Student teachers' beliefs about creativity

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine student teachers' beliefs about creativity, creative outcomes, and factors related to creativity. Even though the importance of facilitating creativity in educational settings has been recognised, little attention has been paid to teachers' beliefs about creativity. In this study, a questionnaire, designed to explore conceptualisations of creativity and issues related to it, was administered to 49 student teachers. The results indicated that student teachers tend to perceive creativity as a general ability primarily manifested in the context of artistic endeavours. Moreover, creative outcomes were thought to be novel but not necessarily appropriate or correct. These findings are discussed with respect to their educational implications.