摘要：The three-dimensional design software called “SketchUp” was first presented by Google in 2006 and was created to facilitate the design of buildings for the three-dimensional city display on Google's satellite maps. It is a modeling tool which can be used to create anything, from simple 3D shapes to complex models, thereby promoting creativity (Dewey & Down; Fischer et al.,2005; Kintsch; Kafantaris, 2010; Sarimpalidis, 2010; 3dvinci, Teacher's guide, NCTM Meeting SketchUp Talk). Creativity is still a point of concern today, both as an object of psychological research, as well as a goal of the educational process. The ability to be creative attracted the interest of researchers in the empirical psychology of the 20th century. Creativity is the ability to express one's thoughts in an essentially new, original way that surpasses the ordinary. It is a fantasy or a compilation of thoughts that are not simply quoted or stitched together. Creativity may include the development of new systems, the transfer of familiar relationships to new situations, or the formation of new associations (De Bono, 1976; Florida, 2003; Stain, 1975; Tharp, 2003; Xanthacou & Kaila, 2011).In this study, we attempt to investigate the effect of the students’ involvement with Google Sketchup on the three dimensions of creative expression: fluency, flexibility, originality.The study participants were 45 students in the first grade of the EPA.L. (Vocational high school) of Zakynthos. For this study,the students were divided into two groups. The first group (experimental group) created designs on the computer using the Google Sketchup software, while the second group (control group) created designs using design tools. In the end, the two groups of students completed a common test of divergent creative expression.The results’ analysis indicated the positive effect of software use on the students’ creative expression, regarding fluency and flexibility of thought. The capacity for originality of ideas was not significantly affected. The fact that two of the three elements of creative expression presented a statistically significant difference in the experimental group proves that the Google SketchUp software has the ability to affect the creative expression of students.
