Teachers' Experiences That Influence Their Self-efficacy to Foster Student Creativity

Teachers’ Experiences That Influence Their Self-efficacy to Foster Student Creativity by Kim Wilson MAT, University of Arkansas at Monticello, 2009 MFA, Kent State University, 2000 BA, Winthrop University, 1992 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University December 2018 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 creativityfostering 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 proposedCreativity 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 creativityfostering 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. Teachers’ Experiences That Influence Their Self-efficacy to Foster Student Creativity by Kim Wilson MAT, University of Arkansas at Monticello, 2009 MFA, Kent State University, 2000 BA, Winthrop University, 1992 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University December 2018 Dedication I wish to dedicate this dissertation to my three life champions: my mother, Cynthia M. Wilson; my sister, Melissa W. Hammett; and my husband, Scott A. Lykens. They are responsible for constantly empowering me with their biased love and admiration of me. With their feet firmly planted on the ground, they have given me the ability to reach for the stars. Acknowledgments Any singular action is a convergence of countless previous actions. I could not have completed this action without the countless, generous actions of others. I wish to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge the people responsible for those actions. First, I acknowledge the actions of the heart. Above all, I wish to thank my husband and children who sacrificed the most precious gift of all, time. I am grateful to my entire family who unequivocally communicated their love and support of me, both spoken and unspoken. Finally, I am fortunate to have friends who collegially contributed their wisdom and expertise to many different drafts. That leads to the actions of the mind. In many ways, my completion is the harvest of the combined actions of all faculty and staff of Walden University. I am grateful for every resource, whether it was personal feedback, accessibility to social networking conversations, or guiding documentation. While my growth was certainly fed by many, one was a true cultivator. I am forever in debt to Dr. Sharon Goodvin’s patient, persistent, and graceful mentorship.