111practical, metacognitive and social knowledge by learning how to communicate
through effective problem-solving processes and using inquiry-based learning dur-
ing their tertiary education program. The Integrative Pedagogy Model is explored
further in the following vignette.
Vignette 1: Preservice Teachers’ Learning Through a ‘Spirit
of Play’
In this vignette, the second author, Wade-Leeuwen, examines the relationship
between preservice teachers’ reflective practices using arts-based research method-
ologies during studio-based workshop in teacher education programs. The study
(Wade-Leeuwen, 2015 ), held at an Australian metropolitan university, shows how
inquiry-based learning can be used to engage the learner’s sensory experience and
enhance participant’s imagination through a ‘spirit of play’, supporting the notion
that a strong mentoring relationship established prior to and during preservice
teachers’ professional experience builds twenty-first century capacities (Cutcher,
2014 ; UNESCO, 2006 ; Wade-Leeuwen, 2016 ). This vignette discusses an interdis-
ciplinary research project, drawing on theories in arts-based inquiry, psychology,
early childhood and primary education. The literature acknowledges twenty-first
century pedagogical goals need to focus more on developing critical and creative
skills in children (ACARA, 2011 , 2014 ; World Economic Forum, 2016 ). However,
limited research has been conducted in preparing preservice teachers in early child-
hood or primary education to foster creativity (Kampylis, 2010 ; Prentice, 2000 ;
Sternberg, 2012 ) in themselves and the children they teach. Moreover, Australian
universities are generally limited in the resources needed to build intercultural
capacities of preservice teachers for active global learning communities.
The initial teacher survey (Wade-Leeuwen, 2015 ) indicated that 80% of the 350
third-year and final fourth-year preservice teachers in the Bachelor of Education
program did not feel competent in building twenty-first century capacities of critical
and creative thinking skills. The research found that half the cohort (50%) of these
preservice teachers felt limited in their creative and artistic arts knowledge prior to
commencing the teacher education undergraduate degree program. Another finding
from the research (Wade-Leeuwen, 2015 ) was that all the preservice teachers inter-
viewed indicated inadequate knowledge and understanding of the multifaceted
aspects of creativity (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 2011 ) and voiced that they were
unprepared to foster critical and creative thinking skills in the classroom.
The mentoring program adapted elements from the Integrative Pedagogy Model
(Tynjälä, 2008 ) as an effective strategy in developing preservice teachers’ reflective
practice and creativity. This was conducted in a systematic way by providing preser-
vice teachers with opportunities during their teacher education programs and pro-
fessional experience to discover artistic material explorations through a ‘spirit of
7 Reconsidering the Communicative Space: Learning to Be