How Creatively Are We Teaching and Assessing Creativity in Computing Education

Previous studies investigating and identifying non-technical skills of computing show that creative skills play an important role in tackling difficult programming problems. In the field of cognitive psychology, creativity has been extensively researched, and many of these methods can be adapted for application in computing education. We conducted a systematic literature review to support research on creativity in computing education by summarizing relevant theories, instruments, and other prior work. The review encompasses all SIGCSE venues and major journals in the field, providing a perspective of the current landscape on teaching and assessing creativity, in the context of computing in higher education. We identify which papers explore creativity as a central theoretical basis, revealing eight major themes. We also found seven commonly used measurement instruments. Creativity theories that are notably absent are also discussed, as are pedagogical implications of the approaches to fostering creativity in computing education. This paper serves to support the community by highlighting the interdisciplinary aspects of creativity research applicable in computing contexts. Additionally, it provides practical guidance and implications for educators in leveraging creativity in the classroom.