Barriers to Creativity in Engineering Education: A Study of Instructors and Students Perceptions

Abstract

This paper studies “creativity” in engineering education, by examining the perception of instructors and students. We aim to identify factors that impede a creative environment (creativity blockers). The study entails a review of established research in the fields of psychology and educational psychology to identify factors which create an educational environment conducive to creativity. These factors are formalized in the Ten Maxims of Creativity in Education, a set of criteria that constitute an educational environment conducive to fostering creativity in students. These maxims form the basis for our work in examining the contemporary engineering education. Extensive surveys are designed, created, distributed, and statistically quantified to study the perceptions of engineering educators and students, in comparison to nonengineering educators and students. The results unfortunately show that current engineering students experience almost none of the Ten Maxims of Creativity as part of their academic experiences.