To support teachers to foster creativity in their classrooms, this project employs the action research design to empower the preschools teachers to acquire the knowledge and skills applied to change and improvement for creative practices. The main procedures are as follows: (a) to determine what kinds of teaching practices are effective to develop children’s creativity; (b) to plan action strategies; (c) to put plans into action; (d) to reflect on the teaching and evaluate its effects; and to reconstruct practical teaching theory and go to the next reflective teaching cycle.

Step 1: Teachers first need to understand the definition of creativity and the 5 teaching aspects of the model in order to establish a firm basis for finding ways in which creativity is best promoted. Seminars and workshops are offered at the beginning of each cycle, during which teachers are introduced to the multiple views of creativity and teaching strategies of the 5 aspects of the model. Practical examples across a range of learning activities (e.g., language activities, science activities, mathematic activities, art activities, music and movement activities, and physical activities) are shown to illustrate how the 5 teaching aspects can be incorporated into various learning activities.

Step2: According to the proposed model for creative practices, teachers develop learning activities in different learning domains (e.g., language, art, music and movement, and science, mathematics) that apply the principles and designs they have learned in the workshop to their own creative practices.

Step3: Teachers implement the learning activities. To provide further support to the implementation of the creative practices, on-site visits are conducted. The visits consist of a variety of supports, including observation and feedback, sharing, discussion, and problem solving. All sample lessons are recorded.

Step4: At the end of the try out period, the video clips are discussed with the teachers. The project team members work with the teachers to identify their strengths, as well as areas for improvement. A number of parameters and methods are utilized in monitoring both the progress of and the effect of the project.

A number of parameters and methods are utilized in monitoring both the progress of and the effect of the project.

The project has 3 groups of direct beneficiaries. The first group consists of the 18 teachers and 360 young children who participated in this project. Through the creative practice model and the 5-step process, teachers’ knowledge and skills of creative practices in preschools are enhanced and children’s creativity are fostered. The second group consists of 6 principals, 120 teachers, and 1,200 young children in the participating schools working with the participating teachers. The third group consists of approximately 1,000 early childhood educators who attended the 2 dissemination seminars. The dissemination of good creative practices can help preschool teachers improve their creative practices.

Indirect beneficiaries may include other related early childhood educators and researchers in Hong Kong and other countries who may utilize the website information and the exemplars of good creative practices.