To start getting into this topic I again went back to research instead of directly into experimenting. For this I read some papers and reflected a lot on my own experiences in the different contexts I was faced with educational environments in this field (My high school, my bachelors, my exchange semester and now the masters). First, some collections of learning of the papers:
The first paper I read and was fascinated by was »Creativity: A social approach.« by Arthur Cropley.
He challenges the traditional view that creativity is purely an individual pursuit rooted in self-expression and internal traits. Instead, he proposes a social perspective, arguing that creativity is shaped by and contributes to the surrounding social environment. He says that creative acts are not only personal but also public, since they must be evaluated and accepted by others to be considered valuable or original. (Similar to the problem I mentioned in the first post, that ideas can never be truly original, since people draw them from their experiences and interactions)
But he also talks about creativity and its purpose, not only its roots. The paper explains that creativity can serve society both through its products and through its role in social and moral development. For example, creative ideas can improve mental health, foster openness and tolerance, and lead to technological or cultural innovation. Cropley outlines how norms, group dynamics, classroom climate, and societal expectations all affect whether creative behavior is encouraged or suppressed.
As for educational environments, he mentions classroom practices as strong supporters of so called orthodox creativity, aligning with traditional thoughts and judgements while he mentions so called radical creativity as an opposite, challenging these thoughts.
The paper concludes that creativity is not just about generating new ideas but also about navigating the social systems that judge, interpret, and implement those ideas. A supportive social environment, including mentors and a flexible classroom climate, is essential for creativity to flourish.
