ABSTRACT. The study is framed by the increasing emphasis on creativity as a key competency in today's knowledge-based society, as highlighted by OECD, UNESCO, and Norwegian educational reforms. Despite this focus, there is ambiguity in how creativity should be taught and implemented in schools. The theoretical framework draws on the growing body of research with sociocultural perspectives on creativity and learning, including Vygotsky, Dewey, and Bakhtin, to explore how creativity emerges in social, interactive contexts. Central to this is Beghetto's model of creative learning processes, which emphasizes the interaction between individual and collective meaning-making.

The main research question is: "How do primary school teachers understand and facilitate creative learning processes in their classrooms?" Using qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews and classroom observations of five teachers, with an analysis of how they perceive, describe and enact creative processes in their classroom. Teachers describe creative learning as open, exploratory, and experience-based, highlighting the teacher-student interaction. To foster creativity, they emphasize curiosity, collaboration, meaning negotiation, and a guiding rather than directive teacher role, allowing students a genuine participation in the process.

This study contributes to understanding how Norwegian teachers conceptualize and implement creative learning in a context where the curriculum provides little concrete guidance.

ABSTRACT. Many advocate for fostering creativity in education to build competitive economies; however, education also has a remit to promote individuals' well-being and community prosperity. Algeria, like many countries, has shown interest in developing creativity in schools and embedding it within teaching and learning practices. However, questions regarding the nature, dynamics, and development of students' creativity within the Algerian school context remain largely unexamined. This study aims to address this gap by adopting a sociocultural psychological perspective, drawing on theories of creativity as a socially and materially mediated process. It compares students’ creativity experiences in contrasting public and private school settings, where the latter has greater flexibility to adapt the curriculum and access better resources. A comparative case study approach was used, selecting four schools through stratified and convenience sampling. Participants were students who engaged in interviews and photovoice activities. Thematic analysis revealed resilience in some public-school students’ creativity experiences as they navigated social and material constraints, while private school students’ creativity was characterized by active collaboration with the school’s social environment. The analysis also revealed a lack of awareness among students regarding the role of creativity in self-development.

ABSTRACT. Abstract

This presentation examines the resilience of English Language Teachers (ELTs) in Iran, who navigate crises including economic sanctions, political instability, and resource scarcity while striving to uphold Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4)—inclusive and equitable education. Using a mixed-methods sequential exploratory design, this third-year study identifies key challenges faced by Iranian ELTs, including limited access to educational resources, professional isolation, overwhelming workloads, inadequate infrastructure, and widening educational inequality. Despite these barriers, ELTs demonstrate remarkable adaptability by creating localized curricula, leveraging peer networks, and fostering student engagement with minimal institutional support.

Through a lens of teacher resilience, this research explores how Iranian educators bridge the gap between global educational frameworks (such as UNESCO’s emphasis on lifelong learning and digital literacy) and the constraints of their local realities. Findings highlight how teachers develop innovative solutions to sustain learning, from peer-driven professional development to low-cost technological adaptations. The study underscores the role of intercultural communication in crisis-affected education and offers insights applicable to global policy discussions on sustaining education in resource-limited environments. Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader discourse on educational equity, resilience, and the localization of global educational goals in fragile contexts.

ABSTRACT. UK and Irish children rarely encounter translated children’s books, whereas other countries publish much more of it (Van Coillie, 2020). Among the varying reasons for this is the suggestion that Anglophone readers find translations difficult. There remains much debate on how much ‘foreignness’ in a text children can cope with (Oittinen, 2006; Alvstad, 2010, Lathey, 2010; Beauvais, 2018). Yet initiatives such as those implemented by the Stephen Spender Trust suggest children’s imaginations can be fired through translation. O’Sullivan (2019) and Lathey (2020) call for more research in this area which this study seeks to address by creating opportunities for children to engage with translated and ‘foreign’ language children’s books in a weekly school book club, held during the Autumn term 2025. Children will be encouraged to discuss, review and creatively translate children’s books, and to voice their opinions about the literature they encounter. This study aims to shed light on children’s experiences of linguistically and culturally diverse children’s books. It may provide insight into how children, both migrant and non-migrant, currently engage with and learn from these types of texts. This may help deepen the understanding of teachers, translators and potentially publishers with regard to children’s needs, interests and capabilities.

