Transforming Economics Education: How Upside-Down Drawing Exercises Boost Cognitive and Analytical Skills

Mixed-Methods Approach

This study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, merging both qualitative and quantitative analyses to assess how creative techniques enhance economics education. This combination helps capture personal experiences alongside measurable outcomes, offering a full picture of the educational effects of Edwards’ upside-down drawing exercise (UDE).

We focused on students’ thoughts and experiences as they learned about creativity through this exercise. This was particularly important for those studying Innovation Management, Neuromanagement, and Corporate HR Strategies. By introducing creative thinking in these courses, we aimed to promote a deeper understanding and application of creative methodologies. The insights gained from semi-structured interviews, conducted right after the exercises, revealed how students reacted and reflected on their experiences.

The study’s design includes qualitative interviews to explore the impacts of the exercise on students’ thinking and emotions, as well as quantitative data to assess improvements in cognitive skills. By combining both types of data, we gain a clearer understanding of the educational effects of the UDE.

Qualitative interviews provide a deep dive into students’ experiences, shedding light on how the exercise shapes their problem-solving abilities and analytical thinking. These insights highlight the transformative potential of using creative exercises in education.

On the quantitative side, we used MAXQDA software to organize and categorize the interview responses. This quantitative analysis helps us spot patterns and trends, allowing us to draw broader conclusions about the effectiveness of the UDE.

We also took into account the cultural backgrounds of our participants, including those from Romania, Morocco, France, Haiti, and Tunisia. Understanding how these diverse perspectives affect the use of creative methodologies in economics education is vital. The research reflects on how cultural norms and educational experiences can impact student engagement with creative exercises.

While we acknowledge limitations in generalizing our findings due to this cultural diversity, we emphasize the need for further research to see how creative methodologies can be adapted across different educational contexts. By blending objective data with personal experiences, our mixed-methods study offers a detailed look at the effectiveness of Edwards’ UDE in enhancing creative and analytical skills in economics education.

Integrating creativity in economics education, this study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to thoroughly assess the impact of creative exercises on students’ thinking and perceptions. Edwards’ UDE is the core of this study, chosen for its ability to transform cognitive processes and foster creative thinking. This approach is particularly valuable in economics, which typically emphasizes linear and analytical thinking. It encourages students to move beyond traditional perspectives and embrace a more holistic problem-solving approach.

Using this dual-method ensures a complete understanding of the UDE’s impact. Quantitative methods provide clear data on how students’ cognitive and analytical skills change, while qualitative methods deliver deeper insights into their experiences with creative thinking in their studies. Together, these methods ensure a thorough analysis, addressing measurable outcomes along with the nuanced personal experiences that contribute to understanding the exercise’s benefits.

Edwards’ UDE engages the right side of the brain, known for creativity and holistic thinking. By focusing on shapes and lines instead of recognizable objects, the exercise allows participants to bypass the logical left hemisphere, enhancing their creative abilities. The entire exercise typically takes about 45 minutes to an hour, including setup, drawing, and discussing experiences.

To conduct the UDE, we prepared a quiet and well-lit environment with simple drawing supplies. We explained the exercise, provided each student with an upside-down image, and asked them to draw it by concentrating on its lines and shapes. We encouraged everyone to take their time and reassured them that initial confusion was natural. After finishing their drawings, students compared their work to the original image, leading to discussions about their experiences and the creative shifts they noticed.

Students had 40 to 60 minutes to complete their sketches. During the 2021-2022 academic year, we conducted the UDE online via Google Meet. In 2022-2023, we returned to in-person sessions. In both formats, the process remained the same. After drawing, we held group discussions to reflect on their experiences, reinforcing the importance of taking their time and recognizing initial disorientation as part of the learning experience.

This structured approach maximizes the UDE’s effectiveness in boosting creative thinking and cognitive flexibility among students.

Betty Edwards’ Upside-Down Drawing Exercise

The brain is often thought to split tasks between the “left-brained” analytical and the “right-brained” creative. This division, introduced by Sperry in 1968, helps simplify our understanding of how different parts of the brain function. It highlights creativity’s role in human cognition. Edwards’ methods in 2012, including the UDE, build on this foundation by providing practical techniques to stimulate right-brain processes and nurture creativity. Despite the time gap between their work, both Sperry and Edwards contribute to our understanding of brain function in learning.

