Investigating the Impact of Transformational Leadership by Teachers on Student Creativity in Chinese Higher Vocational Colleges: A Theoretical Framework

Abstract

This study investigates the integration of transformational leadership and teacher leadership and creativity in Chinese higher vocational education against the backdrop of the nation's ambitious industrial modernisation. Acknowledging the pivotal role of teacher leadership in educational quality, this study examines the potential of transformational leadership practices to enhance creative competencies among students identified by the World Economic Forum as a critical skill for 2025. Through a quantitative methodology, data were collected data from 1034 students across public and private vocational colleges in Jiangsu Province, employing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ 5X) and the Personal-Environment Fit Creativity Scale (PEFSC) to gauge perceptions of teacher leadership behaviours and student creativity. Anchored by Bass and Riggio's Transformational Leadership Theory and Csikszentmihalyi's Systematic Theory of Creativity, this study constructs a dual theoretical lens to explore this dynamic. Anticipated outcomes include the formulation of a robust framework for teacher professional development aimed at refining teaching strategies and fostering an environment conducive to creative thinking. The implications of this study extend its utility beyond the Chinese context, offering a blueprint for integrating transformational leadership into educational practices globally, thereby enriching the discourse on the impact of leadership on student creativity.