Science Teachers' Conceptions and Perceptions of Scientific Creativity and Approaches to Nurture It in Science Teaching and Learning in Secondary School

Abstract

In Malaysia, educational researchers, educators and teacher have supported the need to foster students’ creativity via a national curriculum. Aspects of creativity are different across domains and in science subjects, fostering students’ creativity will lead to scientific creativity. The overall aims of this study were to explore science teachers’ conception and perception towards fostering scientific creativity in the science classrooms. The study has a qualitative nature that stands on an interpretive worldview. The methodology involved eight science subject teachers as informants and using semi-structured interviews to collect data. Thematic findings and case studies findings were drawn from the analysis of the data collected. In general, the thematic findings indicated that science teachers are able to define the meaning of creativity and its main aspects. Teacher’s pedagogical perception enforce eight teaching approaches to foster creativity in the science classroom: (1) application of thinking skills, (2) exposure to science examples, (3) inter-discipline science learning, (4) technology-based learning, (5) inquiry-based learning, (6) cooperative learning, (7) practical investigation (experimentation) and (8) project-based learning. The teachers believe that these approaches could promote students’ scientific creativity in science classroom when specific factors facilitate or hinders the effectiveness of such approaches in terms of fostering creativity.