However, contemporary research such as studies by Nielsen et al. (2013) and Waters (2017) challenge this rigid division, suggesting a more intricate interaction between the brain’s hemispheres. Their findings indicate that creative thinking involves dynamic cooperation between both sides of the brain. This perspective supports the idea that exercises like the UDE engage multiple brain areas, fostering both analytical and creative skills vital for decision-making in economics.

Furthermore, Waters emphasizes the necessity of integrating both hemispheres for effective thinking in his TED-Ed talk. This aligns with the objectives of the UDE, encouraging a whole-brain approach that enhances students’ visual-spatial skills and creative thinking. By understanding and harnessing this integration, educators can help students develop innovative strategies to tackle economic challenges.

Edwards’ (2012) method suggests the brain operates in two modes: the ‘L-mode’ (left hemisphere) for verbal and analytic tasks, and the ‘R-mode’ (right hemisphere) for visual and holistic processing. Her drawing exercises aim to activate the R-mode, aiding students in perceiving reality more clearly by reducing preconceived notions and focusing on lines, shapes, and relationships in the artwork.

In economics education, these exercises can enhance students’ grasp of economic models and graphs, reinforcing their understanding by applying visual perception to comprehend relationships and proportions. The UDE promotes a holistic, intuitive approach, allowing students to explore economic theories from fresh angles. This creative engagement accesses the right hemisphere, critical for fostering cognitive flexibility, crucial for identifying patterns that analytical reasoning might overlook.

Edwards emphasizes that her approach not only develops artistic abilities but also enriches cognitive skills in general. This promotes better application and understanding of economic theories, paving the way for innovative problem-solving in various disciplines, including economics.

Integrating Theoretical Frameworks with Edwards’ Exercise

The UDE is a unique teaching tool that improves perceptual skills by reorienting how students engage with subjects, which is vital in economics education. Here are some theoretical frameworks that support integrating creative methods like the UDE:

• Dual Coding Theory: This suggests that information is better retained when it’s visual and verbal. The UDE complements verbal explanations of economic concepts, enhancing retention and understanding.

• Cognitive Load Theory: It argues that managing cognitive load improves learning. The UDE reduces the mental effort needed to grasp complex economic concepts, allowing students to focus on applying those concepts effectively.

• Theory of Multiple Intelligences: This highlights the importance of addressing diverse learning styles. The UDE taps into spatial intelligence, offering a more comprehensive educational experience for students who thrive in creative settings.

Supporting studies indicate that engaging the right side of the brain can enhance problem-solving skills, which is crucial for economics (Root-Bernstein et al., 2018; Scott et al., 2004). Incorporating Edwards’ UDE aligns with these theories, offering a well-rounded strategy to foster both analytical and creative skills in students. By grounding our methods in established theory, we make sure our teaching strategies are not only innovative but also academically sound, equipping students for success in a complex economic landscape.

We also carried out qualitative interviews that allowed for in-depth exploration of how the exercise affected students’ problem-solving strategies. This feedback helped reveal the transformative power of creative exercises.

To analyze the interview responses, we employed MAXQDA software to detect patterns and trends, facilitating a broader understanding of the intervention’s effectiveness.

Qualitative Insights and Template Matching

After the drawing exercise, we conducted semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative insights. This method encouraged participants to reflect on their experiences, leading to an unconventional form of cognitive engagement relevant to solving economic problems.

We used these interviews to encourage students to express their thoughts on how the exercise affected their approach to economics. Group discussions encouraged sharing individual reflections, which enriched our understanding of the exercise’s relevance to economic concepts.

To maximize feedback collection, we followed these steps:

• Initial Questions: We started with open-ended questions to promote spontaneous sharing of thoughts and feelings.
• In-Depth Exploration: As discussions unfolded, we encouraged students to dive deeper into their experiences and their impact on their academic work.
• Feedback Forms: For online sessions, we provided forms for students to document additional insights post-discussion.

The group dynamics fostered a collective understanding, validating shared experiences and providing varied perspectives. The primary researcher ensured consistency in analysis.

Alongside qualitative interviews, we used a template-matching technique in Python to analyze the drawings. This involved comparing each student’s artwork to a standard template, Picasso’s drawing of Igor Stravinsky, to measure how closely students captured the intended visual elements.