ABSTRACT. As the world faces increasing uncertainty, there is growing interest in futures thinking and foresight as tools to help individuals, organisations, and societies prepare for what lies ahead. With a focus on the practical realities of being a futurist, this study explores how these professionals work, the tools they use, and the challenges they encounter. While futurists plan an important role in helping to navigate uncertainty, little research explores their lived experiences - their roles, tools and daily challenges. To address this gap, this study draws on qualitative interviews with 10 futurists from diverse backgrounds. Through thematic analysis, six main themes emerged: (1) the purpose of futurists, (2) their professional journeys, (3) the diverse applications of futures work, (4) the processes, tools, and methods they use, (5) the challenges and considerations they navigate, and (6) the future of the futures field itself. Findings highlight the flexible, creative, and participatory nature of futures work and emphasise the need to democratise futures literacy. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the emerging field of futures studies, offering insights into how futurists approach their work and engage with uncertainty.

ABSTRACT. In today’s volatile and uncertain (VUCA) world, traditional approaches to innovation and creativity—rooted in extrapolations from past experiences and optimization—are reaching their limits. It is argued that in such an environment, innovation and creating profoundly novel knowledge increasingly depends on the ability to recognize and anticipate emerging future possibilities/potentials. This shift demands not only overcoming 21st-century illiteracies (difficulties dealing with uncertainty or exponential change), but, more importantly, rethinking creativity beyond a hylomorphic “cognition-first approach”. An alternative perspective is proposed emphasizing the role of the creative agency of and the embodied interaction with the world, supported by theoretical frameworks such as the 4E approaches to cognition or Material Engagement Theory. Central to this is “pre-sensing”: attuning to latent possibilities that seek realization, involving openness to unfolding affordances rather than abstract projections. This implies engaging in a journey of embodied “letting go” of past patterns and getting in resonance with and enacting what is „not yet”. Innovation thus becomes a co-creative ecological practice, where novelty emerges through the interplay of human intentionality, embodied engagement, and being guided by future possibilities. This paper also discusses the need for novel socio-material epistemic practices/skills and mindsets to support such innovation processes.

ABSTRACT. Transcendent Leadership & Living is a transformative coaching framework that bridges individual potential with collective purpose. Designed to inspire a mindset beyond the limitations of ego, this approach integrates awareness, openness, and intentional action as pathways to self-actualization and self-transcendence. Grounded in the principles of Growth, Creativity, and Contribution, the framework fosters personal and professional development while encouraging meaningful impact for positive and lasting change.

This presentation introduces the self-coaching tools developed to support the framework: a guidebook and prototype card deck. These tools are designed to enable individuals to explore and deepen their practice of the framework’s principles, helping them recognize and amplify their potential, align their actions with their values, and embrace a broader perspective of interconnectedness with the greater whole.

By showcasing the guidebook and card deck, this session invites reflections on the transformative possibilities of a transcendence-focused coaching model. It also offers an opportunity to gain insights into how these tools can create environments of expanded possibility and inspire meaningful contributions that extend beyond personal growth and achievement to a way of being that positively impacts the world around us.

ABSTRACT. How can communities become active stewards of their local heritage and environment? This workshop explores the impact of place-based learning and community engagement in fostering sustainable stewardship. Based on research conducted with the Burrenbeo Trust, a leading landscape charity in Ireland, the session will present a practical framework for empowering communities to care for and take action on local heritage and environmental issues.

Through an interactive discussion, participants will explore best practices, challenges, and scalable strategies for deepening community involvement. The workshop will highlight key findings from nearly 20 years of Burrenbeo Trust’s work, including enhanced community cohesion, increased heritage knowledge, and tangible conservation efforts. Attendees will gain insights into a validated framework built on six pillars—Care, Knowledge, Facilitation, Agency, Action, and Collective Action—that can be adapted to diverse European contexts.

