Re-Positioning Assessment for Children’s Creativity and Teachers’ Creativity Fostering Behaviours: A Case Study of Kindergarten Curriculum Reform Efforts

Christina Chi Weng Sung,Keang Ieng Peggy Vong

doi:10.4236/ce.2021.127108

Abstract

This study explored the role of assessment to effectively facilitate curriculum reform aiming to foster children’s creativity and teachers’ creativity fostering behaviours (CFB). A “flipped-measure” was introduced by deliberately positioning a mode of formative assessment in the centre of the curriculum modifications, rather than after modifications. Children’s creativity was measured using the Preschoolers’ Creativity Test and teachers’ CFB was measured with the Creativity Fostering Teacher Behaviour Index (CFTIndex) at three-time intervals during one academic year. Results showed that the newly-adopted child-centred curriculum and pedagogy, which was launched concurrently with a formative assessment, significantly enhanced children’s creativity (p p = .001). The findings suggested that the mode of an assessment scheme, “re-positioning” of formative assessment and curriculum modifications, all play important roles in leading a curriculum reform geared towards promoting children’s creativity and teachers’ CFB.

Highlights

In this era of globalisation and rapid technological innovations, educators are calling for a paradigm shift in education that would help future generations to become adaptable in this fast-changing and competitive world (Seng, 2000)
This study explored the role of assessment to effectively facilitate curriculum reform aiming to foster children’s creativity and teachers’ creativity fostering behaviours (CFB)
The findings suggested that the mode of an assessment scheme, “re-positioning” of formative assessment and curriculum modifications, all play important roles in leading a curriculum reform geared towards promoting children’s creativity and teachers’ CFB

Summary

Introduction

In this era of globalisation and rapid technological innovations, educators are calling for a paradigm shift in education that would help future generations to become adaptable in this fast-changing and competitive world (Seng, 2000). Teachers take a teacher-directed approach to make sure that students learn as much exam-related knowledge as possible, believing that would help them excel in examinations and be better prepared for future education or career. Under this approach, the counter-effects for young learners might turn them into passive and rote learners, and eventually lose the motivation to learn (Kirkpatrick & Zang, 2011). The counter-effects for young learners might turn them into passive and rote learners, and eventually lose the motivation to learn (Kirkpatrick & Zang, 2011) Due to this educational malpractice, researchers and educators internationally still endeavour to launch effective reform in curriculum and assessment

Methods

Results

Conclusion