ABSTRACT
This chapter explains global and educational trends affecting the United States and the Asia-Pacific region to provide a context for study of creativity in China. It takes the liberty of pursuing what it might mean to co-create across purposes, practices, and prospects of education within high-stakes accountability cultures. Creativity is described here as inextricably related to education and applied to the counterintuitive idea of creativity within modern-day regimes. The chapter describes economic challenges resulting in policy changes in China that will affect education. Educational trends intertwine with global trends in China, a country that is facing a stunted labor force and aging society yet experiencing a rapidly rising economy wherein "mass education" is being improved. Like many other countries, China is launching its education reforms not as an outgrowth of global-mindedness but in direct response to Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results.