This session is ideal for educators, community leaders, conservationists, and policymakers interested in participatory heritage initiatives.

ABSTRACT. This workshop invites participants to explore and channel human energy through the deliberate alternation of attention. By bridging the creative divergence (Default-Mode Network - DMN) and structured convergence (Central-Executive Network - CEN), the session aims to demonstrate how experience and challenges expand our perception of time and space. This expansion encourages group insights to merge in divergent and convergent modes, fostering collective creative output. Creative thoughts and ideas are characterized as a sequence of knowledgeable concepts that are combined with attention switching (Beaty et al., 2015). Empirical studies have shown that our subjective sense of time is malleable, influenced by internal states and neural mechanisms (Eagleman, 2008; Wittmann, 2015). Emotional arousal and attentional load affect perceived duration, with heightened intensity expanding or contracting time (Droit-Volet & Gil, 2009; Zakay & Block, 1996). The integration of Possibility Thinking (Glaveanu et al., 2024) throughout this workshop aims not only to provide participants with a unique experience of alternating brain networks, but also to generate, refine, and implement creative solutions. Key takeaways include enhanced creative thinking, an intentional ability and awareness of how to shift attention, and a deeper understanding of how collaborative energy can transform abstract ideas and possibilities into tangible outcomes.

ABSTRACT. “Landscapes Of Love” is an experiential workshop for writing and/or performing poetry, calling on nature as metaphor for poetic feelings and thoughts. Designed for a group of people to participate together in support and confidentiality, the process involves participants’ connection, aesthetic distancing, and creative embodiment which frame prompted and free writing exercises, followed by group sharing. It begins with drama therapy/psychodrama exercises in passing around imaginary animals or objects, followed by physical gestural sculpture formation by each person. Participants are then welcomed to use the prompt (fill-in-the-blanks sheets) provided and let that lead into free writing for a period of time. Workshop participants are then invited to share what it was like to do the writing in their own words and thoughts. Another round is then offered for people to read or otherwise express what they have created. The workshop ends with a short acknowledgement of confidentiality and support for each person. Participants have described the workshop as: “Inspiring,” “Fun!” “I never wrote poetry and I realize I can!” “Moving to see emotions as nature.” Materials include: writing implements, a notebook for each participant, clipboards, and fill-in-the-blank prompt sheet for each person.

ABSTRACT. This interactive workshop introduces Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) as a transformative approach for law enforcement mental health, ultimately contributing to healthier communities. Drawing from established psychological intervention models and peer support frameworks, participants will explore how CISM creates possibilities for officer wellness and community healing. The workshop demonstrates practical applications of CISM techniques, including peer defusing and debriefing protocols. Participants will engage in role-playing exercises and group discussions to understand the impact of unaddressed critical incident stress on both officers and communities. Key takeaways include understanding CISM's core principles, recognizing intervention opportunities, and implementing basic peer support strategies. Materials provided include intervention checklists, peer support guidelines, and resource lists. This workshop bridges the gap between theoretical understanding and practical application of CISM in law enforcement settings. The workshop concludes by emphasizing how mentally healthy officers foster positive community relationships, reduce use-of-force incidents, and create safer, more trusting neighborhoods for all residents.

ABSTRACT. In this workshop, we will explore how and why a Gellian perspective on Husserlian events in time as things in space can expand our conscious understanding of the 'unhappened' —the possibilities beyond the horizon of expectation that position creativity as the result of understanding unexplored potentials (for creativity is far more fascinating than we have imagined). This idea underpins the Becoming a Poetics of Possibilities*), a kaleidoscopic framework for thinking about how time-consciousness bridges gaps in cognitive theories. Its subtitle suggests that interpreting artworks should be part of empirical research and art education, since every artwork is a place where agency 'stops' and takes visible form, entering space-time (or: the fourth dimension). Interpretations cause mental states —'the shadows of the fourth dimension'— to emerge. Unleash your agency in this workshop and make insights real: we will air spoken words to illustrate that the poetic image has a sonority of being in reverberation; draw Venn diagrams to experience how fun and easy it is to create art assignments; and interpret Bic pen dried ink splotches that simultaneously reveal themselves as staves, timelines, celestial bodies, and symphonies. Join in and wow: things will tune up as we go!

