Partial measurement invariance of beliefs about teaching for creativity across U.S. and Chinese educators.

Abstract

While empirical research on creativity has grown steadily over the past 35years, teachers' beliefs about creativity and their implicit beliefs about teaching for creativity remains understudied, as well as cross-cultural examination of teacher beliefs in this area. This study explored the measurement invariance of beliefs about teaching for creativity (creative self-efficacy, fixed creative mindset, growth creative mindset, desirability of creativity for teaching success and value of creativity for student academic and workplace success). American and Chinese educators at two universities were surveyed to rate the degree to which they agreed with statements about beliefs about teaching for creativity (N=376). Measurement invariance analysis was used Multiple-Groups Confirmatory Factor Analysis with the lavaan package in the R Statistical Programing Environment. Partial measurement invariance was obtained such that a model with factor loadings constrained equal across samples for four of the five constructs (creative self-efficacy, fixed creative mindset, growth creative mindset, desirability of creativity for teaching success), did not worsen model fitness. Additionally, when factor loadings for items on the value of creativity for student academic and workplace success latent variable were allowed to vary across samples, we found evidence of structural invariance. That is, the covariances among the five latent variables were found to be invariant across samples. The major result of this study is that the theoretical structure and relations among five important creative self-constructs is invariant across American and Chinese educational constructs. However, there may be cultural differences in the value of creativity for student academic and workplace success, as perceived by teachers. Future research can focus on calibrating teacher beliefs about teaching for creativity with classroom observation, in American and Chinese educational contexts.