In-service and prospective teachers' conceptions of creativity

Teachers play a crucial role in the development of primary school students creative potential in either a positive or a negative way. This paper aims to draw attention to in-service and prospective teachers' conceptions of creativity and answer three main research questions: What are the teachers' conceptions and implicit theories of creativity in general?, What are the teachers' conceptions and implicit theories of creativity ill the context of primary education?, and How well-trained and equipped do teachers feel to play their key role in the development of students' creative potential? A self-report questionnaire was used as an instrument to gather qualitative and quantitative data from 132 Greek in-service and prospective teachers. According to the selected quantitative data we present in this study, the majority of the participants reported that the facilitation of students' creativity is included in the teachers' role, but they (teachers themselves) do not feel well-trained and confident enough to realise this particular expectation. The authors conclude that further research is needed in order to: (i) reveal more on teachers' conceptions on creativity and (ii) understand and classify teachers' particular needs to facilitate the creative potential of primary school students. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.