This presentation was given by Zemira Mevarech at the conference “Creativity and Critical Thinking Skills in School: Moving a shared agenda forward” on 24-25 September 2019, London, UK.

1. Creativity can be taught: The effects
of meta-creativity pedagogy
Zemira R. Mevarech
zemiram@dyellin.ac.il
OECD, London
September, 2019

2. Nasa Study on Creativity
At the genius level are:
98% at the age 5-6 years
30% at the age of 10 years
12% at the age of 15 years
2% adults

3. Meta-Creativity Pedagogy:
Habits of mind
Meta-creativity is being creative about the
creativity process and product
The acronym CREATE is applied to foster students'
creativity and critical thinking
• Core problem and sub-problems: What is the problem
all about ?
• Reconstruct connections to generate new ideas
• Explaining and Experimenting
• Additional ideas/ strategies/ methods/ technologies
• True-but …
• Evaluation

4. Example of a Task for Elementary School
Students:
How would you change the London Bridge?
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Org-before Org-After
Originality
Exp. Control

5. Examples of Original Ideas
*Put a devise in the bridge to purify the river water
*Show movies on a screen between the two towers
*Add an automatic machine to collect money for
those who want to get into the towers
*Planet trees & flowers on the upper bridge
Widen the bridge for cars
Put an advertisement between
the two towers: ”I Love London”
Construct a terrace on the upper bridge for tourists
Categories: Design, Scientific, Math, Economy,
Technology, Constructions, Tourism

6. Conclusions and Open Questions
Creativity can be enhanced by meta-creative pedagogies
in elementary and secondary schools; in math and
science classrooms
What are the long term effects of Meta-creativity
pedagogies?
To what extent can the effects of meta-creativity be
transferred to other domains?
To what extent the positive effects of meta-creativity are
a function of the task novelty?
How can we continue our international collaboration?