This question brings us to the heart of what drives creative intelligence in learning. To truly elevate student thinking, we must go beyond content and curriculum. That’s where embedding creative dispositions into learning design comes in.

Why Do Dispositions Matter?

Dispositions are the attitudes, mindsets, and habits of thinking that shape how learners engage with challenges. In the Vivedus Framework, these aren’t abstract traits—they are actionable cognitive tools that improve both how students think and what they can create.

Dispositions like Curiosity, Imagination, Persistence, and Flexibility are not just “nice-to-haves,” they are critical to fostering high-level cognition and future-ready problem-solving.

Building Cognitive Strength through Creative Dispositions

When students engage in learning activities that are intentionally aligned to dispositions, they begin to:

Take ownership over their learning (Autonomous)

Explore unknowns with confidence (Open to Ambiguity)

Think in divergent, adaptive ways (Flexible, Curious)

Persist through complex, open-ended tasks (Persistent, Courageous)

For example, a Year 8 student exploring environmental change might demonstrate Perceptive of Patterns when analysing cause-and-effect, or Reflective when considering multiple viewpoints in a debate.

Design Tip: Embed Dispositions Purposefully

Dispositions are most powerful when:

Explicitly named and discussed in the learning process

Embedded in task design, not just reflected on afterward

Assessed and valued through feedback and dialogue

ViV-iT and You: Building Disposition-Aligned Plans

Not sure where to start? The Vivedus planner custom-built AI assistant can help you select dispositions that align naturally with your learning goals and activities, elevating both engagement and cognitive stretch.

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Read the next resource: Designing Provocations and Deep Questions to Improve Engagement in the Australian Curriculum

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ViV-iT

Creativity

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