Promoting Students’ Creative Self-Efficacy: A Field Experimental Study in Singapore Secondary Classrooms

Abstract

This study examined the effects of learning experiences (mastery learning experience vs. vicarious experience/peer modelling) on students’ creative self-efficacy in fluency, flexibility and originality by building on Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. A 2 (mastery experience vs. vicarious experience) × 2 (pre-creative self-efficacy vs. post creative self-efficacy) experimental design was used. Mastery and vicarious experiences were manipulated as the between-subject independent variable while creative self-efficacy was measured as the dependent variable. Fifty-eight secondary three history students from an independent all-girls school in Singapore participated in the study. The results showed that mastery experience did not enhance students’ creative self-efficacy on fluency, flexibility and originality, while vicarious experience increased students’ creative self-efficacy on fluency and flexibility, but not originality. Vicarious experience was more effective in promoting students’ creative self-efficacy on fluency and flexibility than mastery experience. The results were discussed from an Asian students’ motivation and creativity education perspectives.