I hope you have read the previous article - When are you Creative? (one click) before you read further.
I have successfully finished week 1 through from being a sloth initially and through perseverance moved to week 2 of Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success by Peter Childs. In Week 2 I am introduced to Creativity Tools. An analogy that popped out my head was - Is a coding platform a creative tool? Or Coding aides in creativity? The 21st Century skills lists 4Cs and one of C’s is Creativity. EdTech companies that offer Coding, AI, Robotics and ML claim on augment of creativity. I see National Education Policy, known as NEP 2020 of India recommends Coding from Grade 6 through 8 and AI for Grade 9 to 12. My analogy is itself a creativity tool. Let me try answering if Coding Platform is a creativity tool.
According to Peter Childs creativity will
(a) enhance clarity - often linked to logical thinking in coding
(b) the quantities of responses - peer to peer learning
(c) Ideas that are distinct - iteration and complexity of the problem solving approach, for example creation of an app with one to several features to perform task(s)
I see a close relation to the above points on activities that Edtech's like QtPi runs such as (a)* weekend Facebook & Youtube live Coding & Robotic session where kids share their learning process with a coach (b)** another weekend live session where kids teach others in a group, something like peer to peer learning. Now the question is, does one use Creativity tool while coding? I definitely see tools like - analogy in a problem-solving process if coached than a self-learning course for kids. Tools helps in aiding to understand the complex problems by simplification.
I think one of an interesting approach to use creativity tool is call out the propose the problem statement ahead of time with some reference material to read. Letting people know ahead would help in lower anxiety of learning or influence of peers who might quick to grasp or take centre stage. The objective of learning will remain as centre of the session with creativity tools to aide in smooth learning. It’s fair to have use well-established rules or set some rules with objectives of the session.
Do you think coding platform is a creativity tool?