Promoting creativity in engineering education: A theoretical framework based on a scoping review

Abstract

Creativity is an essential competence for engineering graduates, as they must develop novel and functional solutions to meet the challenges of their professional careers. Consequently, there is a growing demand from society for universities to cultivate graduates with strong creative skills. Despite extensive research on this topic over the past few decades, a comprehensive assessment of the existing literature is notably lacking. This study addresses this gap by presenting ten key recommendations for fostering creativity in engineering education, grounded in a novel theoretical framework derived from a scoping review across five domains: philosophy, psychology, education, design, and STEM. The literature search identified over 8,000 sources, with 414 articles assessed for eligibility and 45 deemed most significant in explaining creativity within these domains. Using Mel Rhodes' 4Ps Model of Creativity, the selected literature was systematically analyzed and categorized, leading to the development of a holistic theoretical framework that delineates the critical components necessary for promoting creativity in engineering education and lays a foundation for future advancements in the field. The results show that every individual possesses creative potential, although it needs to be actively fostered through education to fully develop it. In higher education, efforts should focus on achieving effective creativity, a combination of inborn creativity and domain-specific knowledge. For engineering degrees, this can be accomplished by explaining the creative process to solve real-life problems. The responsibility lies with the higher education system to transform universities into environments where creative attitudes are not only permitted but also rewarded.

This work has been funded by the Departament de Recerca I Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya – 2021 SGR 01412.

Peer Reviewed

4 - Educació de Qualitat

Postprint (published version)