ABSTRACT. Doughnut Economics is a valuable model for balancing social and ecological sustainability, yet it does not fully address the relationship between the individual and the community. This workshop places the bias loop at the centre of Doughnut Economics, implementing practical design methods to visualise how communities shape individual biases, and in turn, how these biases reinforce systemic structures within those communities. Curated, hands-on activities will guide participants through a range of real-world and speculative scenarios designed to examine the impact of bias on interpersonal relationships, community, and society. Participants will identify their own biases towards the social foundation of the Doughnut Economy, explore how these biases impact the ecological ceiling of the Doughnut Economy, and develop their own community-informed ethical practices aimed at limiting the negative consequences of their own biases. Serious play, systems thinking, and storytelling activities will help participants leave the workshop with a tangible understanding of the ethical hole at the centre of the Doughnut Economy, questioning the assumptions that underpin social, ecological, and economic constraints on communities, and prototyping future structures of social and environmental justice.

ABSTRACT. Media has been known to be a powerful tool that can influence people’s beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. At the present time, there is a wealth of media coverage about climate change, including many different types of narratives used when discoursing climate change. However, despite the growing body of research, there is a lack of scope reviews on this topic. This scoping review aims to investigate the knowledge that is available on the influence media has in shaping individuals attitudes, perceptions and behaviours towards climate change. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Embase. The search strategy included keywords such as ‘climate communication’, ‘sustainability attitudes’ ‘media influence’ and ‘public perception’. Studies included were peer-reviewed and written in English. The exclusion criteria included studies that were unrelated to media effects. All studies were uploaded to the software Rayyan, where all literature was screened after removing duplicates. Themes such as ‘media impact’, ‘social media and engagement’, ‘behavioural impact’ and the ‘role of misinformation and polarization’ was exposed. This information is beneficial to policymakers in creating fair and sustainable communities, education and public engagement and strategic use of platforms.

ABSTRACT. Currently, digital technologies are reshaping social creativity by introducing new mechanisms for sharing knowledge, generating ideas, and producing creative artifacts in multiagent systems. This has given rise to the phenomenon of computationally mediated social creativity, characterized by "large-scale, distributed creative practices made possible through the technological affordances of sociotechnical systems. These include digital platforms for creating and sharing content, systems for crowdsourced ideation at scale, and co-creative generative AI.

Within these sociotechnical systems, digital mediation enables collective exploration of a shared possibility space, presenting both opportunities and challenges. While expanded access to diverse ideas and skills can enhance creativity, algorithmic curation may homogenize outputs, and digital mediation may hinder social learning processes that are important for the development of creative thinking skills.

In our presentation we aim to advance understanding of the evolving landscape of shared creative and cultural engagement in the digital age. We discuss the ways in which technological affordances enable new practices of co-creativity and creative production, and highlight key considerations for future research into the impact of sociotechnical systems on evolving paradigms of shared creative and cultural engagement.

ABSTRACT. This paper repositions cybersecurity within futures and anticipation theory, advocating for a proactive, foresight-driven approach to digital security. Traditionally reactive and focused on mitigating past threats, cybersecurity must evolve into an adaptive discipline that anticipates and neutralizes risks before they emerge.

With the rapid digitalization of critical infrastructures, financial systems, and global networks, reliance on retrospective defense mechanisms leaves organizations vulnerable to ever-evolving threats. This study argues for integrating anticipatory governance, scenario planning, and strategic foresight into cybersecurity frameworks, shifting from crisis management to long-term resilience-building.

