Date of Award

7-25-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Ann Robinson

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between pre-service teachers’ self-reported creativity and their appreciation for students’ creative characteristics. The researcher replicated Kettler et al.'s (2018) "Teacher Perceptions of Creativity in the Classroom" study of in-service teachers. Specifically, the relationship among pre-service teachers’ creative self-efficacy, self-reported personal creativity, perceived importance of promoting creativity, and their preference for student characteristics in the classroom was investigated. Data were gathered using a web-based questionnaire e-mailed to pre-service teachers in educational preparation programs in a southern U.S. state. The study sample were 92 pre-service teachers who had completed at least one practicum or who were currently enrolled in a practicum, a field experience, or an internship. The results indicated a statistically significant preference of pre-service teachers for non-creative student characteristics over creative student characteristics (p < 0.001), although the subsequent correlational analysis highlighted a positive link between pre-service teachers' self-reported creativity and their preference for creative student characteristics (p < 0.001). The multiple regression analysis revealed that the preferences of pre-service teachers for student creative characteristics are significantly influenced by a combination of their self-reported creativity, creative self-efficacy beliefs, and perceived importance of promoting creativity (p < .01). The rank-order correlation analysis uncovered that although pre-service teachers prioritized "thinking creatively" as an educational goal, they exhibited a preference for non-creative student characteristics (p < .001). Finally, the Stepwise Regression analysis suggested that pre-service teachers’ preferred subject area to teach and time spent in practicum or related field experiences significantly impacted their preference for the students' creative characteristics (p < 001). Pre-service teachers who have spent more than 100 hours in classroom-related experiences prefer non-creative student characteristics rather than creative ones. Overall, results for pre-service teachers mirror in-service teachers’ preferences for non-creative rather than creative student characteristics and behaviors. Implications for pre-service teacher preparation programs are discussed from the perspective of improving practice.

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