Measuring Beliefs about Teaching for Creativity

Abstract

Background/ContextBeliefs about teaching for creativity is a newer area of empirical investigation in education.PurposeThe purpose of the quantitative study was to measure teachers’ domain-specific beliefs about teaching for creativity, piloted for the first time in this study, and compare these beliefs with domain-general beliefs about creativity.SubjectsThe study subjects were preservice and practicing teachers enrolled in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral (PhD and EdD) education programs within a private university located in the northeastern United States.Research DesignThis study surveyed a convenience sample of preservice and practicing teachers’ beliefs about creativity and their beliefs about teaching for creativity to examine their creative self-efficacy, growth and fixed creative mindsets, desirability of creativity for teaching success, and valuing creativity for student learning.Data Collection and AnalysisA total of 149 students completed a measure on beliefs about creativity (domain-general) and beliefs about teaching for creativity (domain-specific). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine potential newly aligned items and factors with a change in wording.ResultsThe factor structure of the Fixed Creative Mindset items, Creative Self-Efficacy items and Desirability items was stable when rewording them to represent teacher perspectives. The Growth Creative Mindset items do not show the same stability, but two of the items seem to be related to a single factor, which is evidence that these items are functioning well. The newly worded Value items loaded on a separate factor, with only one cross loading. Educators rated themselves high in most areas, and low in the area of Fixed Creative Mindset. The results indicate that the Beliefs About Teaching for Creativity scales are reliable, with significant correlations among factors.RecommendationsWe propose research and policy recommendations to further examine the complex relationship between teachers’ beliefs about teaching for creativity and their pedagogical practices, especially in the area of growth and fixed creative mindset.