Creativity key to success
CREATIVITY is not just restricted to the teaching of creative subjects, such as arts and design. It touches the cognitive processes that transform one’s ideas or thoughts into a tangible product. Creativity fosters innovation. At SEGi University & Colleges, creativity and innovation matter.
FOSTERING CREATIVITY IN EDUCATION According to a US study, Creativity and Education: Why it Matters, creativity plays a pivotal role in career success. Creativity is not restricted to the teaching of creative subjects, such as arts, music, writing and design.
In fact, it also covers creative thinking. The study revealed that nine out of 10 professionals agreed that creativity was required for economic growth and was valuable to society.
These respondents opined that creative thinking could be defined as thinking out of the box or the ability to come up with innovative ideas. They believed that creativity and creative thinking deserve a bigger role in education.
Creative individuals solve problems by inventing new things. Therefore, it is important to cultivate creativity in the classroom by focusing more on critical thinking and problem solving.
For example, 21-year-old diploma student Goh Kah How articulates his creativity through food art. Goh, who is pursuing his Diploma in Culinary Arts at the School of Hospitality and Tourism at SEGi College Penang shared his creation, Circle of Red Ocean.
“It has come to my realisation that food is the most artistic piece I can create with my hands. It took me several months of training to gain confidence in handling food and to sharpen my skills.”
His experience is consistent with the findings in the US study. Creativity is a skill that
can be learned.
CREATIVITY LEADS TO SUCCESS IN BUSINESS
Creativity is about freedom of expression and the self-determination to see the idea through, leading to innovation. The process requires analytical thinking and heightens awareness.
For example, drawing or painting enables artists to view things differently. Ultimately, using the right-brain imagination with leftbrain logic increases the capacity for breakthrough ideas.
Such is the case for Wardah Faisal, a 22year-old Visual Communication Design student from the Faculty of Communication & Creative Design at SEGi University & College Kota Damansara. She used her imagination and created two artworks, Rooster and Ice
Cube. Using her imagination and logic, she rendered it according to a set plan and improvised along the way.
CREATIVITY AND CRITICAL THINKING IN SEGI’S LEARNING MODULES
SEGi offers a wide range of quality programmes, including Health Sciences (Medicine, Optometry, Dental Surgery, Pharmacy and Biomedical Science), Allied Health Sciences (Nursing, Medical Laboratory Technology, Environmental Health, Health Care Management, Occupational Safety and Health), Business & Accounting, Communication Studies, Creative Arts & Design, Early Childhood Care & Education, Engineering & The Built Environment, Hospitality & Tourism, Information Technology, Law, Psychology, American Degree Programme and Pre-University Studies.
Students are required to evaluate the problems given, as well as sharpen their reasoning skills. For example, SEGi’s Health Sciences programmes have a dynamic curriculum, in which content from a range of basic and clinical science disciplines are integrated throughout the studies. It reflects real-life clinical problems that graduates are expected to to solve.
SEGi works with prestigious universities like University of Southern Queensland in Australia; University of Sunderland, University of Greenwich, Keele University and Abertay University in the United Kingdom; as well as Troy University, Minnesota State University, University of Toledo, University of Wyoming and University at Albany, SUNY, in the United States to ensure students get the best of both worlds.
To find out more about courses and scholarships, contact any of the five campuses: SEGi College Kuala Lumpur (03-20702078 or 018-211 8653); SEGi College Subang Jaya (038600 1777 or 016-212 9154); SEGi University Kota Damansara (03-6145 1777 or 011-1210 6389); SEGi College Penang (04-2633888 or 013-629 4880); and, SEGi College Sarawak (082-252566 or 017-859 2566), or visit https://www.segi.edu.my/en/programmes/all/. Check out SEGi’s Facebook page at ‘SEGi University & Colleges’ for the latest updates and exclusive incentives.