Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preservice teachers’ perspectives on the definition and assessment of creativity and the role of web design in developing creative potential

  • Published:
Education and Information Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This empirical study explores the perspectives of eight preservice teachers on the meaning and assessment of creativity and the role of web design in developing creative potential. Data sources included eight semi-structured interviews analyzed by three independent raters, web design checklists, and interviewer’s notes. Five themes emerged from participant responses during data analysis: a) definition of creativity, b) assessment of creativity, c) creativity and instructional strategies, d) creativity and problem solving, and e) creativity and web design. Web design is viewed as a process of ill-structured problem solving that educators can integrate in the curriculum to link content knowledge with the construction of a tangible product. Each of the web design steps, according to these preservice teachers, is important in developing and realizing the creative potential because they require comprehension, analysis, synthesis, application, and evaluation skills to create a unique product.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amabile, T. M. (1983). The social psychology of creativity. New York: Springer-Verlag New York Incorporated.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amabile, T. (1996). Creativity in context: Update to the social psychology of creativity. Westview.

  • Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (eds). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baer, J., Kaufman, J. C., & Gentile, C. A. (2004). Extension of the consensual assessment technique to nonparallel creative products. Creativity Research Journal, 16, 113–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, Handbook I: The cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruner, J. S. (1967). On knowing: Essays for the left hand. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callahan, C. M. (1991). The assessment of creativity. In N. Colangelo & G. A. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of gifted education (pp. 219–235). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cattell, R. B., & Butcher, H. J. (1968). The prediction of achievement and creativity. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Q., & Yao, J. (2005). A cognitive model of web design for e-learning. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2(1), 26–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, C. (1926). The early mental traits of three hundred geniuses. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cropley, A. J. (1999). Education. In M. A. Runco & S. R. Pritzker (Eds.), Encyclopedia of creativity (Vol. 1). San Diego: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1999). Implications of a systems perspective for the study of cre- ativity. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Handbook of creativity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson Films. (1989). Piaget’s developmental theory. Retrieved August 14, 2009 from http://vodpod.com/watch/1128967-jean-piaget-davidson-films

  • Daymon, C., & Holloway, I. (2002). Qualitative research methods in public relations and marketing. Routledge.

  • Fasko, D. (2001). Education and creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 13(3 & 4), 317–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feldhusen, J. F., & Goh, B. E. (1995). Assessing and accessing creativity: an integrative review of theory, research, and development. Creativity Research Journal, 8, 231–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finke, R. A., Ward, T. B., & Smith, S. M. (1992). Creative cognition: Theory, research, and applications. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

  • Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gough, H. G. (1979). A creative personality scale for the adjective check list. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 37, 1398–1405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gough, H. G., & Heilbrun, A. B., Jr. (1965). The adjective check list manual. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilford, J. P. (1977). Way beyond the IQ. Creative Education Foundation.

  • Harris, J. (2003). Internet activity structures. Retrieved May, 20, 2005 from http://virtual-architecture.wm.edu/

  • Jarboe, S. (1999). Group communication and creativity process. In L. R. Frey (Ed.), The handbook of group communication. Theory & research (pp. 335–368). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonassen, D. (2000). Toward a design theory of problem solving. Educational Technology: Research & Development, 48(4), 63–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafai, Y., & Resnick, M. (eds). (1996). Constructionism in practice: Designing, thinking, and learning in a digital world. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahl, C. H., da Fonseca, L. H., & Witte, E. H. (2009). Revisiting creativity research: an investigation of contemporary approaches. Creativity Research Journal, 21, 1–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karnes, M. B., McCoy, G. F., Zehrbach, R. R., Wollersheim, J. P., Clarizio, H. F., Costin, L., et al. (1961). Factors associated with underachievement and overachievement of intellectually gifted children. Champaign: Champaign Community Unit Schools.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, J. C., & Sternberg, R. J. (eds). (2006). The international handbook of creativity. Cambridge: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2008). Introducing Technological Pedagogical Knowledge. In AACTE (Eds.). The Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Educators. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

  • Lubart, T. I. (2000). Models of the creative process: past, present and future. Creativity Research Journal, 13(3–4), 295–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lubart, T. (2005). How can computers be partners in the creative process: classification and commentary. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 63(4), 365–369.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, P. (2001). Keynote speech and workshop: Web design and usability for teaching. The Leading Edge: Issues in Technology and Society lecture series. Normal: Illinois State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, D. W. (1965). Personality and the realization of creative potential. American Psychologist, 20, 273–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2001). Research in education: A conceptual introduction (5th ed.). New York: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ochse, R. (1990). Before the gates of excellence. The determinants of creative genius. Cambridge: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papert, S., & Harel, I. (1986). Situating constructionism. Retrieved August 12, 2004 from http://www.papert.org/articles/SituatingConstructionism.html

  • Parnes, S. J., & Noller, R. B. (1972). Applied creativity: the creative studies project. PartII—Results of the two-year program. Journal of Creative Behavior, 6, 164–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1955). The child’s construction of reality. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes, M. (1961). An analysis of creativity. Phi Delta Kappan, 42, 305–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, J. N. (2006). Web design in a nutshell. O’Reilly Media.

