Everyday teacher creativity : a mixed methods case study of teachers’ profiles for fostering a creative classroom ecology

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Jennifer Haddad Lingle (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Beverly Faircloth

Abstract: This mixed methods case study dissertation research aimed to examine specific characteristics of general education teachers (non-arts-based, non-gifted-education-based) related to how teachers foster creative classroom ecologies in their traditional classroom environments. The targeted characteristics involve two dimensions potentially related to fostering creative classroom ecologies: 1) levels of nine creativity-supporting behaviors (evaluation, flexibility, frustration, independence, integration, judgment, motivation, opportunities, and questions; Cropley, 1995; Soh, 2000), and 2) measures of intrinsic motivational factors as elements of self-determination theory (competence, autonomy, and relatedness; (Reeves et al., 2018; Roth et al., 2007). These dimensions were collected via quantitative online surveys (Phase One) with 25 public middle school teachers. Clustering techniques guided the statistical analysis of patterns found in the survey responses. In Phase Two, eight of the 25 teachers were interviewed using a semi-structured format and a card-sorting task to uncover contextual factors to deepen the quantitative results. The results from Phase One and Two were integrated into two profiles that summarize key characteristics from two clusters groups. Theoretical and methodological implications, applications for pre- and in-service teacher development, as well as recommendations for future research in teacher education are also discussed.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2024
Keywords
Creativity, Intrinsic motivation, Middle grades teachers, Mixed methods research
Subjects
Creative teaching
Middle school teaching
Motivation in education
Classroom environment

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