111 20 The Transformative Potential of Creative Assignments in Higher Education Nicky Duenkel Cape Breton University This paper encourages shifts in praxis to promote the thoughtful inclusion of creativity into higher education assignments in order to broaden and deepen student experience, and offer greater integration between required assignments and the complexity of students’ lives. Obstacles to integrating creativity into academia are also briefly explored. An example of what is meant by a creative assignment, from a second-year undergraduate Community Studies course, is offered, illustrating the transformative learning potential that can be stimulated through this application. Faculty observations and quotes from student surveys serve as additional evidence of students’ enthusiasm, growth, and personal empowerment achieved through this type of assignment. Introduction levels: from administration, faculty, student, and govern- ment policy (Jackson, 2008). At the most basic level, the complexity of the …creativity is more than just fashionable – concept of creativity itself can be perceived as an obstacle there is a growing body of evidence to suggest (Jackson, 2008). Though creativity and creative thinking that it is already one of the key drivers of are well explored within the literature, definitions remain commercial success and social betterment. By wide ranging, and thus, confusing to the practitioner. In implication, universities should be teaching educational contexts, creativity can involve self-expression those aspects of creativity that are amenable and the arts, imagination, producing something origin- to being learned. (McWilliam, 2007, p. 2) al, working across disciplines, demonstrating openness to As the above quote asserts, there are incentives to in- experiences, or complex problem solving (McWilliam & tegrating creativity into higher education in order Dawson, 2008). to meet the needs of the modern workforce as well as to Despite accumulating data about the value of facilitate students’ growth into the richness of becoming creativity in all realms of life, creativity is rarely an overt more fully human. Likewise, there are also constraints on learning objective in higher education, with the obvious incorporating creativity into academia, ranging from the exception of the fine and performing arts (Donnelly, personal to the systemic. These include resistance on all 2004). This is seen in contrast to critical thinking, which 111 Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching Vol. VI has been embraced from preschool on up to the highest as many concomitant benefits for faculty and students. levels of teaching and learning (Brookfield, 1991; Case, A significant issue is the fact that students arrive with 2005). Creativity and critical thinking are often perceived expectations about what learning is supposed to look and as residing at opposite ends of a spectrum – the first based feel like. Most are accustomed to running along well-worn in the imagination and the non-rational, the second educational tracks established over many years (e.g., what grounded in rational and logical processes. Yet literature a learning environment looks like including classroom repeatedly acknowledges that creativity and critical setup, teaching style, assignments, exams, etc.). When thinking are intertwined (Clegg, 2008; Paul & Elder, faced with their first creative assignment, one can almost 2008). For educators, focusing on one at the expense of see mental wheels spinning: ‘This is not what academia the other reinforces a false dichotomy – one simply does is about. I’m supposed to be taking detailed notes not have one without the other in day-to-day functioning. from lectures, writing 30 page papers with references, Though teaching to multiple intelligences and studying for tricky exams!’ In Mezirow’s (1990) (Gardner, 1983) is  sometimes  integrated into higher conception of transformative learning, this represents education classrooms, when it comes to enhancing student a disorienting dilemma, often the initiating phase of an understanding of course materials through assignments, experience leading to the re-examination of previously more often than not faculty revert to papers, essays, and held beliefs. exams. Assignments are one place where creativity can be Much of the freedom I have ‘to disorient’ incorporated into teaching and learning, reaching beyond rests within the pedagogical premises and supporting linguistic intelligence to incorporate inter- and intra- structures of the department within which I teach. These personal knowing, as well as engaging with kinaesthetic, include the co-creation of student-centred, collaborative musical, and other realms of expression. With clear learning environments that value learning processes as pedagogical intentions, creative assignments can support well as outcomes. Working with small student groups, I students’ growth and transformation within any discipline can offer opportunities to discover relationships, generate (Donnelly, 2004). These are not, however, just ‘tricks of the ideas, problem-solve, imagine, think outside the box, trade’ to be dropped into standard course delivery. They and engage in synthesis, all of which fall within the need to be integrated with curricular goals that make it broad realm of creativity. I also model creativity in my clear why students are being asked to think and act through teaching by incorporating music, theatre games, video, the incorporation of creativity and creative assignments. contemplation, storytelling, and graphic representations. Students and I have observed benefits from incorporating creativity into assignments and the Context and Positionality transformative potential of doing so. The assignments can open doors to deeper collaboration and more profound At the center of transformative learning theory learning community experiences, while also helping is the notion that we uncritically assimilate to reconceptualize how learning can look and feel. As our values, beliefs, and assumptions from expressed by Taylor et al. (2012), using the