For many a century art played a prominent role in society. Artisans were seen as master craftsmen who spent years under the tutelage of the exalted artists before them. Patrons of the arts were the norm rather than the exception, and artists devoted their lives in pursuit of creative expression. Though highly regarded for their artistic skill, those without benefactors struggled to exist, for wealth and power have long been an influential force in both the creator and the creation of art. Sadly to say, time has not changed this truth, since today these ‘works of art’ fetch millions of dollars, when once the artist could barely subsist. The great divide between those who are celebrated for their creative endeavours and those that are dismissed, reinforces societies’ perception that a select few have the creative ability or the know- how (or who) to succeed. The reality of this scenario can be seen in the importance curriculums confer on mathematics and science than that given to the arts, which is also the first to be cut in times of trouble.
In contrast to its institutional decline, the 20th c saw the purchasing power of art reach astronomical levels, while the acquisition of artistic skills sunk to an all time low. There seems to be a great imbalance in our perception between the worth of art and the development of skills required to create such art. We need only to look into a child’s world to see the potential for learning that can be achieved through creative play. For the first decade of their lives children learn by interacting with the world around them. A baby begins to explore its surroundings through touch, and as the child develops over time a sense of wonderment begins to emerge. This curiosity leads the child into a world of discovery through exploration, experimentation, and imagination. In the course of these creative interactions children learn to negotiate the environment around them without the fear of failure or the need for perfection. Since much of their day revolves around play, we look for ways to make that which they dislike appear more enticing, and so it is a creative mind that can turn a zucchini into a mouse and design a flip flop from potatoes and green beans.
Unfortunately, the incredibly visual world of the child slowly diminishes as they progress through school, and in so doing the creative mind that taught them so well is overshadowed by the mechanics of standardized curriculums. By the time they reach high school, that child’s sense of wonderment and eagerness to learn is no longer the powerful force it once was. Creative learning has been replaced with transference of knowledge with little allowance for creative input or prior learning. This method of teaching follows them throughout their academic lives, until armed with an industrialized education they enter the workforce as the machines we have built them to be.
Luckily the journey down the path of artistic constraint need not be the only way, the time has come to once again celebrate the value creativity has on learning, for the 21st c has brought forth the possibility for a new era in education to emerge. No longer restrained by bricks and mortar, the technological revolution exploded across the world, and in doing so connected people once separated by geographical borders. With the tools that digital technology can provide and the knowledge to use them already being applied, this digital generation needs a curriculum that fosters the growth of their creative self, not one that leaves it smouldering. The workers of tomorrow need an environment in which they can build upon their knowledge with likeminded individuals anywhere the web can reach. Academia should be a place where learning is not just the acquisition of knowledge, but an encouraging influence in the development of a creative, critical mind. Technology has brought the world to our doorstep; we have only to open the door to see the possibilities within.
In contrast to its institutional decline, the 20th c saw the purchasing power of art reach astronomical levels, while the acquisition of artistic skills sunk to an all time low. There seems to be a great imbalance in our perception between the worth of art and the development of skills required to create such art. We need only to look into a child’s world to see the potential for learning that can be achieved through creative play. For the first decade of their lives children learn by interacting with the world around them. A baby begins to explore its surroundings through touch, and as the child develops over time a sense of wonderment begins to emerge. This curiosity leads the child into a world of discovery through exploration, experimentation, and imagination. In the course of these creative interactions children learn to negotiate the environment around them without the fear of failure or the need for perfection. Since much of their day revolves around play, we look for ways to make that which they dislike appear more enticing, and so it is a creative mind that can turn a zucchini into a mouse and design a flip flop from potatoes and green beans.
Unfortunately, the incredibly visual world of the child slowly diminishes as they progress through school, and in so doing the creative mind that taught them so well is overshadowed by the mechanics of standardized curriculums. By the time they reach high school, that child’s sense of wonderment and eagerness to learn is no longer the powerful force it once was. Creative learning has been replaced with transference of knowledge with little allowance for creative input or prior learning. This method of teaching follows them throughout their academic lives, until armed with an industrialized education they enter the workforce as the machines we have built them to be.
Luckily the journey down the path of artistic constraint need not be the only way, the time has come to once again celebrate the value creativity has on learning, for the 21st c has brought forth the possibility for a new era in education to emerge. No longer restrained by bricks and mortar, the technological revolution exploded across the world, and in doing so connected people once separated by geographical borders. With the tools that digital technology can provide and the knowledge to use them already being applied, this digital generation needs a curriculum that fosters the growth of their creative self, not one that leaves it smouldering. The workers of tomorrow need an environment in which they can build upon their knowledge with likeminded individuals anywhere the web can reach. Academia should be a place where learning is not just the acquisition of knowledge, but an encouraging influence in the development of a creative, critical mind. Technology has brought the world to our doorstep; we have only to open the door to see the possibilities within.