By embedding security within digital ecosystem design, governance structures, and technological innovation, this approach fosters systemic adaptability and robustness. Moving beyond technical solutions, it addresses structural and policy-level vulnerabilities, ensuring cybersecurity is not merely about response but about shaping a secure digital future.

This research calls for a paradigm shift—from reacting to threats to actively anticipating and shaping cybersecurity futures. Such a model holds profound implications for AI, digital media, technology governance, and education, paving the way for a sustainable, resilient cybersecurity landscape in an era of rapid digital transformation.

ABSTRACT. Recently, the sociology of the arts has applied the so-called “Theory of Reception” to aesthetic enjoyment: the outcome of communication is strongly linked to the “activity” of the recipient. Any cultural object is destined, by its nature, to never reappear as an event established once and for all, frozen: it asks to “relive”. Reception is “the actualization of the untimely”, which occurs «every time the reader fills in the empty spaces»: it is exactly these “emptinesses” that function «as a kind of hinge on which the entire text-reader relationship turns». Artistic expression intervenes where ordinary communication clearly demonstrates its limits: it makes up for an “ineliminable gap” between “perception” and “expression” that seems to irreducibly characterize human experience. The poet Giuseppe Ungaretti loved to remember that «language corresponds poorly to what one has in mind and would like to say: certainly, it does not correspond, if not very approximately. I will therefore say that I was looking for the least imprecise approximation, the reduction, as far as possible, of that unavoidable gap."

ABSTRACT. The evolving Irish primary curriculum emphasises an integrated arts approach for Junior Infants to 2nd class that foregrounds the concept of children as art-makers (NCCA 2024). Existing research into integration within the arts cites several challenges vis-à-vis perceived professional knowledge and abilities, experiences, and resources (see Alexander 2010;Buck&Snook 2020).

In line with the conference theme 'communities of possibility', this paper will present an overview of puppetry as a vehicle for integrating art, music, dance, and drama through a collaborative teaching approach from the perspective of teacher-artist-researcher (Thornton, 2012). The study involves a primary school class, where the principal investigators and a class teacher co-facilitate a series of sessions incorporating puppet-making, storytelling, movement, and music composition.

This project aims to (1) explore the potential of puppetry for integrating multiple art forms within primary education; (2) assess the impact of this integrated approach on student engagement and learning; (3) gather insights from teachers and investigators on the impact of implementing such workshops within the primary curriculum; and (4) contribute to curriculum development discussions in integrated arts education. Findings from this research offer practical recommendations for implementing integrated arts learning approaches in primary schools, highlighting both the benefits and challenges of such approaches.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the integration of futures literacy and participatory art as a means to foster resilience, agency, and a sense of possibility. By employing speculative artistic artifacts and collaborative methodologies, it highlights how art-based interventions can serve as catalysts for imagining alternative futures.

Three interventions illustrate this approach. The first, within a visual arts curriculum, involved the creation of counter-maps of hopeful futures of Europe based on values, encouraging dialogue on identity and collective agency. The second, conducted in a Ukrainian refugee camp, utilised art workshops to explore hopeful narratives, emphasising the role of creative expression in envisioning resilient futures. The third, implemented as part of Futures Literacy Laboratory for psychology students in Poland, engaged participants in artistic exercises aimed at challenging assumptions about the future of education. Findings suggest that integrating artistic methods with futures thinking can enhance the capacity for critical reflection, optimism, and adaptive thinking, aligning with research on the role of critical optimism enhanced by creativity in fostering psychological resilience.

By demonstrating the potential of participatory art in expanding futures literacy, this study advocates for further exploration of its application across various fields, including education, social change, and well-being.

