Fostering creativity through the use of digital tablets (an investigation into the potential of tablet use for creative production among seven- to ten-year-old children in Malta)

Many digital media tools are at children’s disposal today, providing more opportunities for learning and self-expression than ever before. Such opportunities bring new challenges as these tools enter primary schools. A key aim of this thesis is to argue that constructionist, sociocultural and critical pedagogical theories can support the development of a method that can engage children in creative production with digital tablets as a form of self-organised and interdisciplinary learning in the classroom.

Qualitative and quantitative methods are used to map the current use of digital devices among seven- to ten-year-old children in Malta from the perspectives of children, parents and teachers. A research method of a three-day workshop aims to engage seven- to ten-year-old children in a project-based exercise. The participants are asked to use digital tablet applications to make story narratives and audio-visual content as a means to engage in self-organised and interdisciplinary learning by making concrete projects.

This research demonstrates these children’s current limited use of digital tablets for creative production. The workshops reveal children’s ability and enthusiasm to self-organise in creative production using various digital applications as means to self-expression and creative thought.

The implications of this study relate to the national policy to roll out tablets in the primary schools in Malta. This thesis argues that mainstream primary schools in Malta impose a rather limited use of digital tablets leaving no room for seven- to ten-year-old children to creatively express through such tools. While more workshops must be carried out and for longer period than three days, this thesis draws the conclusion that the Maltese educational policy of one-tablet-per-child in primary schools must include children’s interpretations of creativity with such devices and make room for creative expression, as creativity is integral to individuals’ identity, wellbeing and learning.