Experiences in designing and implementing a whole brain creativity and thinking programme for pre-service teachers: a narrative action research.

Abstract

The Whole Brain Creativity and Thinking Programme and Model are innovative and creative, designed for pre-service teachers and undergraduates as an intervention in bridging the gaps in professional development and pedagogy and methodology. It is designed using Design Thinking as a short programme for bridging gaps between school and university and between university and professional development. The foundation of the study is based on Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 4 for inclusive education and SDG 11 for sustainable cities. The WBCTP is based on Ned Herrmann’s seminal book, The Whole Brain Business Book (1996). The conceptual framework, together with the Whole Brain Creativity and Thinking model (Herman, 1996), includes Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Imagination, Mindfulness, cognition and metacognition, visual literacy and the five (5) senses. It is the lens for analysis of my designing and implementing the programme. The questions for the qualitative research: What was the Whole Brain Creativity and Thinking programme about? How was the programme and model designed and implemented? Why was it designed and implemented in that way? I used an interpretive, qualitative, narrative action research design in this study based on my experiences designing and implementing the WBCT programme and model. Data gathering entailed document analysis (reflective journal, student work) and visual methodology (videos and drawings). The data was analysed using content analysis to analyse and interpret the content of textual data. In four interactive and profound workshops I created (the four action research cycles used for the presentation of the finding), I created, designed and implemented four concepts for the future of tertiary institutions or higher education and schools embracing technology and hybrid teaching and learning, launching us into the 21st Century of multiverse teaching and learning. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to use their whole brain rather than their right or left- brain for thinking and learning. Subsequently, they can enjoy an enhanced teaching and learning experience and provide the same experience in their classrooms. Cycle One focused on Sustainability: Examining Environmental Sustainable Development, Sustainability, and Sustainable Development. Cycle two focused on Imagineering: A portmanteau for Imagination and Engineering. Cycle three focused on Business Model: Encouraging Teacherpreneurship and the Profitability of Teaching and Learning as a global citizen. Cycle four focused on STEAM: A holistic model for teaching and learning by including the Arts in STEM education, Science, Technology and Mathematics. In each cycle, Step One is on the Introduction and Focus, Step Two is on the designing, step three is implementation, and Step 4 is on the reflection and recommendation. For whole and holistic pre-service teachers with self-worth and reliance, I, in the programme, sought to enhance their comprehension of leadership and success unequalled to mediocrity and complacency and that teaching and learning would only change by applying mentally and emotionally strong executive functioning skills and socio-emotional learning, including the difference between right-brained thinking (creative thinking) and left-brain thinking (cognitive and logical). Teaching is entrepreneurial and has the holistic opportunity to shape lives, creating a cohort of visioners and Imagineers and driving the change in education as agitators and teacherpreneurs. We do not speak of school as the “plant” and teaching as a “machine churning out matriculants.” Now we speak of change-makers and global citizens who are the nucleus of society and, in the spirit of Ubuntu, assist with social cohesion and moral regeneration. Introducing visual literacy as a methodology is most significant as pre-service teachers speak the indigenous home language, and English is an additional language. Because of the language barriers and in the spirit of inclusivity, I used visual methodology. As the future of language is coding in robotics, I combined school knowledge with the skill and expertise in using technology to enhance their experience in creating projects. They discussed the need for more skill and classroom experience when they embrace employment as new teachers. The holistic pre-service teacher could, through the WBCTP, executive functioning skills, socio-emotional maturity, and whole brain cognition transcend into role models and mentors for future techno-drivers of change. Historically and socially disadvantaged in the past informs their passion, drive and inspiration to aspire and take risks to be entrepreneurial as teacherpreneurs and role models for leadership and inspiration rather than instructing and conforming. The WBCTP highlights the urgent need for technology and hybrid teaching as a whole-brained programme and model for teaching and learning. The tools used in the design to implement the WBCTP were significant drivers of change in robotics and coding. The WBCTP motivates an attitude of lifelong learning and being at the peak of the knowledge economy. If one is passionate about one’s profession, the thirst for knowledge can never be quenched and for pre-service teachers to be more aware of their thinking patterns and how much can be achieved if they diversify their thinking styles and embrace the future with technology.