**3.2. Digital tools for creativity**

**3.1. Pedagogical underpinnings**

and constructionism.

112 Active Learning - Beyond the Future

*3.1.2. Critical pedagogy*

*3.1.3. Constructivism*

*3.1.4. Constructionism*

*3.1.1. Experiential education*

To our view, four pedagogical theories are particularly suitable to the application of digital creative teaching practices, namely, experiential education, critical pedagogy, constructivism

This movement questioned the pedagogical assumptions of its time, to which education relates to an accumulation of knowledge, in favour of active student-centred methodologies based on learning by doing and problem-based learning. To this view, learners build knowledge on the basis of the present experience and the active interaction with their environment [35, 36].

This philosophy and social movement denounces the 'banking concept of education' which consists of simply depositing knowledge in a decontextualised manner [37]. At the contrary, Freire promoted the importance of developing learners' critical awareness towards the society and viewed education as a path to empowerment and emancipation. In this line, education

This influential paradigm considers knowledge as an experience that is developed by interacting with the world on the basis of prior knowledge. Hence, students are not passive recipients of knowledge. Rather, they make sense of the world by actively building and transforming meaning [39]; teachers become facilitators who guide students towards processing information through active exploration. From this perspective, every learning process is creative, as learners create their own meaning as they attempt to understand the world. As stated by Craft [40], 'in a constructivist frame, learning and creativity are close, if not identical' (p. 61).

Influenced by Freire and Piaget, Papert elaborated the theory of constructionism. He shares Freire's endeavour to free the latent potential of students, by creating learning environments which connect to their passions [38]. Building on constructivism, constructionism argues that learning better occurs when students make and share tangible artefacts [41]. Hence, this theory

Papert pioneered the educational use of digital technologies. More than information and communication devices, he considers technologies as powerful educational tools which allow students for concretising and expressing their ideas by designing, building and engineering. Constructionist learning environments are usually not based on a fixed curriculum. Rather, students use technology to build their own projects, while teachers act as facilitators of the process [38]. Hence, learners become designers. The constructionist view highlights

should directly connect to meaningful problem-solving [38].

is directly related to the *maker* and *digital making* movements.

We suggest the following tools and educational strategies which may support digital creative teaching activities.
