Teachers’ Creative Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, and Creative Teaching in Estonia: a Framework for Understanding Teachers’ Creativity-Supportive Behaviour

Abstract Context. Teachers’ creative self-efficacy (CSE), or personal beliefs about one’s own abilities to recognize and produce creative outcomes, is believed to be one of the factors that support creativity in the classroom and is connected to general self-esteem. Objectives and design. In the present paper, two studies were conducted to map Estonian teachers’ CSE and the factors, beliefs and attitudes towards creativity that are related to it, as well as how teachers transfer their CSE into their everyday activities in the classroom. In the first study, Estonian adaptation of Rubenstein et al. (2013) Teaching for Creativity Scales and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Pullmann & Allik, 2000) were used. The second study was based on a qualitative analysis, using in-service teachers’ self-reports focusing on their teaching practices. Main outcomes. As a result of both studies, a framework for understanding teachers’ CSE is proposed, where self-esteem and perceived societal value of creativity are associated with the manifestation of CSE in the classroom, which in turn transfers into enhancing creativity through teaching for creativity and creative teaching.

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Measuring Beliefs about Teaching for Creativity

Teachers College Record ◽

10.1177/016146812012200701 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 122 (7) ◽

pp. 1-22

Author(s):

Jen Katz-Buonincontro ◽

Richard W. Hass ◽

Elaine Perignat

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Pedagogical Practices ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Practicing Teachers ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Teaching For Creativity ◽

Teachers Beliefs ◽

Beliefs About Teaching ◽

Separate Factor ◽

Creative Self

Background/Context Beliefs about teaching for creativity is a newer area of empirical investigation in education. Purpose The purpose of the quantitative study was to measure teachers’ domain-specific beliefs about teaching for creativity, piloted for the first time in this study, and compare these beliefs with domain-general beliefs about creativity. Subjects The study subjects were preservice and practicing teachers enrolled in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral (PhD and EdD) education programs within a private university located in the northeastern United States. Research Design This study surveyed a convenience sample of preservice and practicing teachers’ beliefs about creativity and their beliefs about teaching for creativity to examine their creative self-efficacy, growth and fixed creative mindsets, desirability of creativity for teaching success, and valuing creativity for student learning. Data Collection and Analysis A total of 149 students completed a measure on beliefs about creativity (domain-general) and beliefs about teaching for creativity (domain-specific). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine potential newly aligned items and factors with a change in wording. Results The factor structure of the Fixed Creative Mindset items, Creative Self-Efficacy items and Desirability items was stable when rewording them to represent teacher perspectives. The Growth Creative Mindset items do not show the same stability, but two of the items seem to be related to a single factor, which is evidence that these items are functioning well. The newly worded Value items loaded on a separate factor, with only one cross loading. Educators rated themselves high in most areas, and low in the area of Fixed Creative Mindset. The results indicate that the Beliefs About Teaching for Creativity scales are reliable, with significant correlations among factors. Recommendations We propose research and policy recommendations to further examine the complex relationship between teachers’ beliefs about teaching for creativity and their pedagogical practices, especially in the area of growth and fixed creative mindset.

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