Research Paper Introduction

Creativity gives way to innovation and discovery. It is what drives society to become bigger, better, and bolder than the day before rather than remaining stagnant and unchanging. Therefore, creativity is one of the most valuable traits to instill in future generations, as a valuable asset in every situation. In arts education especially, ingenuity and originality are among the most highly esteemed qualities to have, because whether it be visual or performing, arts provides an avenue for the development of self-expression and imagination. While science and math education tends to focus more on practicality, arts education relies more on innovative expression. Since the advent of the digital age, technology has played a significant role in arts education through devices such as the smart phone and the personal computer amplifying connective programs like the Web and the Internet, creating better communication among artists and easier-to-obtain knowledge and resources. The increase in technological use in the arts opens the door for a collective empowerment and inquiry among artists. John Vail and Robert Hollands, in their article titled “Creative Democracy and the Arts: The Participatory Democracy of the Amber Collective,” define this as a creative democracy. Whether or not this interconnectedness results in a positive amplification of creative thinking or a mindless redirection of mental resources is up to debate among educators. Cathy Davidson, in her essay “Project Classroom Makeover,” presents a case for the introduction of technology in education to increase the development of creative thinking through a method called crowdsourcing. Meanwhile, in “The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism,” Jonathan Lethem takes a more philosophical approach, delving into what defines creativity and examples of how creative democracy has affected artists throughout history, in which technology plays a role in as well. As history shows, technology has not been consistently successful in promoting creativity in arts education. Only when implemented in a way that applies creative democracy while limiting the size of its influence can technology be properly used as a means of arts education.