Tacit Knowledge and Creative Writing: A Pedagogical Approach to Transforming Tacit Knowledge Into Creative Expression

This paper investigates the pedagogical potential of creative writing as a privileged space for the externalization and transformation of tacit knowledge. Drawing on classical and contemporary theories of tacit knowledge (Polanyi, Nonaka, Virtanen) and on epistemological approaches that view knowledge as embodied, emotional, and socially situated, the study argues that creative writing enables learners to transform pre-reflective, intuitive, and experiential forms of knowing into explicit, communicable meaning. Rather than treating creativity as a purely aesthetic outcome, the paper conceptualizes creative writing as a cognitive and emotional process through which tacit knowledge becomes visible, structured, and pedagogically meaningful. The study proposes a pedagogical model of Creative Tacit Externalization consisting of four interconnected stages: stimulus, free creative production, social exchange, and reflection-transformation. The model is theoretically aligned with Nonaka and Takeuchi’s SECI framework and illustrates how creative writing activates cyclical processes of socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization. Through metaphor, narrative construction, emotional recall, collaboration, and revision, learners engage in continuous tacit-explicit-tacit transformations that support both individual learning and collective knowledge creation. The paper further presents concrete classroom applications that demonstrate how creative writing practices foster self-awareness, empathy, linguistic development, and reflective thinking. Particular emphasis is placed on metaphorical thinking, memory narration, collaborative writing, and text revision as key mechanisms for accessing and reshaping tacit knowledge. In addition, the study outlines the development of qualitative research tools, such as text analysis protocols, reflective journals, interviews, and evaluative rubrics, designed to capture indicators of tacit knowledge externalization in educational contexts. By positioning creative writing at the intersection of knowledge theory, creativity, and pedagogy, this study contributes a theoretically grounded and pedagogically applicable framework for understanding learning as a transformative process. It suggests that creative writing can play a central role in educational practices that seek to value experiential knowledge, deepen reflection, and promote meaningful and sustainable learning. Article visualizations: