Developing the creative process as a problem solving tool is the responsibility of a teacher. Whether that teacher is practicing fine or applied arts, in a studio or a digital environment; the teacher’s core responsibility remains the same.
Creativity is possibly the most valuable problem solving skill we can have. It is the skill that allows us to cope with novel situations and to create unanticipated solutions. It is the skill that we recognize as the “clear perception of childhood”; that is beaten down by “growing up”; that can be refined throughout the course of one’s entire life; or if once lost, can be re-acquired at any time if a person is willing.
The path you will take through life is unpredictable. Regardless of your plan at any given point, knowing the next bend is impossible. For that reason, a focus on particular skills that yield short-term results, rather than process does a disservice to the faith that our students place in us. Process allows for future growth, because you have learned “how” to think, rather than “what” to think.