Study examines importance of creativity in education and career success

Computer software company Adobe has released “Creativity and Education: Why it Matters,” a new study that sheds light on the role of creativity in career success and the growing belief that creativity is not just a personality trait, but a learned skill.

Creativity and Education infographic courtesy of Dexigner

The study interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,000 full-time salaried workers ages 25 and older with at least a four-year college degree. When asked to define creativity, the majority of respondents said they associate creative thinking with “thinking out of the box,” or “the ability to come up with innovative ideas.” A majority of the participants agreed not only that creative thinking is critical for problem solving in their career, but also that creativity is required for economic growth, is valuable to society, and is important in their career. Yet, a significant portion said they don’t feel comfortable thinking creatively in their career, and a large majority wished they had more creative ability.

The majority of respondents also felt that creativity is a skill that can be learned and should be taught. The study points to a growing awareness – especially among professionals – that creativity and creative thinking deserve a bigger role in education. The majority of those interviewed agreed there is more to preparing for success in school than learning subjects, and wished they had more exposure to creative thinking as students.

“Around the world, educators are already fostering creative thinking with their students… What this study is telling us is that we need to empower and accelerate this shift. Creativity is a critical competency that should be taught within all disciplines. This will drive the global economy and the career success of the next generation.”

– Jon Perera, vice president of education for Adobe

Read more about the report at http://www.dexigner.com/news/25894 and download the PDF report at http://cdx.dexigner.com/article/23057/Creativity_and_Education.pdf

Via: Dexigner