Creative Openings in the Social Interactions of Teaching

Abstract

What role does creativity play in the social interactions of teaching? The purpose of this brief communication is to address this question by introducing the concept of creative openings. Creative openings refer to unexpected breaks in otherwise planned teaching interactions that result in new and meaningful insights, perspectives and understandings. The concept of creative openings builds on recent work that has endeavored to explore how creative thought and action can emerge in the socio-psychological and material interactions of practice. The article opens by briefly introducing creative openings, highlights three key moment (interactional ruptures, interactional responses and interactional outcomes) that researchers can use to examine the trajectory of creative openings. The article closes with a brief example that illustrates these key moments and how they might be represented diagrammatically. Directions for future research are also discussed.