Does A Formal Education Prevent One From Being Creative?

The article discusses the controversial role of formal education in promoting creativity and reducing it. It suggests that traditional education, particularly K-college, is overly focused on getting right answers and standardized testing, which can negatively impact students’ creativity. The paper also highlights that traditional education does not sufficiently value innovative and entrepreneurial thinking, as NASA tests have shown.

The paper presents seven evidence-informed propositions about the oppression of creativity in traditional educational processes. It discusses how a creative learning perspective can help reframe this question and clarify the educational consequences of doing so. The article also explores the perceptions of teachers and science outreach practitioners regarding their theoretical stance on the issue.

The author argues that formal education disciplines creativity and makes it easier to be creative. Education systems often lack creativity, stifling students’ imagination and innovation skills due to a rigid curriculum that values memorization over creativity. The author advises choosing small steps to make learning more enjoyable.

The idea that formal education reduces creativity is supported by anecdotes rather than scientific evidence. Schools can diminish creativity by the teaching style they use, with subjects like math, science, and history often suppressing creativity. The article concludes by outlining five considerations for educators to consider when addressing the issue of formal education.