Below shows the basic matrix to assessing creativity developed by the National Research Center On The Gifted And Talented and summaries on how this matrix can be used:
The four rows of the figure represent four different ways to gather information about a person's creative abilities, strengths, skills, or potentials. Each row represents one source of data that might contribute to the overall goal of assessing creativity. These data sources are:
Behavior or performance data- One important way to obtain information about people's creativity is through their actual behavior—their creative products, performances, or accomplishments. There are two general ways to obtain these kinds of data: through records or first-hand observations in natural ("real-life") settings, or through the person's performance in constructed tasks that simulate or approximate the real-life settings but can be arranged and observed under controlled conditions. It might be useful to think of the former set as documentation of real-life creativity and the latter as a demonstration of creativity under realistic or simulated conditions. Several assessment tools can be useful for gathering and using data for this row of the figure; these are generally described as portfolio data for the real-life accomplishments, or performance data for realistic tasks.
Self-report data- On some occasions, it is possible to obtain information about people's creativity from the responses they provide to questions about themselves and their behavior. Some writers in the creativity literature have argued, quite seriously, that the best way to determine whether or not people are creative is, in fact, simply to ask them! The second row in the matrix deals with resources in which people respond to questions about themselves and their own skills, abilities, activities, and behavior.
Rating scales- The third row of the figure involves instruments that provide specific descriptions of qualities or behaviors that describe (or are associated with) creativity characteristics and ask people to rate the creativity of others. These might call for ratings by teachers, parents, mentors, or other adults who may be in a position to know and describe a person in relation to those questions; occasionally, instruments in this category might call for ratings by peers (such as sociometric devices).
Tests- The fourth row of the figure is test data. This refers to the person's responses to a structured set of tasks or questions, administered under controlled or standardized conditions, through which the person demonstrates his ability to think or respond creatively.
There are a number of suggested uses of data sources for each of the four creativity characteristics (idea generation, digging deeper into ideas, openness and courage to explore ideas, and listening to one's "inner voice") located at the "tools for assessment" section at the bottom of each link.
The four columns of the matrix represent ways of classifying the level of development and expression of creativity—the creative strength—manifest in the person's behavior or performance at the present time, under particular circumstances or conditions (or within a particular talent area or domain), using the specific sources of data that are available. Once again, we emphasize that these characterizations are dynamic, not static. People change and grow. They respond differently in different areas and under changing circumstances, and assessment is always a dynamic process, not a single, "one-time, one-shot" event.
Not Yet Evident- This column suggests that, in relation to information from the data sources (rows), the person's present level of performance does not reveal characteristics or behaviors that are consistent with the selected definition of creativity. Notice two important qualifications in this statement. First, the category is not called "uncreative" or "not creative." The category does not suggest that creativity is unattainable for the person, but only that creativity characteristics are not presently evident or observable. The category is about performance, not about ability, aptitude, or potential. Second, the category relates only to characteristics of creativity as defined for the assessment; under a different definition of creativity, which might involve other characteristics, the person's level of performance might differ.
Emerging- This column indicates that there is limited evidence of creativity characteristics in the person's present performance. Creativity is beginning to emerge in ways that are consistent with the definition of creativity being assessed, although the creative behavior may be limited in quality, inconsistent, or tentative.
Expressing- When data indicate signs of creativity characteristics in the student's present behavior with regularity and occasional signs of high quality, we might characterize the student's present level of creativity as "expressing." This category suggests that the characteristics of creativity can often be observed in the student's typical behavior and products.
Excelling- When data indicate consistently the presence of creativity characteristics (as defined for the assessment), and those characteristics are accompanied by creative accomplishments, in one or more areas of performance or talent, with outstanding depth, quality, and originality, we categorize the student's present level of performance as "excelling."
It is important to keep in mind that these four columns in the matrix represent a continuum of performance, rather than separate, independent categories with rigid boundaries. As much as we might yearn for precise, objective categories, the reality of the complexity of creating, its attendant characteristics, and our assessment tools remind us that such precision is seldom attainable at the highest levels of human behavior.
The next step is to put the rows and columns together, constructing a systematic design for assessing creativity among people. Taking this step involves looking carefully at how each data source (or row of the matrix) yields evidence that clarifies a person's present level of performance (or column in the matrix). Below are summaries of how the four levels of performance (columns) might be described for each of the four sources of data (rows).
© 2002, Center for Creative Learning
© 2002, Center for Creative Learning
Two self-reporting scales worth considering are:
© 2002, Center for Creative Learning