Creativity: The Precarious Balance Between Constraints and Autonomy

One may think that boundless freedom is liberating. When in actuality allowing endless amounts of possibilities and supplies can paralyze creativity. Too often I have thought I was giving my students a gift with a blank canvas, but it would end with disappointing results. I found that some of my most successful projects engaged my students in STEAM education and particularly the design process. Indeed, creative constrains are an essential part of the design process, it helps students apply what they know to create something new. This includes the iterative process and embracing failure, not as a disappointment, but an opportunity to be creative. Constraints help young artist use STEM in a way that encourages them to avoid familiarity and pursue an uncomfortable route to see what happens. However, constrains alone cannot produce creativity. I argue that a factor that is essential to producing an environment that encourages creativity is autonomy. Knowing the limitations of a STEAM project or lesson is important but if a students’ every step is dictated or scripted, their creativity could be stifled. This chapter will explore the precarious balance between autonomy and constraints to encourage creativity.