BibTex format
@article{Vohra:2025,
author = {Vohra, S and Childs, P},
journal = {Education Sciences},
title = {Boundary objects as catalysts for creative thinking in adolescent education},
year = {2025}
}
Citation
RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)
TY - JOUR
AB - Creative thinking has become more important in education globally due to industry demand and a fast-paced world. Boundary objects that can be tangible or digital objects are investigated to understand their role in facilitating creative thinking across 5 subject areas for teenagers aged 13-18 and their teachers, in their natural learning environment. A multiple case study method is used to investigate learners’ and their teachers’ experience in using boundary objects, to enable communication and understanding between individuals or groups in learning. Participants from an inner London secondary school comprised case groups: 8 Teachers and 16 Learners (8 from the lower school, aged 13-15 years, and 8 from the upper school, aged 16-18 years). Participants were invited through email and a short presentation. Consented participants were organised into male and female across teachers and students and were approached in lessons where boundary objects were being used. Data was collected through interviews and comprised photos of tool use, analysed throughReflexive Thematic Analysis for data analysis. The resulting five themes for teacher and student themes showed that boundary objects were perceived to facilitate creative thinking across all case groups within the studied context, with important insights such as iterative design which develops real-world skills; metacognition which is critical in learning that enables students to actively question their own thinking; memory which is very important in enabling students to remember what they learned and how; individual liberty suggesting that learning need not be linear nor prescribed but with freedom to learn in ways that are enjoyable and challenging too, amongst others. The study’s interpretive results indicate that when participants experience the use of boundary objects in a natural classroom or learning setting, the learning process is perceived to bring benefits that allow for the process of creative
AU - Vohra,S
AU - Childs,P
PY - 2025///
SN - 2227-7102
TI - Boundary objects as catalysts for creative thinking in adolescent education
T2 - Education Sciences
ER -
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