Rationale for Introducing a Creative Writing Activity in an Academic Writing Course

This paper first provides a rationale for integrating creative thinking and writing along with critical thinking and writing based on current educational policy stakeholders’ goals and initiatives. More specifically, four national and international educational policymakers (i.e., MEXT, OECD, CEFR, and WEF) currently have established objectives and goals for integrating creative thinking along with critical thinking as an essential skill for learners to develop in the 21st century. The paper then illustrates a road to creative thinking through a short story writing activity that naturally fits into the English for Liberal Art program’s current curriculum. Finally, the paper concludes by showing that not only do institutional stakeholders have a favorable view of integrating creative thinking and writing but also 100% (n= 35/35) of student-authors strongly agree/agree that short story writing should be included in the curriculum as well.