Development Of Creativity In Primary School – Challenge And Possibilities

Abstract

Problem Statement: Creativity is a common theme for science of education, but represents a challenge for educational field from theoretical approach to practical one. Purpose of Study: The purpose of the study is to investigate the modalities to developm the specific level of creativity from primary school in Suceava County. Research Methods:The investigative part is done through the survey about some aspects of the creativity process in primary school and we investigate the diferences between the students before and after educational intervention. The sample comprises 40 students from Bukovina County (ROMANIA). Findings: The students consider the creative process is depending on some factors (educational level, program of study and performance). In terms of the gained results we have described the diferences between our sample before educational intervantion and after creativity programme. Conclusions: The results obtained after the quantitative and qualitative analysis help to figure out more clearly the roles and the ideal methods for stimulating creativity process in primary education. The final data helps to build a better system for teaching in primary school and for the optimizing the quality of the teaching process for development of creativity.

Keywords: Creativity; process; primary school; teacher’s methodsperceptions of students

Introduction

This research was conducted based on the National Education Law (art. 2, alin. 1), which is

focused on „promoting an education oriented on values, creativity, cognitive, volitional and action

abilities, fundamental knowledge, competences and abilities of direct utility, in a profession or society”.

In the context of a continuously transforming reality, which stresses the individual in its personality

complexity, creativity is a basic quality which allows the exploration of a problem – matter by a divergent

thinking, envisioning multiple approaching perspectives in order to identify the right solution.

From this perspective it is necessary that the pupils are well prepared, achieve competences and

abilities to help them be creative, active, competitive, therefore performing within educational activities

and then, in the society (Cameron & Lively, 2013). These competences – though innate- can be developed

throughout life, fact that determined me to make a point by this study, about the impact that, the

creativity stimulation methods, techniques and procedures presented here, have on the divergent thinking,

imagination and the pupils’ creative attitudes. It has to be stated however, that the formative-educative

effects of the presented strategies are directly related to the level of engagement and both individual and

collective participation in the learning and development process (Starco, 2010; Clipa&Iorga, 2013;

Clipa&Boghean (2015),). Encouraging the child’s creativity since school becomes necessary given the

fact that this individual ability can be identified by the teacher by specific tests, techniques and methods

and can be developed taking into account each child’s skill, on different fields (Torrance, 1984; Stern &

Dearborn, 1998).

Methodology of Research

This paper is based on an experimental – analytical research within two 2nd grade classes from

School No.1 in Vicovu de Sus, Suceava County from Romania.

The research purpose is discovering the creativity levelreached by the 40 children of 8 and 9

years old tested previously and how the creative-imaginative functions can develop in three months as a

result of the specific strategies applied for creativity development. The final testing will reveal the impact

of these strategies used mainly only in the case of one of the two classes formed of same age students.

The objectiveswere set starting from the theoretical premises presented in the first part of the paper. 1. The main objective considers establishing the pupils’ creativity level from the 1st and 2nd grade,

from two heterogeneous classes formed of pupils of 8 and 9 years old, from the urban area (40 children).

2. We aimed also at finding out to what extent pupils’ creativity is developed as a result of the

consequent usage in school activity of the strategies that stimulate the imaginative functions, on a three

months period, as compared to the level of the pupils creativity from the class in which this psychic

quality development was not a priority for the teacher.

Results

The results indicated that there is no significant difference between the two creativity levels, II

A(M=1,60; SD=0,681; N=20) and II B (M=1,80; SD=0,696; N=20): [t(38)=-0,919; p=0,364; p>0,05].

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These results prove the fact that the II A class level of creativity mean is close to the mean of the II

B pupils (Figure 1 ). The hypothesis according to which „In two heterogeneous classes, where the teacher

creates a stimulating environment, the pupils creativity manifests in different degrees, but very close

when compared between the two classes” is confirmed.

In order to compare the creativity level of the pupils in the II A grade at the first test with the level

at the second one, we applied the t test for pair samples.

The results indicated that there is no significant difference from a statistic point of view between

the level of creativity from the first test (M=1,60; SD=0,681; N=20) and the second one (M=1,75;

SD=0,716; N=20): [t(19)=-1,831; p=0,083; p>0,05].

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The normal lessons without any particular preoccupation towards creativity stimulation had no

significant effect on changing pupils creativity level (Figure 2 ). In order words pupils’ level of creativity

from class II A is almost unchanged from the first application of the test to the second one. The

hypothesis according to which “In the case of the pupils in whose classroom were not applied stimulating

methods the final testing will prove a stagnation or a slow increment of the creativity” is confirmed.

In order to compare creativity levels of the pupils from II B before and after the application of the

creativity stimulating method, t test was applied for pair samples.

The results proved that there is a significant statistic difference between the pupils creativity level

before (M=1,80; SD=0,696; N=20) and after (M=2,65; SD=0,587; N=20): [t(19)=-7,678; p=0,000;

p<0,05] applying the creativity stimulating methods.

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The use of the methods targeting creativity development influences pupils’ creativity. In other

words, the creativity level of the pupils in II B is better after putting into practice these methods then prior

to them. The hypothesis “If creativity stimulation methods are used for three months it will be noticed an

improvement of pupils’ creativity as a result of the test applied”.The hypothesis was confirmed.

In order to verify if there is a statistical difference, after applying the creativity development

methods, between the means of the pupils’ creativity level in the two classrooms, a t test for independent

samples was applied.

The results indicated that there is a significant difference between both means of the creativity

level of the pupils in II A (M=1,75; SD=0,716; N=20) and II B (M=2,65; SD=0,587; N=20):[t(36,590)=-

4,346;p=0,00;p<0,05]. These results reveal the fact that the pupils in II A have a lower creativity level

then the pupils in II B (Figure 4 ).

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In other words, after the three months during which we applied the creativity stimulation methods

in II B, while II A worked normally without aiming at developing these psychic abilities, it was noticed

that as a result of the second test the children from II B became more creative than the ones in II A. The

same results we found in others article (Langa, C, 2014).

Conclusions

In the case of small scholars it is considered that a product is original, creative, if it is new and

valuable to him. A creative act can be considered any act which requires the child to think divergently

and leads him to novel conclusions, resulted from an individual effort.

The chances that the pupils’ become creative persons increase, by:

- the discovery from the first years of school of the special skills and orient them to additional activity;

- the use of creativity stimulating methods;

- the use of creative exercises and games;

- interdisciplinary and learning by cooperation (Langa, C, 2014),

- the encouragement of expressing own points of view and assuming responsibilities;

- stimulating constructive competition between pupils.

The present paper aims at being an argument to support the creative behaviours of the pupils, in order

to encourage their skills, which later may lead to performances.

References

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