On March 5 and 6, Okayama University International Creativity and STEAM Education Development, Graduate School of Education (CRE-Lab) held the second iteration of the International Forum on the Future of Creative Education, aptly titled “CRE-Lab FORUM 2022 The Creative Body”, at the 50th Anniversary Hall in a hybrid format. A total of 411 people attended the event, including 253 participants joining from overseas via Zoom.

The forum featured a discussion on what sort of skills should be fostered in a new teacher training program prioritizing creativity to be implemented at Okayama University Faculty of Education in the near future.

Eleven researchers participated in the discussion, including six researchers involved in the fields of creative education and STEAM education from America, China, and Taiwan. During the discussion, it was suggested that educators who successfully complete the teacher training program be called Creative Educators (CE). It is hoped that educational activities introduced by CE will foster “children with an abundance of creativity” that have the ability to contribute to a cultured society characterized by technological innovation.

During the forum, Professor Susan Rauchwerk from Lesley University in America commented, “In the US, training as a CE is not part of the mainstream teaching curriculum, although it may be included in extracurricular programs. I hope that more research will be done on how to integrate it into the curriculum.” Other international professors also commented positively about the training program, with Professor Li Lijia from Zhejiang Normal University in China and Professor Tao Xu Quan from Sichuan Normal University in China saying, “We support the CE program at Okayama University” and “This research will surely be discussed worldwide”, respectively.

The forum also included a video presentation by seven middle schools and high schools in Okayama City as well as by STEAM education practitioners in the UK about how CE can impact education in schools. Participants watched as children in the video joyfully expressed their interest in learning by engaging their bodies and five senses.

Furthermore, the forum featured lectures by guest speakers Professor OKADA Takeshi from the Graduate School of Education at Tokyo University, representative ICHIHARA Akihito from butoh dance group Sankai Juku and Senior Distinguished Researcher WATANABE Junji from NTT Communication Science Laboratories. 　

Next year, the forum is scheduled to be held on-site at the 50th Anniversary Hall on the 18 and 19 of March.
　

Okayama University International Creativity and STEAM Education Development, Graduate School of Education (CRE-Lab)