Wednesday, April 13, 2005

The power of imagination


Early creativity - imagining the future? Posted by Hello



There are those that say we are in the twilight of a society based on data.

As intelligence and information becomes the domain of the computer society will place a new value on what can not be automated – emotions, imagination, intuition and creativity.

The imagination is particularly important and is not able to be measured. Imagination allows us to visualize a realistic future and prevents us from reaching premature conclusions, or hardening of the categories.

Imagination allows us to leap ahead into uncertainty and is our primary tool for progress because it is driven by incomplete information and inconclusive ideas. Not qualities loved by the planners who work by brute common sense!

Imagination unlocks creativity – and creativity is difficult quality to control.

Creativity also develops positive sense of self and the confidence 'to go where angels fear to tread'. Those with imagination and creativity are happy to stretch or bi-pass accepted rules and to invent new possibilities.

Without these qualities the 'status quo' rules the day – until it suffocates the very energy it needs for its own survival.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I reckon anyone with creativity and imagination will always have a hard time in education - or to be more accurate, schooling. Reminds me of a poem we learnt at school:

'If you stick to your desks and never go to sea
You wll be rulers of the Queens Navy.'

Anonymous said...

Couldn't agree more.Where are the courageous leaders? Seems to me too many principals get in the way of creativity! They act like middle managers busying themselves with paperwork and complying to the Ministry's latest nonsense.

Anonymous said...

Imagination and education just don't seem to go together. Even the art today is so step by step!

Anonymous said...

If we can't trust teachers to develop student creativity then we will never produce enough creative people to solve some of the problems we are currenty struggling with.

If teachers feel they have to comply then they will not have the courage to take the necessary learning risks.

Micro managing by the Ministry diminishes teacher creativity.