Dr Rita L. Irwin (Professor of Art Education at the University of British Columbia) visited New Zealand in November 2017 as our eighth Creative Fellow.
She shared her experience as an artist, researcher and teacher who is deeply committed to the arts and education, saying that today’s teachers and learners must embrace creativity’s central role in future society by ensuring that creativity is embedded in learning environments now. Creative learning, she believes, relies on exploring collaboration and improvisation in flexible ways, allowing ideas to emerge and develop. This approach provides the tools that are needed to address the challenges facing the contemporary world.
Rita Irwin discussed the role of creativity in the curriculum – past, present and future – at a free public event at the University of Auckland in November. Here is the abstract for her presentation.
NEEDED NOW: LEAPS IN LEARNING
Creative teaching and learning for the twenty-first century
In her presentation, Professor Irwin provided an overview of previous creativity research, and offered contemporary examples of creative teaching and learning in higher education, public schools, and professional learning communities.
About Professor Rita L. Irwin
Professor Rita L. Irwin is currently Professor of Art Education and Curriculum Studies in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She is also President of the International Society for Education through Art (InSEA). Her research interests span in-service art education, teacher education, socio-cultural issues, curriculum practices in informal learning settings, and a/r/tography.
Rita publishes widely, exhibits her artworks, and has secured a range of research grants, including a number of Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada grants to support her work in Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and beyond. She was made a Distinguished Fellow of the National Art Education Association in the USA, and has won the Ted T. Aoki Award for Distinguished Service in Canadian Curriculum Studies (CACS), the Canadian Art Teacher of the Year Award (CSEA), the Elliot Eisner Lifetime Achievement Award (NAEA) and the Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring (UBC).
September 10, 2018 at 12:10 pm
I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I encounter a blog that’s equally educative and engaging, and let me tell you,
you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is
an issue that not enough people are speaking intelligently about.
I’m very happy that I came across this in my hunt for something relating to this.
November 12, 2018 at 1:10 pm
Thanks for your kinds words. CTP Project.
January 14, 2019 at 2:27 pm
Thanks so much for your generous comments. As you’re no doubt aware, we look to deepen current understanding of the creative process so that everyone can engage in it, promote creativity as central to an individual’s wellbeing and development, and promote creativity as central to a community’s wellbeing and development. Having champions such as yourself is a huge help. Thanks again. The Creative Thinking Project.