Andreas Schleicher (OECD Directorate for Education and Skills) presents at the webinar 'How are education policies supporting students to think creatively?' Creative thinking is consistently named among the top skills that employers are looking for. But OECD research suggests that creativity in students drops as they pass through the school system. How can education systems ensure that all young people can develop and strengthen their creative thinking skills as part of their formal education? What policies are needed? The OECD webinar explored how education systems worldwide are handling this issue. Speakers include: Angela Bravo Chacon, Unesco Perú, former National Director of Secondary and Primary Education at Peruvian Ministry of Education Bo Stjerne Thomsen, Chair of Learning through Play, LEGO Foundation Andreas Schleicher, OECD Directorate for Education and Skills Moderated by Bill Lucas, Professor of Learning and Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester It can be found via the website :https://oecdedutoday.com/oecd-education-webinars/

1. Supporting Students to
Think Creatively: What
Education Policy Can Do
Insights from PISA 2022-participating jurisdictions

2. The rise of Big Tech
Figure 1.4
Source: OECD(2019), An Introduction to Online Platforms and Their Role in the Digital Transformation, https://doi.org/10.1787/53e5f593-en;
`companies’ annual reports; and https://macrotrends.net
0
100
200
300
400
500
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Annual
revenue
(USD
billion)
Apple Facebook
Amazon Google
0
100
200
300
400
500
2005 2008 2011 2014 2017 2020
General Motors Exxon Mobil Ford Motor General Electric
Annual revenue of top four companies from the Fortune 500 in 1960 vs “Big Four” tech companies, 2005-2020

3. Intangible innovation
Trademark applications for the top five offices, 1940-2019
Figure 1.3
Source: WIPO (2020), World Intellectual Property Indicators 2020, https://www.wipo.int/
0
500
1 000
1 500
2 000
2 500
1940
1943
1946
1949
1952
1955
1958
1961
1964
1967
1970
1973
1976
1979
1982
1985
1988
1991
1994
1997
2000
2003
2006
2009
2012
2015
2018
Number
of
applications
(Thousands)
United States India Brazil Korea China
2019

4. 15-year-olds report lower creativity than 10-year-olds
Age gaps in creativity
-75
-50
-25
0
25
Bogota Daegu Helsinki Houston Istanbul Manizales Moscow Ottawa Suzhou
mean scale difference (students and
parents)
mean scale difference (teachers)
Figure 4.3

5. What is creative thinking?
“…the competence to engage productively in the generation,
evaluation and improvement of ideas that can result in
original and effective solutions, advances in knowledge, and
impactful expressions of imagination”

6. Creative thinking in curricula
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
All or almost all subjects
(>75%)
Some subjects (25-75%) Few subjects or none
(<25%)
Primary education (N=80)
ALB, AU-QLD, AUT,
AU-TAS, BEL (Fr.),
BEL (Gr.)*, BRN, CA-
MB, CA-NL, CA-NS,
CA-ON, CA-PE, CHE
(Fr.), CHE (Gr.), CHL,
CRI, DNK, ESP, EST,
FRO, GB-ENG*, GB-
NIR*, GB-SCT, GB-
WLS, HKG, HRV,
HUN, IDN, IRL, ISL,
JOR, KAZ, KOR, LTU,
LVA, MAC, MNE,
MNG*, NOR, PHL,
PSE*, ROU*, SGP,
SVN, SWE, TWN,
UKR, VNM
AZ-BA*, BEL (Fl.)*,
BGR, BRA, CA-AB,
CA-BC, CA-NB, COL,
CZE, DOM, FIN, FRA,
ISR*, ITA, KHM, MEX,
NZL, PER, POL, QAT,
SLV, SRB, SVK, THA,
TUR, URY, UZB
DEU, GRC, JPN, NLD,
PRY
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
All or almost all subjects
(>75%)
Some subjects (25-75%) Few subjects or none
(<25%)
Secondary education (N=81)
ALB, AU-QLD, AUT,
AU-TAS, AZ-BA*,
BEL (Fl.)*, BEL
(Gr.)*, BRN, CA-MB,
CA-NL, CA-NS, CA-
ON, CA-PE, CA-
QC*, CHL, CRI,
DNK, DOM, ESP,
FIN, FRO, GB-NIR,
GB-SCT, GB-WLS,
HKG, HRV, HUN,
IDN, IRL, ISR, JOR,
KOR, LTU, LVA,
MAC, MNE, MNG,
NOR, PHL, PSE,
ROU*, SGP, SVN,
SWE, TUR, TWN,
UKR, UZB, VNM
BEL (Fr.), BGR, BRA,
CA-AB, CA-BC, CA-
NB, COL, CZE, EST,
FRA, GB-ENG, ISL*,
JPN, KAZ, KHM, MKD,
MYS, NLD, NZL, PER,
POL, QAT, SLV, SRB,
SVK, THA, URY
DEU, GRC, ITA, MEX,
PRY
Percentage
of
jurisdictions
Source: OECD, PISA 2022 System-Level Questionnaire on Creative Thinking
To what extent do curricula internationally refer to creative thinking?

