Current challenge in schools
Within arts and cultural education, we see that AI is becoming increasingly accessible to students. At the same time, it remains unclear how this technology affects creative processes, craftsmanship, and the development of skills that are essential for learning and creating. Students who use AI may no longer need to think critically, read critically, solve problems, make choices, experiment, or critically reflect on their work. However, in maker education, the process is just as important as the final product.
As AI becomes increasingly capable of generating creative outputs, there is a risk that students will be challenged less and that the technology will take over the creative thinking process. This raises important questions about how AI can be integrated into creative maker education in a way that supports, rather than replaces, students' creativity, critical thinking, and learning.
The practical challenge
How can AI be used as a brainstorming partner in creative maker education without allowing the technology to take over the creative and critical thinking process?
Possible sub-questions
- How can AI contribute to identifying creative thinking processes and stages?
- When should AI support the creative thinking process, and when should it actively stimulate it?
- What are the most critical thinking processes and skills that help students during the making process in creative subjects?
Development objective
The project aims to develop an AI tool that supports students throughout the creative thinking process, providing assistance when needed while actively encouraging creative, critical, and problem-solving thinking. Possible components of the prototype include:
- Recognizing key creative, critical, and problem-solving thinking processes;
- Supporting and stimulating creative, critical, and problem-solving thinking processes;
- Making both the creative product and the learning process visible and understandable.
This prototype is intended to help students engage more deeply in the creative process while ensuring that AI serves as a facilitator rather than a replacement for their own thinking and learning.
Scientists wanted!
Does your research institute enjoy working in co-creation with teachers and a company to develop new knowledge in and through practical application? We’d love to hear from you! The following criteria play a role in the selection of a suitable research partner:
- Demonstrable subject-matter expertise relevant to the proposed research question and sub-questions. Examples include:
- Research on creativity and the underlying processes involved in maker education within creative subjects at the secondary education level;
- Development of assessment and measurement instruments for creativity.
- A focus on translating scientific findings into practical applications and implementations.
- Experience with co-creation.
- Experience with design-based research is an advantage.
- An appointment at a research institution for a minimum of three years.
Respond now
Would you like to participate in this project as a research partner? If so, please respond to this open call using the button below. Applications can be submitted until 30 September. Selected candidates will receive an invitation for an interview no later than 2 October. The first round of interviews will take place during the week of 5-9 October. The selection process is tailored to each case. Finding the right match with the school is the central consideration throughout the process.
Apply to become a research partner
About NOLAI
NOLAI is the national education lab AI for elementary, secondary and special needs education in the Netherlands. We are constantly gathering questions from teachers by organizing workshops throughout the country. These practical questions are the sole starting point for new co-creation projects in which a school, together with scientists and a company, researches and develops a prototype of educational AI. Over a three-year period the parties jointly progress through a concept, development and validation phase. NOLAI facilitates and funds the co-creation. The knowledge gained is shared as widely and openly as possible, to drive educational innovation.
