Creative learning process in mathematics education: teachers' descriptions and methods for promoting creative thinking and learning

This study examines how teachers describe creative learning processes, how they are used, and how they are made visible in mathematics teaching in the early school years. The research questions are: - How do teachers describe a creative learning process and which teaching methods in mathematics are used to enhance creative thinking and learning? - Are there instances when creative learning processes do not enhance creative thinking and learning? - In teachers’ descriptions of their mathematics teaching, what different forms of creativity appear in the education? In this study, sociocultural theory and a model of aesthetics learning by Lindström are used to analyze the results. Interaction and sense making are two concepts which are used in sociocultural theory and learning about, in, with and through are concepts from Lindströms’ model. To generate data, mathematics ‘teachers are interviewed to gain insight into teachers' experiences of creativity in mathematics education. All the teachers in this study agree that creative learning processes are hard to define but they agree with researchers that it is usable and enhances students' mathematics achievements. The teachers also highlight the importance of variation in teaching which affects the teaching methods. In the discussion, questions are raised about whether teachers are unable to use creativity when pupils are working to secure the foundation in mathematics.