arts as a form of our family, community, and culture. In other creativity can “take us out of our heads and into our bodies, words, we adopt the dominant ideology as hearts, and souls in ways that allow us to connect more the normal and natural way to think and deeply with self and others” (p. 471). Students also indicate act. When we are able to recognize that these that creative assignments help to increase motivation and beliefs are oppressive and not in our best interest in the class, as revealed in these brief excerpts from interests, we can enter into a transformative a year-end survey regarding creative assignments offered to learning process. (Taylor, Cranton, & both first- and second-year undergraduates: Associates, 2012, p. 7) They made me really think outside-the- Not surprisingly, there are a multitude of challenges box and really express myself and not when teaching from a transformative perspective within hold back. the hegemony of a traditional university system, with 112 Transformative Potential of Creative Assignments It [creative assignment] shows you what many pages?’ Consequently, time was spent elucidating you’re really capable of. the pedagogical premises for integrating creativity into academic assignments. Since they were asked to create a You should do more of these! It made visual or musical representation, I emphasized that this heading to class worth it. work was not about artistic ability, but about accessing parts of themselves that can be constrained by words. I Kept me interested. Was a lot better than spoke to how this kind of activity can take us to places writing papers. And the assignments where our surface mind does not normally venture had more meaning. (Lawrence, 2005). Moving beyond language to visual or musical representations can allow us to challenge perceived While the majority of student responses were positive, limitations and stereotypes (Greene, 1995; Olson, 2005). as faculty I observed clear differences between individual I explained that this course would offer a balance of students’ depth of understanding. Subsequent sharing creative and more traditional work, and I confirmed that and collaborative processing of an assignment often took there was indeed no paper due. students deeper than they were able to go on their own. For many, this challenged their definition of Over the course of the academic year, students an academic assignment and constituted a disorienting wrote and performed two voice poems, produced rap dilemma, initiating a transformative learning experience songs, collaboratively crafted photo essays, artistically “followed by a series of learning strategies involving critical explored their worldviews, and designed YaYa boxes as reflection, exploration of different roles and options, and a creative form of self-assessment. What follows is an negotiation and re-negotiation of relationships” (Taylor, example of a student assignment looked at in some detail, 1997, p. 51). with image and words excerpted from a year-end survey. This assignment came in all sizes and formats, Also included are faculty pedagogical intentions and ranging from collages to digital representations. For observations as recorded in a teaching journal, along with example, Figure 1 was done on an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of additional students’ thoughts and comments. paper with the use of pencil, ink, and watercolours. When presenting her worldview to her classmates, Connie (pseudonym) stood up and abruptly announced that she A Worldview Assignment was autistic and that she normally would not share this information openly with peers, but that if we were to understand her worldview, this was crucial. She explained I recently offered the Worldview Assignment in a second- how at a young age her world seemed bright and sunny, year undergraduate Approaches to Research course. I introduced it early, prior to exploring the epistemology, ontology, and methodologies of the various research paradigms. My intentions were for students to come to understand their own worldviews and share them with one another. They were asked to reflect on the people, places, events, and other beings that influenced them to become who they were, exploring premises or beliefs that define the way they view themselves. From this perspective they could begin to grasp how worldviews are intimately connected to the ways in which we interpret, engage with, and act in daily life. My belief is that gaining insight into a diverse other’s worldviews makes it easier to perceive the significance of different research approaches. As this was one of the first creative assignments Figure 1 students encountered in academia, my introduction was met with blank stares and the inevitable question, ‘But how Sample Worldview Assignment 113 Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching Vol. VI as represented on the left side of the drawing. However, teachers is how to assess it (Jackson, 2008). It should come upon entering junior high school she was bullied every as no surprise that, when experiencing the multiplicity day, and her view of the world became bleak. Wherever of demands in academic life, faculty tend to fall back she looked she now saw evil and darkness, as represented on the familiar. And yet, if our goal is to educate whole on the right side of her drawing. persons, accessing creativity in academic assignments is This was a key moment in the evolution of vitally important. As we ask students to step outside of this group. Though only the third week of class, my their comfort zones, faculty also need to confront the observations showed evidence that Connie was beginning hegemony of academic environments that control what is to be excluded due to some atypical behaviours. It was in perceived as possible. the sharing of this assignment that light bulbs clicked on, as Furthermore, unless we locate ourselves within students recognized their exclusive tendencies. In creatively the fine arts, we are not trained to discern quality artistic representing and communicating her worldview, Connie representation, nor