The session started with Norman providing a history of his work with QAA, HEA, Surrey University and some of the projects he had undertaken.

Creativity is both messy and emergent. Development is intentional movement towards something different that has potential to be better than what currently exists or to add value to what exists.

There is a developmental spectrum:

• Doing the right things
• Doing things right
• Doing things better
• Stopping doing things

Creativity is about bringing ideas into practice such as the production of a novel or useful ideas but it must be appropriate to the goal in hand. The process of creativity is imagine, develop, make and produce.

There has been some recent research with educational developers who believe that creativity is using imagination, having idea which are new to you, changing understanding, having ideas that are new to the context, seeing situations from different perspectives and the ability to combine new ideas in interesting and meaningful ways. They also said most people can develop creativity if they are given the opportunity and circumstances.

Amabile T (1983) developed a three construct which is creative thinking, motivation and context and then when these are all in place creativity emerges.

Kaufman & Berghetto (2009)developed a four C model

• Mini C – changes in our understanding
• Little C – everyday creative thoughts and actions in every aspect of our lives
• Medium C – creative acts of experts
• Big C – eminent creativity

Some of the qualities, skills, capabilities, knowledge, attitudes and values enabling creativity include optimism, passion, curiosity, tenacity, trust, reflection, courage, sense of humour, visioning, design, ideas, collaboration and improvisation.

Factors that inhibit creativity include fear, lack of confidence, stress, lack of autonomy, apathy, lack of engagement, managers who don’t get it, KPI’s and meetings without meaning.

You need to think it’s my idea and if I don’t try it I will never know.

For more information about Norman’s work and to see this presentation and papers follow this link http://www.normanjackson.co.uk/seda.html