Assessment of scientific thinking and creativity in an electronic educational environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Creative thinking and scientific knowledge are essential components of twenty-first-century learning. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of an inquiry-based interdisciplinary course of study, complemented by training that stimulates the development of creative and research skills. The main sample, which provided the most complete data set, consisted of 175 students. Participants filled out a questionnaire created by the authors and presented in Appendix A to get the participants' assessment of the characteristics of the training course. The analysis was carried out using the Atlas.ti software. The study of Pearson's correlation between the variables of the questionnaire, as well as the variables of the questionnaire and the estimates of the ‘creative and search process' according to the results of the described analysis was carried out. A significant correlation was revealed between such factors as ‘satisfaction with the training course' and ‘usefulness of the training course' (r = 0.85), ‘usefulness of the training course' and ‘research process' (r = 0.72), ‘satisfaction with the training course' and ‘creative process’ (r = 0.62). The research results can be implemented in colleges and universities to create specialised training courses or training elements in order to increase creativity and improve the scientific thinking of students with usage of electronic educational environment.