First Advisor
Ritchotte, Jennifer
Document Type
Dissertation
Date Created
5-2019
Embargo Date
7-16-2021
Abstract
In this era of advanced technology and with the increasing societal demand for individuals who possess skills in creativity and innovation, understanding educators’ perceptions and experiences fostering creativity and innovation in K-12 settings is a timely and relevant research topic. Prior research has emphasized the need to acquire a deep understanding of educators’ perceptions and experiences fostering creativity and innovation within school contexts. Based on recommendations from in the literature, this qualitative phenomenological study recruited eight trained gifted education educators with varied experiences in the field of gifted and talented education to better understand their perceptions and experiences fostering creativity and innovation in gifted students in K-12 settings. Specifically, the researcher attempted to explore these gifted education educators’ perceptions of creativity and innovation in general, and their perceptions and experiences of fostering creativity and innovation in gifted students in K-12 settings, specifically. The results of this study indicated that these gifted education educators had accurate, positive perceptions of creativity and innovation that were consistent with recent explicit theories of creativity and innovation. Participants also possessed a deep understanding of the importance and benefits of fostering creativity and innovation in gifted students. Although participants felt prepared to foster creativity and innovation, they indicated that they still faced certain barriers to doing so within their school systems. These barriers include schools and school districts putting too much emphasis on grades and standardized testing, and the negative perceptions of administrators and other educators concerning the value of creativity. Participants did, however, see hope for cultivating students’ creativity in the future. They noted that STEAM education and access to advanced technology in schools had the potential to lead to greater administrative support for developing the creativity and innovation of not only gifted students, but all students. In addition, findings suggested that supportive school leaders and more professional learning for teachers and principals on topics directly and indirectly related to creativity and innovation could play critical roles in fostering students’ creativity and innovation in schools.
Extent
196 pages
Local Identifiers
Alsamani_unco_0161D_10722
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Recommended Citation
Alsamani, Omar Abdullah, "Fostering Creativity and Innovation in Gifted Students Through the Eyes of Gifted Education Educators" (2019). Dissertations. 573.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/573