  • Runco, M. (2007). Creativity theories and themes: research, development and practice. Burlington, MA.

  • Sikka, A. Tedder, N. E., & Ewing, S. (1991). Combining qualitative and quantitative data: An example. ERIC Reproduction Service No. ED 344 908.

  • Sternberg, R. J., Kaufman, J. C., & Pretz, J. E. (2002). The creativity conundrum: A propulsion model of kinds of creative contributions. New York: Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. J., & Lubart, T. (1995). An investment approach to creativity. In S. M. Smith, T. B. Ward & R. A. Finke (Eds.), The creative cognition approach. Cambridge: MIT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Subotnik, R. F. (1988). Factors from the structure of intellect model associated with gifted adolescents’ problem finding in science: research with westinghouse science talent search winners. Journal of Creative Behavior, 22, 42–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Urbaniak, G. (1997). Research randomizer. Retrieved July 7, 2008 from http://www.randomizer.org.

  • Wehner, L., Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Magyari-Beck, I. (1991). Current approaches used in studying creativity: an exploratory investigation. Creativity Research Journal, 4, 261–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weisberg, R. W. (2006). Creativity: Understanding innovation in problem solving, science, invention, and the arts. Hoboken: Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng, L., Proctor, R. W., & Salvendy, G. (2009a). Integration of creativity into website design. In Proceedings of HCII 2009, San Diego, CA, USA.

  • Zeng, L., Salvendy, G., & Zhang, M. (2009b). Factor structure of web site creativity. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 568–577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oklahoma State University, 210 Willard Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74074, USA

    Pavlo D. Antonenko

  2. Iowa State University, N108 Lagomarcino Hall, Ames, IA, 50014, USA

    Ann D. Thompson

Authors
  1. Pavlo D. Antonenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ann D. Thompson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pavlo D. Antonenko.

Appendices

Appendix 1

1.1 Interview protocol

Creativity Definition and Instruction

Creativity and Web Design

1. Please think of a couple of creative people you know. What makes them creative? Does it make them more successful than the others? Are you a creative person? Why?

9. Can technology help people enhance their creativity? Why? If Yes, what particular types of technology? What aspects of this technology help people develop creativity?

2. Do you think creativity is an inborn quality? Or can everybody develop it? Why?

10. How about you? Can you say that a specific technology helped you become a more creative person? Why?

3. Do you think there are different kinds of creativity? If yes, what are they? Why?

11. What technologies have more potential to develop somebody’s creativity than the others? Please give examples. Why?

4. What would be your definition of creativity? Why? What is the most important characteristic of creativity, something that can’t be left out?

12. What about web design? Can it be used as a tool of improving creativity? Why? Or why not?

5. How would you go about assessing creativity? Is it easy or difficult to do? Why?

13. If Yes to Q.12, based on your experience in the Instructional Technology course—what aspects of web design are most important in developing creativity? Go through the checklist together, explain the terms if necessary.

6. How do you think people agree about who to call a creative person?

14. Are you going to use web design projects in your future classroom? What type of projects? What content areas? Why?

7. Do you think creative abilities can help people learn better?

15. If Yes to Q.12, do you think web design should be taught as a separate subject in schools?

8. What can enhance a person’s creative potential? Formal education? Teaching methods? Attitudes?

16. When you publish your web project on the web, you share it with a very large community of Internet users. Think of the WebQuest that you completed in Introduction to Instructional Technology. How do you feel about it as the author of this project?

Appendix 2

1.1 Creativity and web design checklist

  1. 1.

    Research

    • Understand the problem

    • Research the problem, possible solutions and the targeted audiences/users

  2. 2.

    Define

    • Identify possible communication problems, ways to solve them (accessibility, universal design).

    • Define the goal, functions, and targeted users of the website

  3. 3.

    Build Information Structure

    • Organize information and determine navigation method (site map and/or flow chart)

    • Testing & group discussion

      1. A.

        Organizing information

        • How should this material be prioritized?

        • What does the audience need to know about this subject?

        • What do they want to do with the information?

        • List all possible content categories

        • Group things by topic

        • Arrange the groups into a structure

  4. 4.

    Conceptualize

    • Revise your design concept

    • Build website identity (logos etc.)

    • Define the visual theme and style

    • Sketches, Photoshop/Illustrator mock-ups

    • Testing & group discussion

  5. 5.

    Design

    • Design website interface

    • Design a system of web page layouts

    • Sketches, Photoshop/Illustrator mock-ups

    • Testing & group discussion

  6. 6.

    Production

    • Graphic production & content editing.

  7. 7.

    Development

    • Set up site structure, web page templates

    • Part-out graphic elements

    • Testing model of your website

  8. 8.

    Execution

    • Build HTML pages

    • Input content and graphic elements

    • Website testing and publishing

    • Working model of your website

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Antonenko, P.D., Thompson, A.D. Preservice teachers’ perspectives on the definition and assessment of creativity and the role of web design in developing creative potential. Educ Inf Technol 16, 203–224 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-009-9112-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-009-9112-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation