ABSTRACT
The subtle difference is not just semantic; educational researchers bring theory and context to the study of creativity that are vital to constructing educational theory and pedagogy associated with developing creative capacity in young people. At a microsystem level, developing creativity in students relies on models, strategies, and tactics. As creative education expands its research frontier, educational researchers need to employ experimental and quasi-experimental designs in real school settings to test the effectiveness of every one of these approaches. Teachers tend to find students' creative characteristics undesirable in class, even when those same teachers recognize developing creativity as a highly valued educational outcome. One way to better understand valid creative production among children and adolescents is to articulate and validate trajectories of creative behaviors and products within the curriculum areas of schools. As educational researchers turn attention to developing creativity in school settings, they will likely need partnerships with school systems.
