Pensamiento creativo y funciones ejecutivas en la infancia mediaDesarrollo, relación y el rol mediador del aprendizaje cooperativo

Abstract

Creative thinking is a complex process closely related to the individual's learning and development. Both research and education fields have shown interest in this topic, especially during childhood. Creative thinking implies the ability to perceive, understand and generate new and relevant ideas, which places this construct in a dimension inherent to the adaptive capacity of human though. Recent research has established that there are certain cognitive processes closely related to creative thinking, including executive functions (FFEE). FFEE are those higher-order cognitive and socio-emotional processes which allow people to guide their thoughts and actions towards a goal, as well as control behaviours and adapt to new and complex situations. Therefore, the study of the development of these important constructs is a priority, as well as the relationship that exists between them, and this would hence help us understand the nature of the executive functions and consequently the improvement of learning contexts. This doctoral thesis tries to address the relationship and development of creative thinking and the EEFF cool (Working Memory -WM-, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control and planning) and hot (Emotional Intelligence -EI- and Empathy) during a critical period for the integral development of individuals, such as the last cycle of Primary Education (9-12 years). In addition, we have considered the classroom methodology, specifically cooperative learning, as the backbone of teaching practice, thanks to which individual characteristics and the environment are articulated and interact. Given the transcendental role of this factor, the possible involvement in the development of creative thinking and EEFF has been taken into account. Consequently, the general objective of this doctoral thesis was to study both the development and the relationships between creative thinking and executive functions throughout the third cycle of Primary Education (9 and 12 years), and the implications of cooperative learning as a classroom methodology in said development. In order to address this general objective, four studies were carried out. In the first study, which was carried out with students between the ages of 9 and 10, it was observed that creative thinking (measured through the CREA Test) could be enhanced through a structured program of reading-writing activities implemented in the classroom through the cooperative learning methodology. In addition, a positive correlation was observed between performance on the creative thinking task and academic performance, measured through the average of school grades (GPA). In the second study, we investigated the changes that occur in the cool (working memory -MT-, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and planning) and hot (emotional intelligence -EI- and empathy) executive components across the last cycle of Primary Education (between 9 and 12 years). The results showed an improvement in the components of WM, cognitive flexibility and planning. In addition, it was observed that the methodology based on cooperative learning, compared to individual learning, could enhance improvements in WM and in the self-control component of EI. In the third study, significant improvement was observed in creative thinking between the ages of 9 and 12 (measured through the CREA Test). In addition, it was also possible to note that this improvement seems to be enhanced in those students involved in cooperative learning as a classroom methodology, compared to the students involved in individual learning. Finally, in the fourth study, the relationship between a creative thinking test performance (PIC-N) and cool FFEE tasks performance (WM, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control and planning) in boys and girls at the last year of Primary education was examined. Using cluster analysis, two groups of children were formed based on the creative thinking test performance (high group and low group). Results showed that the high creative thinking group performed significantly better than the low group on WM tasks and cognitive flexibility. In addition, it was also observed that the high creative thinking group was mainly composed of children who participated in cooperative learning as a classroom methodology during the last cycle of Primary Education. Consequently, our findings underline the importance of studying creative thinking and FFEE (cool and hot) during a transition period between childhood and adolescence in which important changes take place, both cognitive and socio-emotional, which could be transcendent throughout the life span. Given the close relationship between these components and learning processes, our findings highlight the importance of analysing the contextual factors that could influence their development, especially classroom methodologies. The differential characteristics of certain methodological practices within the school context could influence the interactions in the classroom and favour the predisposition towards learning, and hence benefit the cognitive and socio-emotional development of children. Therefore, the importance of research within schools to help understand how creative thinking and FFEE are related and develop, and the mediation of those contextual factors that coexist within the classroom in order to improve the learning processes must be highlighted.