Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Sharon Goodvin

Abstract

Creativity has been included in student learning and model teaching standards with little systematic attention on the preparedness of current practitioners to implement such expectations. This qualitative case study is conducted to discover what knowledge and skills teachers perceived to be necessary to implement practices that foster and develop student creativity with a strong sense of self-efficacy. A purposeful sample of 58 teachers from 4 Arkansas A+ (ARA+) network schools shared their perceptions of how creativity-fostering professional development (PD) influenced their sense of self-efficacy to foster creativity and answer the research questions. Data were collected using questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus groups and analyzed through comparative analysis of open-ended responses. Findings showed that teachers who reported attending ARA+ PD had a positive influence on their sense of self-efficacy to foster creativity through shared applicable ideas and permissible risk taking. Establishing infrastructure for the creative process was determined to be the most salient knowledge and an increase in flexible thinking was the most salient skill. Conclusions drawn from teachers' experiences could provide an opportunity for positive social change through insightful recommendations. Creativity-fostering strategies, such as brainstorming procedures, were recommended for both professional interactions and for classroom instruction. Conclusions and proposed recommendations promote a deeper understanding of how efficacious beliefs towards creativity integration among practitioners could improve systematic efforts to address the imperative call for teachers to develop creativity skills within students.

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