Effects of Creative Dispositions on the Design of Lessons

Since Skinner’s distinction between the science of learning and the art of teaching, it is an unanswered question whether the ability to teach and to plan lessons is based on learning by advice or on special dispositions of the teachers. We therefore addressed the question whether a creative disposition of instructional design students has effects on their designs of lessons. We conducted a study with 44 students. Every student had to design two different lessons which were analyzed in regard to their creativity. Creative lesson designs were defined as innovative being practicable at the same time, and as structurally varied. The results do not provide clear evidence that more creative persons are able to design more innovative lessons that are practicable at the same time. Nevertheless an in-depth analysis shows that more creative participants design more varied lessons.