A new survey conducted by software maker Adobe has shown that educators across Asia Pacific were unanimous in their agreement that creative expression is a must for all students regardless of their stream of study.
The findings were contained in the ?Education, Creativity and Employability? study that was released at the recent 9th annual Adobe Education Leadership Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A total of 1531 educators representing 13 countries across Asia Pacific were surveyed with an aim to gauge the importance of creativity in education and its role in building a digitally able workforce.
The Internet-based survey covered 13 countries (Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam). It was carried out from March 7 to March 18, 2014.
An overwhelming 97 percent of respondents feel that creative tools help students to better grasp theoretical concepts and enhance their overall understanding in the classroom.
The study also revealed the growing awareness among educators that basic digital media skills are an essential requirement for the 21st century workforce with 58 percent strongly agreeing to this statement.
Further, 47 percent of respondents agreed that students proficient in digital media skills have a better chance of being recruited, giving them a competitive edge over their less skilled counterparts.
However, the study also highlighted the gaps in the current education system as 87 percent noted that it does not place enough emphasis on creative expression. This clearly implies that students are not gaining the necessary skills required for the modern workplace.
When compared for their responses across a variety of parameters, more educators in Australia and South Korea indicated that there is a gap in the current education system when it comes to integrating creativity into academics.
However, while respondents in Australia seem convinced about the role of creative tools and the importance of digital media skills, South Korean respondents were not as strongly convinced about these aspects.
Educators in countries of Southeast Asia are not as negative about the ability of current education systems to integrate creativity into classroom instruction.
Indian educators strongly support the need for both creative expression in the classroom as well as the use of creative tools to clarify concepts.
Educators from Greater China and South Korea are not as strongly supportive as the rest of APAC on the need for basic digital media skills in the workforce, pointing to some cultural differences when it comes to job market expectations.
