Primary physical education perspective on creativity: the nature of creativity and creativity fostering classroom environment

Abstract

From the beginning of the twenty-first century, many authorities and educational policies had begun to campaign their curricula towards the promotion of creativity. Researchers' interest turned to teachers' perceptions, implicit theories and beliefs about creativity-related issues which reflect and influence their behaviours and actions in classroom settings. Till today, no research recorded physical educators' (PEds) perceptions about creativity- (PAC) related issues, although many EU member states promote creativity in their primary curricula. The PAC questionnaire was developed to explore PEds' perceptions on: (a) the characteristics of creative students, (b) students' creative outcomes, (c) the nature of creativity and (d) the creativity fostering and inhibiting classroom environment. The present paper discusses the findings from the two latter aspects. Although PEds seemed to lean towards the democratic approach of creativity, many of them held contradicting views. Also, they appeared undecided, unaware and inconsistent with regard to creativity fostering classroom environment issues.

Keywords:

• creativity
• teachers
• perceptions
• implicit theories
• fostering classroom environment
• nature

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all PEd who voluntary participated in all stages of the study. The present study is part of a larger one which was funded for the first author's PhD fulfilment by the Greek Secretariat of Sports (decision 38400-28/08/2007).

Notes on contributors

Elisavet Konstantinidou, is a research and teaching assistant at the Department of Early Childhood Care & Education of Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki and a public employee of a Greek local authority. She has participated and is currently participating as a research assistant (external partner) in funded international and national research projects, for early childhood and physical education. She has participated in the translation and writing of books and has published papers in scientific national and international journals and proceedings of conferences. She has numerous scientific presentations and has participated as a keynote speaker at international training seminars.

Athanasios Gregoriadis is a lecturer of Early Childhood Education at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. He teaches courses both in bachelor and master's degrees. He is a scientific advisor in the Experimental Early Childhood Centre of his University. His main research interests are teacher-child relationships, early childhood curricula, and the evaluation of early childhood environments. He has participated and is currently participating as a coordinator and key staff member in five funded international and national research projects during the last seven years. He has published many research papers in peer review international journals.

Vasilis Grammatikopoulos is a lecturer in Educational Evaluation at the University of Crete, Department of Preschool Education, Greece. In the past, he was postdoctoral teaching fellow at the Liverpool Hope University, UK and University of Macedonia, Greece. He has participated in numerous funded national and international research projects, and his main research interests are: educational evaluation, early childhood education evaluation, evaluation of physical activity in early childhood education. He has great experience in pre & in-service teacher training as he has taught in many training courses. He has published many research papers in peer reviewed international journals.

Maria Michalopoulou is a professor of the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences of Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. Her area of expertise is the ‘Skill acquisition in physical activity and sports’, and her sector is ‘Sports Management’ and ‘Physical education in schools’. She has published numerous research papers in peer reviewed international journals and she has many presentations at national and world conferences. She has been extensively involved in National and European Research Projects as a coordinator and member. She has translated and edited the Greek version of many well-known international books for motor learning.

Notes

1. http://www.minedu.gov.gr/apo-to-simera-sto-neo-sxoleio-me-prota-ton-mathiti.html (Greek action plan ‘New School: Student First: Greek Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs’).