The Big Question:

On Adolescent Creativity in Online Learning

The final assignment for EDU800 was an “elevator pitch”—an exercise in developing the ability to clearly and succinctly communicate our current interests at any given time. Wow. It was hard—not the writing of it; the delivering of it. We were asked to create and post a two-minute video outlining our “big question” and our research interests. Below is take 572,846,000. This was tricky!

A second note: As an exploration, I used ChatGPT to cut down my original reflection from 750 words to 350. It did a great job of keeping the message, but not so great a job at keeping my “voice.”

Here’s the full version of where I hope to be going with my research… and why.

Opportunities for self-driven, informal learning for teens are on the rise, but little is known about what motivates students to seek these activities and what keeps adolescents engaged when they find these opportunities. There also is plenty of research on higher education online learning, but only scant research specifically on adolescent creativity in online courses. This makes it challenging to address a question I face every day in my work:

What instructional elements and techniques will best inspire motivation and engagement in teens in online courses in the creative arts?

Identifying the answer to this question requires examining key aspects of teen learning: motivation, engagement, creativity scholarship, the teen brain, and what research has revealed about features that engage teens in online courses.

I draw inspiration from established theories such as Self-Determination Theory, Garrison’s Community of Inquiry engagement, the ARCS model of instructional design motivation, and the Adolescent Community of Engagement framework. I will also look at recent scholarship on creativity, emphasizing both everyday creativity (small-c) and transformative creativity leading to significant breakthroughs or masterpieces (Big-C).

Understanding the nature of creativity involves delving into the sociocultural perspective of creativity, exemplified by scholars like Glăveanu. His work underscores the role of creativity in societal betterment. This vision of creativity aligns with the mission of the Interlochen Center for the Arts, which advocates for art as a transformative force. The institution’s commitment to purpose-driven creativity distinguishes it from other artistic enterprises, and reflects the belief that purpose underlies all activities of a Big-C creative individual.

So how can purposeful creativity be encouraged, motivated, and nurtured online?

To answer this question, I will look at what drives teens in the creative arts and what they report makes them feel engaged in online learning. I’ll also seek to identify effective strategies for teachers to nurture creativity in online learning environments, devise optimal ways for parents to support their teens in online learning, and explore existing models to determine which are most adaptable to online arts education.

Drawing from research in motivation, online learning, adolescent learning, creativity, and instructional design, the goal is to formulate the optimal model for online arts education that not only provides the opportunity for students to hone their artistic skills but also empowers them to leverage their creativity purposefully for the betterment of society.