should we attempt to. It would also elicited areas of commonality among student experiences not be appropriate to attempt to evaluate whether or (such as being bullied) and heartfelt discussions ensued. not transformative learning has transpired. What we This was not only an opening for Connie’s transformation, are looking for is the student’s level of engagement with but equally for others. In response to a year-end survey the material. As Allam (2008) suggests, “It is necessary exploring students’ experiences with the series of creative to separate process from product” (p. 284). Thus, it assignments, Connie was clear about the benefits of the can be helpful for a creative assignment to also include worldview assignment: a presentation or critically reflective paper in order to facilitate the elucidation of the student’s understanding For once I had to talk about my history and experience with the creative process and content. instead of hiding it and being judged for I have observed a marked difference in student my outlook...Let’s face it, an essay wasn’t confidence about these assignments as the semester going to bring out the raw emotion we progresses. Rather than trying to discretely hide their saw in the worldview project. creative work, as is common towards the beginning of the course, students express pride and can articulate their I participated in this first assignment in order to profound learning: demonstrate that I saw myself as part of the learning community, as well as to model the depth and breadth Even though at first they seemed like I expected in creative assignments and the learning easy assignments, they made you have potential therein. As demonstrated elsewhere, educational to DIG DEEP!! environments where students experience a balance between safety and risk taking build trust and genuine It surprised me that these assignments relationships; appropriately challenging endeavours can involved so much critical thinking! be supportive of both transformative learning and the creative process (Cranton, 2006; Mezirow, 2000; Kleiman, These assignments help to keep our 2008). My own observations, student self-evaluations, and minds open. survey responses affirmed that this assignment had helped to bring about a profound shift in perspectives: Personal I learned that I am capable of thinking insights were gained, dominant norms about inclusivity deeply and being a more creative were critically questioned and examined, and previously person than I originally thought. oppressive behaviours were challenged and revised. The primary intention of this paper is to stimulate other educators to explore the potential of introducing creative A Few Words About Assessment assignments into their practice. There is ample evidence of students’ enthusiasm, growth, and personal empowerment The aspect of creativity that poses the greatest challenge to throughout the paper. As noted earlier, some students’ 114 Transformative Potential of Creative Assignments initial responses to these assignments were incredulous. Conference Brisbane. While at first seen by some as simplistic, student surveys and my own observations have corroborated their Kleiman, P. (2008). Towards transformation: Conceptions value and encouraged me to continue developing and of creativity in higher education.Innovations in implementing them. Whether this transformative learning Education and Teaching International, 45(3), potential is due primarily to the creative aspect of these 209-217. assignments,or the result of a combination of ingredients including creativity calls for further research. Lawrence, R.L. (Ed.) (2005). Artistic ways of knowing: Expanded opportunities for teaching and learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing References Education,107. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Allam, C. (2008). Creative activity and its impact on McWilliam, E.L. (2007). Is creativity teachable? student learning: Issues of implementation. Conceptualising the creativity/pedagogy relationship Innovations in Education and Teaching in higher education. 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Fostering authentic relationships in Francisco: Jossey-Bass. the transformative classroom. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 109. San Olson, K. (2005). Music for community education Francisco: Jossey-Bass. and emancipatory learning. In R.L. Lawrence (Ed.), Artistic ways of knowing (pp. 55-64). New Donnelly, R. (2004). Fostering creativity within an Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, imaginative curriculum in higher education. The 107. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Curriculum Journal, 15(2), 155-166. Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2008). The thinker’s guide to the Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple nature and functions of critical and creative intelligences. New York: Basic Books thinking. Dillon Beach, CA: The Foundation for Critical Thinking. Greene, M. (1995). Releasing the imagination. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Taylor, E.W. (1997). Building upon the theoretical debate: A critical review of the empirical studies Jackson, N. (2008). Tackling the wicked problem of creativity of Mezirow’s transformative learning theory. in higher education. SCEPTrE Background paper Adult Education Quarterly, 48, 34-60. for a presentation at the ARC Centre for the Creative Industries and Innovation, International Taylor, W., Cranton, P. & Associates (2012). The handbook 115 Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching Vol. VI of transformative learning: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons. Biography Nicky Duenkel is an Assistant Professor in the Com- munity Studies Department at Cape Breton University. Her current teaching and research interests focus on the co-creation of transformative learning environments; the potential for action research methodologies to foster pro- found personal, social, and ecological change; and explor- ing the relationship between contemplative pedagogy and transformative learning. 116