Abstract This article presents a discussion of research and theoretical perspectives on
creativity and instructional design, offering a conceptual model of the connection between
these two constructs that was originally proposed in the dissertation work of the first author
(Clinton, Creativity and design: A study of the learning experience of instructional design
and development graduate students, Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of
Georgia, Athens, 2007) and that we call the Design/Creativity Loops (DCL) model. Central
to the model is a representation of the iterative, looping problem-solving cycle that can
include established stages of creative thinking. As an instructional designer is routinely
confronted with the next task or design problem in a project, these tasks or problems spawn
iterative mental excursions that are opportunities for creative thinking. This article also
explores ways that the design and development process can benefit from an emphasis on
creativity and offers suggested directions for future research.