ABSTRACT. Cognitive science has long focused on processes that construct, integrate, and organize information to create coherent narratives of experience. However, this emphasis on “positive” cognition neglects a crucial counterpart: anticognition. Anticognition refers to mental processes that dissolve, fragment, or disconnect from traditional cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and reasoning. I argue that just as entropy and negentropy dynamically balance order and disorder in physical systems, cognition and anti-cognition are complementary forces that regulate the mental landscape. While cognitive processes drive integration and coherence (i.e., presence), anti-cognitive mechanisms enable disintegration, forgetting, and detachment (i.e., antipresence). These processes are not merely pathological or dysfunctional; they serve crucial adaptive roles, including preventing cognitive overload, facilitating creative thinking, and allowing emotional protection through dissociation in the face of trauma. In this paper, I introduce the view of anticognition and explore its neuropsychological basis, examining its role in dissociative states, meditation, and creative problem-solving. I argue that while cognition shapes how individuals connect with their environments, anticognition unlocks possibilities by detaching from rigid schemas, fostering mental flexibility, and enabling self-regeneration. Additionally, I will discuss implications for artificial intelligence, where implementing anticognition—such as purposeful forgetting—could improve flexibility and adaptability in AI systems design.

ABSTRACT. I contend that the word ‘nature’ is dangerously ambiguous and yet it is a core term widely used in everyday life without clarity. This provocative paper calls for greater definition and theorization of the popular concept of ‘nature’ as opposed to it being used to name ‘more and more diverse things’ (Ducarme and Couvet, 2020). Simberliff (2014) refers to the use of this sort of term as a ‘panchreston’ – ‘a broadly inclusive and often oversimplified thesis that is intended to cover all possible variations within an area of concern.’ (Miriam Webster) Phrases such as ‘back to nature’, ‘being in nature’ and ‘out in nature’ all appear to resonate with people, conjuring up comforting images of beauty and serenity while avoiding the fact that, in concrete terms, these feelings may just be a diversion from reality. ‘Nature’ terminology is used widely and frequently, and in my view wrongly, but now global ecological events are a wake-up call for greater precision in the use of this language. Greater understanding of the theory of relationships between humans and more- than-humans is essential at a time of eco-crises. The term ‘nature’ is confusing, rather than usefully informing, activist and collective futures.

ABSTRACT. Amid growing concerns that our era may be defined as a ‘crisis of sensibility’, possibility studies have predominantly addressed the possible from a pragmatist stance. While this approach is valuable in explaining how people navigate possibilities, it is limited in its capacity to account for the affective component that precedes and shapes their engagement with the world. How are people affected by the signs emitted through their ongoing engagement with possibilities as events of life? Adopting a vitalist stance, this article introduces the Aesthetics of the Possible. It is defined the degree of bodily affect and emotional experience elicited by the signs one either recognises or encounters, as emitted by people and things, which influences one’s awareness, representations, and engagement with possibilities. Awe, wonder, serendipity, and insights are phenomena embedded within this framework. The article theorises how ongoing engagements with the practice–arrangement tandem of the social complex elicit experiences of what is introduced here as ‘authentic’ possibilities. These refer to an awareness of possibilities arising from the randomness of events, altering one’s worldview.

ABSTRACT. Forest of Imagination

Penny Hay and colleagues will invite delegates to explore the concept of collective ecological imagination and co-create a multi-modal intra-active pop-up Forest of Imagination, exploring nature connection, interspecies play and more than human worlds through a posthuman lens. Delegates will be encouraged to bring their own perspectives on climate education to this entangled space of possibility.

Participants are invited to co-create a multi-modal physical and digital Forest of Imagination through experimentation, making and sharing. A method of exploring and expanding this creative provocation will be invited through imaginative play. Forest of Imagination invites everyone to have a conversation about the importance of nature connection and social action, in a playful immersive environment.

Artists will act as a guide for the participants through this journey of discovery. We will give attention and care through listening as a mode of ‘being-with’ and using 'a full palette of senses’ (Cocker 2023).

Forest of Imagination is an annual participatory contemporary arts and architecture event with an integrated creative learning programme. Partners include Bath Spa University, Grant Associates, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, and House of Imagination. Forest of Imagination reimagines familiar spaces, inspiring creativity and heightening awareness of our collective ecological imagination.