STATE OF ART: CREATIVE LEARNING AND CREATIVE TEACHING ENVIRONMENT IN LATVIA

The importance of creativity and innovation in addressing the economic, environmental and social crises has been recognized in policy discussions in Europe. The article discovers main results of the pilot study "State of Art: Creative Learning and Creative Teaching Environment in Latvia" that was carried out within the project "Looking@Learning" in 2015. The aim of the study was to gather initial information about creative learning and creative teaching environment in Latvia. The study outlines problems in the area of creative teaching environment in education system of Latvia, simultaneously viewing education policy documents and inspecting the actual situation in education institutions of Latvia. The study uses qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews and content analysis. In Latvia, creativity is defined as individual self-expression, ability to create new opportunities. Creativity is mostly developed by linking theory with practical activities, with everyday processes. Creativity is believed to be a mandatory skill necessary for every cycle of human life. Creativity is related to all individuals as attainable and developed skill. The main stimuli and initiators of creativity are different social agents in the environment of formal and informal education, local government, projects etc. that promote cooperation as essential prerequisite of creativity. These few 'key' people are essential, since they initiate and develop different activities, and different understanding of parties involved, acknowledgment and implementation of their opportunities and competencies are very important for reaching of common goals. The main obstructing factors are related to the lack of common understanding, goals and cooperation between parties involved.