Imagination: A Child's 21st Century Super PowerA Literature Review of Imagination in Education and LearningFirst Phase Review - October 2023

This article reports on the first phase of a literature review focused on the areas of imagination and creativity in relation to children and young people, which has been set out to identify whether academic research has been addressing the topic of imagination in education and learning. In the first phase of this review, more than 100 sources were identified, 34 were accessible for review and 14 significant and relevant research papers published were selected for analysis. The review of the 14 articles led to the emergence of themes and sub themes. These themes we then developed into an 'Imagination Wheel', which calibrates the identified themes and demonstrates how imagination relates and leads to dispositions and competencies. In many of the articles, imagination in education and learning were only partially addressed. As a result, we emphasise the need to deepen the discussion and research on the possibilities imagination can open up for children and young people, and those supporting their learning, particularly from disadvantaged circumstances.

Joint publication of Institute of Imagination, Bath Spa University, House of Imagination, Goldsmiths University of London and Dublin City University.