7. Empowering teachers
Source: OECD, PISA 2022 System-Level Questionnaire on Creative Thinking
69
45
31
55
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Developing students creativity (58) Assessing students creativity (56)
Primary education
Yes No
62
41
38
59
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Developing students creativity (66) Assessing students creativity (64)
Secondary education
Yes No
Percentage
of
jurisdictions
ALB, AUT, BEL
(Fl.), BRA, BRN,
CA-ON, CA-QC,
CHE (Gr.), CHL,
DNK, DOM,
ESP, EST, FRO,
GB-ENG, GB-
NIR, GB-WLS,
HRV, HUN, IDN,
IRL, ISL, ITA,
JOR, JPN, LVA,
MEX, MKD,
MNG, MYS,
NOR, PER,
PHL, POL, QAT,
SGP, SLV, TUR,
UKR, VNM
BEL (Fr.), CA-MB,
CA-NB, CA-NL,
CA-NS, COL,
CZE, FIN, FRA,
GB-SCT, ISR,
KAZ, KOR, MAC,
NLD, PRT, PRY,
ROU
ALB, BEL (Fl.),
BRN, CA-ON, CA-
QC, CHL, DNK,
DOM, ESP, GB-
ENG, GB-NIR,
GB-WLS, HUN,
IDN, JOR, JPN,
LVA, MNG, MYS,
NOR, PHL, QAT,
SGP, TUR, VNM
AUT, BEL (Fr.),
BRA, CA-MB, CA-
NB, CA-NL, CA-
NS, COL, CZE,
EST, FIN, FRA,
FRO, GB-SCT,
HRV, ISL, ISR,
ITA, KAZ, KOR,
MAC, MEX, MKD,
NLD, PER, POL,
PRT, PRY, ROU,
UKR, URY
ALB, AUT, BEL
(Fl.), BRA, BRN,
CA-ON, CA-QC,
CHL, DOM, ESP,
EST, FRO, GB-
ENG, GB-NIR,
GB-WLS, GRC,
HRV, HUN, IDN,
IRL, ISL, ITA,
JAM, JOR, JPN,
KHM, LVA, MNE,
MNG, MYS,
NOR, PER, PHL,
POL, QAT, SGP,
SLV, TUR, TWN,
UKR, VNM
COL, BEL (Fr.),
CA-MB, CA-NB,
CA-NL, CA-NS,
CZE, DEU, DNK,
FIN, FRA, GB-
SCT, ISR, KAZ,
KOR, MAC, MEX,
MKD, NLD, NZL,
PRT, PRY, PSE,
ROU, THA
ALB, BEL (Fl.),
BRN, CA-ON,
CA-QC, CHL,
DOM, ESP, GB-
ENG, GB-NIR,
GB-WLS, GRC,
HUN, IDN, JAM,
JOR, JPN, LVA,
MNG, MYS,
NOR, PHL, QAT,
SGP, TUR, VNM
AUT, BEL (Fr.),
BRA, CA-MB,
CA-NB, CA-NL,
CA-NS, COL,
CZE, DEU, DNK,
EST, FIN, FRA,
FRO, GB-SCT,
HRV, ISL, ISR,
ITA, KAZ, KHM,
KOR, MAC,
MEX, MKD,
NLD, NZL, PER,
POL, PRT, PRY,
PSE, ROU, THA,
TWN, UKR, URY
Do system-level guidelines or requirements for initial teacher education refer to creative thinking?

