ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to challenge the common views on the nature of creativity and to make a case for the role of education in enhancing an individual's creative potential. It explores some foundational models of creativity, such as the four-stage theory and the primary-secondary thinking process theory, which shape the basic understanding of the nature of creativity. The chapter discusses two underlying factors, defocused attention and emotions, which may have a significant influence on creative thinking. It articulates the challenges in fostering creativity and provides several strategies aimed at fostering creativity in educational contexts. The curriculum plays an important role in fostering creativity on a course because teaching and learning practices are often based directly on its design and content. The chapter provides a number of insights into both the nature of creativity and its relevance to education, by reviewing relevant models of creativity and examining the underlying factors which influence creative thinking processes.
