Tjabane et al (865-878)

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Modelling Creativity in Academic Writing: Reflections on a Writing Centre Approach at a University of Technology

Maleshoane L.R Tjabane

Writing Lab and Academic Literacies, Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, South Africa

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9225-7011

Innocentia M Shube

Writing Lab and Academic Literacies, Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, South Africa

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6170-9142   

Abstract

The most common assumption about academic writing is that it lacks creativity. However, writing centres have a role in modelling creativity for academic purposes, enhancing student engagement and critical thinking. By encouraging creativity, writing centres can equip students with soft skills applicable in various life contexts. In South African Universities of Technology (UoTs), writing centres can model and integrate strategies such as freewriting, brainstorming, and multimodal composing to develop critical thinking, adaptability, and confidence. This article explores creativity in writing centre practice, drawing from experiences at a UoT writing lab. Despite its potential, limited research exists on the intentional integration of creativity in writing centre practice. Using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and constructivist learning, this article explores embedding creativity in writing centre interventions. These theories suggest social interaction and active knowledge co-construction encourage creative thinking. Reimagining academic writing as a collaborative, creative practice enables writing centres to move beyond deficit models and promote inclusive education. A qualitative reflexive methodology grounded in an interpretivist paradigm, using observations and reflections, was used to assess how creative practices shape student writing. Findings show that the writing centre’s encouragement of social interaction, guiding experimentation and knowledge co-creation supports creativity among students at the writing centre. Writing centres can further encourage creativity through pedagogical strategies such as freewriting, peer collaboration, and multimodal writing. Writing centres must deliberately incorporate creativity to support inclusive education and foster student growth and academic success.

Keywords: Academic development, creativity, free writing, student success, UoT, writing centre    

How to cite this article: Tjabane, M.L.R., & Shube, I.M. (2025). Modelling Creativity in Academic Writing: Reflections on a Writing Centre Approach at a University of Technology. African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning, 9(6), 865-878.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.70875/v9i6article15