8. 93
92
86
84
82
78
68
66
60
59
56
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of jurisdictions
Primary education
90
88
86
88
82
79
71
67
58
64
62
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percentage of jurisdictions
Secondary education
(73) Visual Arts (73)
(73) Performance Arts (72)
(74) Science (76)
(62) Technology (69)
(76) Mathematics (76)
(65) Foreign Languages (70)
(70) Geography (73)
(68) Physical Education (71)
(69) History (73)
(62) CItizenship (68)
Reading, Writing and
Literature
(80)
(77)
Creative thinking in curricula
Source: OECD, PISA 2022 System-Level Questionnaire on Creative Thinking
How do references to creative thinking vary across curricular subjects?

9. Challenges to integrating creative thinking in education
Source: OECD, PISA 2022 System-Level Questionnaire on Creative Thinking
10
13
18
26
32
38
43
45
51
52
53
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
None / Not available
Other
Lack of political will or high level strategy focused on developing creativity
Unclear evidence suppoering the integration of creativity in education
Financial constraints
Focus on preparing for high stakes exams
Lack of system-level guidelines, standards or learning progressions on developing creativity
Lack of appropriate facilities, equipment and/or materials
Lack of teacher training or pedagogical resources
Lack of assessment focus on creativity
Overcrowded curriculum
Percentage of jurisdictions

10. Building blocks:
• Redefining learning goals
• Adapting teaching and learning
• Innovating assessment
Principles for action:
• Harnessing evidence and research
• Taking a whole of system approach
• Building capacity
Working out change: Designing comprehensive and coherent policies

11. Adapting teaching and learning
12
13
39
42
45
54
64
67
69
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
None / Not applicable
Other
Funding/scholarship for teachers to participate in creativity-related
activities or research
Organised visits to/from creative practitioners (e.g. designers, poets,
performers, engineers)
Funding for creative materials, equipment and/or facilities (e.g. art
studios, makerspaces, performance…
Funding to run creative programmes or projects
Professional development for teachers on developing creative
pedagogy
Professional development for teachers on developing students'
creativity
Teaching resources on creative pedagogies or lesson plans (e.g.
online portals)
Percentage of jurisdictions
Source: OECD, PISA 2022 System-Level Questionnaire on Creative Thinking
What are other means of system-level support for teachers and schools to promote students’ creative thinking?

12. Innovating assessments
Source: OECD, PISA 2022 System-Level Questionnaire on Creative Thinking
24
10
66
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Yes Currently in development No
Percentage
of
jurisdictions
AU-QLD, BRN, CA-AB, CA-
ON, DNK, ESP, EST, FIN,
FRO, GB-ENG, GB-NIR, GB-
SCT, GB-WLS, IRL, JAM, JPN,
LVA, MAC, MNE, PHL, VNM
BEL (Fr.), CA-MB, COL, DOM, JOR,
MNG, QAT, UKR, URY
ALB, AU-ACT, AU-NT, AUT,
AU-TAS, AZ-BA, BEL (Fl.),
BEL (Gr.), BGR, BRA, CA-BC,
CA-NB, CA-NL, CA-NS, CA-
PE, CA-QC, CA-SK, CHE
(Gr.), CHE (Gr.), CHL, CRI,
CZE, DEU, FRA, GRC, HKG,
HRV, HUN, IDN, ISL, ISR, ITA,
KAZ, KHM, KOR, LTU, MEX,
MKD, MYS, NLD, NOR, NZL,
PAN, PER, POL, PRT, PRY,
PSE, ROU, SGP, SLV, SRB,
SVK, SVN, SWE, THA, TUR,
TWN, UZB
Are there formal system-level guidelines (e.g. learning progressions, rubrics) or evaluations on creative thinking?

13. How do we measure creative thinking in PISA 2022?

14. What can we learn about education systems from these assessments?
1. A snapshot of comparative performance by
students around the world
2. Insight into performance strengths and
weaknesses by country
3. Correlation between creative thinking and core
literacies
4. Correlation between creative thinking and
education policies and practices