired cognitive skills. Most importantly, expert performers have acquired mental representations that allow them to plan and reason about potential courses of action and these representations also allow experts to monitor their performance, thus providing critical feedback for continued complex learning. The study of elite performance also reveals how acquired representation and skills provide the necessary tools for the ultimate eminent achievement, namely the generation of creative innovations to the domain.

     

Ecography: A New Scientific Discipline

Abstract

Citizen involvement in public decision-making processes affecting the environment requires an informed and motivated citizenry. This paper examines the long-term effects of an environmental education program specifically designed to involve citizens in environmental affairs concerning water quality in Lake Michigan. Feedback from the participants indicates a wide range of attitudinal and behavioral change as a result of program participation. The most common changes were: greater awareness of the problem and more confidence in discussing environmental issues in public forums.     

Risking creativity: building the creative context

In this lively account of a special school's involvement with the government‐funded Creative Partnership programme, Maria Balshaw provides a helpful overview of that programme and demonstrates the exciting potential for inclusive practice when schools work in partnership with creative professionals.     

Teaching creativity in art and design studio classes: A systematic literature review

It is increasingly important for educators to help students develop as creative individuals, and to prepare graduates to think creatively at work, in personal life, and in society. Many countries are working to transform schooling to lead to creative learning outcomes. And yet, very little is known about how to teach for creativity. This review was motivated by the belief that effective models of creative teaching and learning would be found in art and design educational practice. The goal of this systematic review is to synthesize empirical studies of the pedagogy used in art and design studio classes, from early years to university. A keyword search, followed by a filter using inclusion criteria, identified 65 peer-reviewed journal articles. A grounded theory analysis of these 65 articles identified eleven themes characterizing art and design pedagogy, grouped in three clusters: Pedagogical practices (5 themes), learning outcomes (4 themes), and assessment (2 themes).     

A comparative overview: civic education across six societies

This final chapter provides a comparison of the portrayals of civic education across the six societies focusing on three levels: the nature of policy intentions; its operationalization in school curricula; and implementation in schools. A continuum of minimal-maximal interpretations is used to interpret the overall results.     

Testing versus creativity

Recent claims that government educational initiatives restrict creativity have prompted denials. It is argued here that government spokespersons are right to insist that teaching and testing are prerequisites of creativity. However, the products of creativity must be originated by the creator. To the extent that these initiatives control choice of content, opportunities for creativity must be lost.     

Cognition and creativity

Cognitive research on creativity is both traditional and innovative. It is traditional in the sense that many of the well-recognized processes, structures, and stores from mainstream cognitive psychology have been used to understand creative thinking. It is innovative because there is a need to understand processes which are not recognized unless one is specifically interested in creativity. Some of these are inherently subjective, a fact which is often disregarded by those hoping for a traditionally scientific analysis. Still, much of the interest in the cognitive sciences concerns how new constructs come into being; and anyone interested in that is in fact thinking about creativity. That is creativity. This article reviews several traditional cognitive topics, including knowledge, memory, classification, judgment, and categorization, and describes how each can influence creative thinking. It also presents an original model of creative thinking with problem finding, ideation, and judgmental processes as primary components, and knowledge and motivation as secondary (contributing but not controlling) components. Several issues are covered, including the relegation of motivation, the distinction between declarative and procedural knowledge, and the potential for knowledge to both facilitate and inhibit creative ideation.     

Wechsler short forms: A brief status report

Numerous attempts to develop short forms of Wechsler scales of measurement have been proposed in the psychological literature over the last three decades. In this paper, the three major strategies for development of short forms are described, and an overview of the available validity data is presented. Cautions for the clinical use of short forms and related recommendations for future validity research are offered. It is concluded that while Wechsler short forms may be useful as research instruments, their clinical applications are extremely limited at this time.     

高师公共心理学教学改革的创新实践

针对目前心理学教学过程中的诸多问题，信阳师范学院公共心理学教学改革从教学内容和教学方法等方面入手，完善了心理学教学内容体系，形成了心理学教学改革的“自我性格分析”、“六步教学法”、“课堂教学心理分析”、“实验教学课”、“心理健康辅导活动课”六大特色。     

简论研究性学习与创造教育

研究性学生是实施创造教育的有效途径与方法，创造教育是研究性学习的基础和条件。研究性学习与创造教育是相互促进，相辅相成的。     

A look at creativity in public and private schools

This research study investigated the perspectives of teachers on student creativity. A group of 15 teachers from public schools and 24 teachers from private schools completed an Early Childhood Creativity Rating Scale (ECCRS) on four of their students. A total of 156 students were rated on this ECCRS. The major question asked in this study was: How do teacher perspectives of student creativity differ in public and private schools, between kindergarten and grade 3, and are these perspectives influenced by teacher characteristics. Results found that private school teachers rated their students higher on creativity, third grade students were rated lowest on creativity, and teachers who perceived themselves as most creative also rated their students as most creative.     

数学课堂教学中培养学生问题意识的探索

问题意识是学生创造性思维的表现。本文借助实例,从四个方面阐述了在数学课堂教学中如何培养学生的问题意识。由于问题意识的培养是一个渐进的过程,因此教师应长期坚持,这样才会有所收获。     

当代大学生创造性内隐观的调查分析

采用形容词核查表调查当代大学生的创造性内隐观以及对创造性相关问题的看法,研究发现：当代大学生的创造性内隐观涉及个体心理的各方面;大学生最看重的是良好社会性、独创性和开放性等探索性因素;性别和专业对大学生创造性内隐观有一定影响;当代大学生对创造性的社会意义认识比较客观,对其个人意义认识相对模糊,对大学生的创造性现状以及大学教育对创造性培养作用的评价不甚乐观。     

沟通管理：高校科研管理的有效途径

科研管理中的沟通管理就是为了确保科研信息及时、准确、合理地收集、提取、传播、反馈以及最终处理,以保证科研工作顺利进行所实施的一系列过程。它是对科学研究活动全过程中各种不同方式和不同内容沟通活动的全面管理。章通过对高校科研工作特点的研究,阐述高校科研工作与沟通的关系及沟通管理对高校科研管理的重要性,论述基于科研项目的高校科研沟通管理的流程。