DCU Changemaker Schools Network welcomes 16 new schools at Conference

The organisers, John White and Seán Ormsby of DCU CSN noted that the choice of venue was not by accident, given the conference’s title: ‘Creativity and Citizenship in DCU Changemaker Schools’. Creativity is one of the central pillars which underpins the work of Changemaker schools. 

While the conference provided delegates with fascinating insights into current thinking about creativity and ‘possibilities, it also had a very grounded and practical nature. One of the presenters, Eliya Lavine from Creative Schools Ireland provided a workshop for delegates in the outdoor tree area of St Patrick’s Campus, offering insights into how the outdoors, creativity and citizenship are naturally entwined. In a similar vein, Catherine Sheridan from Creative Ireland delivered a workshop on creativity which focused on the power and active manner by which children can be creative through drama. Alan Morgan from UCD encouraged delegates to ‘reimagine' teaching and learning through creative experimentation and ‘shapeshifting’, which explored problem solving and considered ‘entrepreneurial mindsets’ in the context of being a citizen of the present and the future. 

The intriguing and creative work was contextualised by two other key inputs. Firstly, seven children from Scoil Chiaráin, Donnycarney presented on three creative projects they have been working on, highlighting how creativity is fun, possible and very meaningful in terms of children’s learning. Secondly, the conference was underpinned by the thought-provoking presentation by its keynote speaker, Prof Vlad Glăveanu (Full Professor of Psychology in DCU’s School of Psychology and Director of the DCU Centre for Possibility Studies). 

Prof Glaveanu offered a wide range of perspectives on creativity. His presentation highlighted the power of perspective for creativity, the necessity to prepare children as citizens of the future and to also empower them to shape it. The keynote explored how creativity and possibility thinking can transform learning and provided many practical suggestions about ‘creative education’, to include a ‘Pedagogies of the Possible framework’ for delegates to consider. 

The conference also welcomed 16 new schools to the network, with each school providing a short video of their school. These videos revealed the very exciting and enriching expertise which these new schools will bring to the DCU Changemaker Schools Network. The creative manner by which they developed these videos highlighted the power of collaboration and the use of multimedia approaches in learning.

The conference illustrated the power and ‘magic’ of creativity and children as citizens of the future. It effectively explored and examined how we ‘can do’ creativity and citizenship in schools. It also inspired and reminded delegates of the fun and value of using creative approaches for children as learners and citizens of the future. 

Dr John White, Director of DCU Changemakers spoke about the conference afterwards noting: 

“The conference was indeed exciting and enlightening. I felt there was a sense of ‘magic’ and excitement in the air. It highlighted for me, as an educator, the huge value of creativity in children’s learning. Conversations with delegates about creativity, reminded me of the many and varied ways by which DCU Changemaker schools are actually creative. It also reminds me of the fun, excitement and actual wide spectrum of learning which creativity can propagate. I am convinced that creativity really needs to be centre stage in all our thinking about children’s educational experiences.” 

You can find more information about the DCU Changemaker Schools Network here.