Course preparation

COURSE PREPARATION

CREATIVITY COURSE

CREATIVITY IN TEACHING

CREATIVITY COURSE EN

You have received a publication aimed at inspiring university teachers specializing in marketing and mass media communication on how to incorporate creativity into their teaching. As our research has shown, creativity is an important part of the skills set of graduates in these fields. As times are constantly changing and new technologies are emerging, the academic environment needs to be prepared for this task. The publication is divided into three main sections: a theoretical part, which deals with the current situation in the field of creative teaching, the importance of creative teaching, as well as the state of use of creative techniques and methods in higher education and the needs of the labor market. The second part of the publication deals with creative tools that provide guidance on how to incorporate creativity into teaching. These tools have a theoretical framework and a case model that does not reflect past or practical use, but uses a practical example to show how the tool can be used. The third part of the tools consists of assignments for students in class. Students can work on the assignments using this publication, but an integral part is also the website www.crea.fmk.sk, which is available in four languages: Czech, Polish, Slovak, and English. The website also contains various downloadable aids for teachers, such as presentations for each tool, and various downloadable materials for students for each tool. The website also provides space for completing assignments online, which students can either print out and hand in to their teacher or download in electronic form and send to their teacher by email.

Incorporating creativity into teaching can seem like a challenging process. Every teacher has their own tried and tested teaching techniques, which may no longer be appropriate for the 21st century and the demands of the labor market. Therefore, the first priority is to educate teachers, who must constantly learn new techniques, especially in the field of marketing and mass media communication. These areas are particularly susceptible to new trends and market changes. This publication also aims to help teachers prepare better practical lessons, such as seminars and exercises. Teachers should have a wide range of professional, pedagogical, and personal competencies that enable them to effectively guide students in mastering creative and analytical methods in marketing communication. At the beginning of this process, all that matters is the desire to learn and adapt the academic environment to the labor market. Let’s take a look at the prerequisites and competencies of a teacher who should lead creative courses or incorporate creativity into their teaching.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

Knowledge of marketing and mass media communication

Deep understanding of the principles of marketing and mass media communication: Since we focus on the field of marketing and mass media communication, it is necessary for teachers who lead creative courses to master the basic concepts in this field. Basic concepts include advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing. It is also essential to have a good command of the theoretical outputs of online marketing, which is growing in importance, especially among Generation Z.
Experience in developing marketing strategies and creative campaigns: Practice is very important for theory. When it comes to incorporating creativity into teaching, teachers should have some practical experience. If a teacher comes from an academic background, they need to have studied case studies that will help them understand the principles of creating communication outputs.
Knowledge of the media market: When creating campaigns, teachers need to be familiar with the media market, as different media target different audiences.
Ability to link theory with real-life practice: Just as practice is important for theory, theory is important for practice. Theory provides the framework of information from which we can draw and apply it to practical life. This is also the goal of our tools, which consist of a theoretical part, a case model, and a practical output.

Mastering creative and analytical techniques

Ability to explain and apply creative tools: This means not only understanding the theoretical concepts of creativity, but also using various methods and techniques in practice to solve problems, generate new ideas, and innovate.
Practical examples and experience using these methods: Each tool has a case model that serves as an example of how the tool can be applied. This model can then be used as a basis for exercises for students. Teachers should have studied practical case studies that they can use to explain the theory applied in practice.

Ability to work with modern marketing tools

Digital tools: Many processes can now be facilitated through digital tools. These include tools for team collaboration and tools for creating graphics. These tools can improve the quality of creative teaching in the area of practical outputs.

DIDACTIC AND PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCES

Facilitation of creative processes

Guiding students towards creative thinking and independence in solving tasks: In creative teaching, the teacher should be a good facilitator. They facilitate and support the learning process, discussion, or idea generation in a group. Unlike traditional teachers who impart knowledge, facilitators guide the group to find solutions and ideas on their own.
Supporting discussion and teamwork: Facilitators encourage openness and creativity, ensuring that everyone in the group has a chance to express themselves. Instead of providing ready-made solutions, they ask questions that lead the group to their own conclusions and help keep the discussion on track.

Critical and analytical thinking

Ability to guide students towards analytical evaluation: The ability to analyze marketing strategies is a key skill for students of marketing communication. Teachers should guide students to learn to critically evaluate campaigns, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and suggest improvements.
Encouraging discussion about the effectiveness of individual methods and their applications: Discussion is a key part of analytical thinking and creative learning. In marketing communication, it is important not only to know different methods of creative thinking, but also to know how to evaluate them effectively and apply them in practice. Teachers should encourage students to critically evaluate methods, compare their advantages and disadvantages, and discuss their suitability for different marketing situations.

Assessment and feedback

Effective assessment of creative tasks and projects: Assessing creative tasks and projects is challenging because it is not just about right or wrong answers, but about originality, effectiveness, practical application, and students’ reasoning. Effective assessment should be clear, objective, and motivating to encourage the development of creative thinking.
Providing constructive feedback on student work: Feedback is a key tool in the learning process, especially in creative courses such as marketing communication. Good feedback helps students understand their strengths, identify areas for improvement, and motivates them to further develop. Feedback should not degrade but motivate students. Avoid general evaluations such as “Nice presentation” or “That wasn’t good.” Instead, say: “Your idea of using influencers has potential for the selected brand in connection with the target group, but you could better define how you will measure the success of the campaign.” The student knows where the gap in their project is, which they can fill with arguments.

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL COMPETENCES

Creativity and innovation

Ability to motivate students to seek new solutions and unconventional approaches: Motivating students to be creative is one of the most important tasks of a teacher in marketing communication. Nowadays, marketers are expected to think innovatively, come up with original campaigns, and come up with unconventional solutions. Teachers themselves should be creative and innovative. This publication should help them do just that.

Communication skills

Clear and comprehensible explanations: This is a basic requirement for every teacher in order to convey information correctly. In creative teaching, clear explanations are important so that students understand what they are supposed to do in class and what their role is.
Ability to lead and moderate discussions: A good teacher is not only able to convey information, but also to encourage students to think, find their own solutions, and actively participate in discussions. Successful teaching in marketing communication requires clear and understandable communication, the ability to lead interactive discussions, and the explanation of techniques for engaging students in active learning.

Teamwork and leadership

Supporting collaborative learning and active cooperation among students: Collaborative learning means that students learn together, not just alongside each other. Marketing communication is a dynamic field in which teamwork, brainstorming, and joint idea generation are essential. Therefore, teachers should encourage active cooperation, interaction, and mutual learning.
Ability to lead team projects and coach students: Leading team projects and coaching students are essential skills for teachers in marketing communication. The role of the teacher is not only to assign tasks, but also to encourage teamwork, motivate students, and help them solve challenges.

In this section of the publication, we will show you a possible design for a creative teaching course. In addition to the course outline, you will also learn about possible methods of assessment, as creativity is very difficult to evaluate. The aim is to show what is appropriate to assess in creativity and how to weight individual points.

COURSE SYLLABUS: CREATIVE TOOLS IN MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Course objective: The course focuses on learning creative techniques and analytical tools that help students solve marketing problems, create innovative campaigns, and improve strategic thinking in marketing communication.

COURSE STRUCTURE:

The course is divided into 15 modules, each representing a method of creative thinking or analysis. The minimum duration of each module is two teaching hours to allow for the proper application of the tool and sufficient time to work with it.

1. 6 THINKING HATS

Objective: To learn different perspectives in the decision-making process.

Application in marketing: Use in the creation of advertising campaigns – analytical, emotional, creative, positive, and negative views of the strategy.