Rethinking Creativity in Learning and Teaching With Technology in Romanian Higher Education

In recent years, the Web has made possible the access to educational resources on almost any topic, including resources provided by some of the top universities world-wide, for anyone, from almost anywhere in the world. In the context of the increased web-enabled access to information and the shift to knowledge society, the concept of creativity has gained new cultural, social, and economic importance. However, according to the European Commission, there is currently little evidence of innovative and creative uses of Information and Computer Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning (JRC/EC, 2009). Starting from these premises, this paper pursues four main goals: Examine the ways in which computer and media technologies have changed our notions of creativity; Explore ways in which computer and media technologies can be used to develop new practices of creativity in Higher Education institutions; Consider what changes in academic roles these new practices of creativity might entail; Contextualize the points above for the contemporary Romanian Higher Education. Most universities in Romania offer distance learning courses and part-time Higher Education programs, but the IT platform here is still rudimentary. Creative teaching and learning are not the main objectives of the existing distance-learning and full-time Higher Education programs. Universities in Romania are primarily furnishing an education based on passive provision, rather than active production, of knowledge. The persistence of such a model of education is caused by complex sociological and economic factors. This paper highlights some of these factors and proposes solutions that would enable educational actors and universities to develop innovative approaches with the aid of digital tools and media. We will draw upon existent literature across different disciplines (economics, sociology, etc.). We will also use the results of a questionnaire-based survey conducted among students and faculty from different Romanian universities.