What Art Classroom and Social Factors Influence Perceptions of Creative Thinking and Practices of Adolescent Girls in Saudi Arabia?

Alawad, Abeer (2011) What Art Classroom and Social Factors Influence Perceptions of Creative Thinking and Practices of Adolescent Girls in Saudi Arabia? Doctoral thesis, Northumbria University.

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Abstract

In the increasingly popular area of research into creativity in education; students’ perceptions of creativity are an important consideration for developing a creative environment. Consequently, student’s perceptions of creative thinking and practice are a key resource for educators to be innovative in creating educational excellence. The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions about their art classroom environments which either stimulate or inhibit the development of creative thinking and practices, in girls’ intermediate schools (12-15 years) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It addresses the following research question: Is it possible to improve perceptions of creative thinking and practices, of adolescent girls in Saudi Arabia, through control of art classroom environments? There were three parts to this study: firstly, the pre-intervention study to explore and identify a range of factors with potential to influence perceptions of creative thinking and practices; secondly, the main part of the study was the intervention to determine the impact of manipulating classroom variables with potential to influence perceptions of creative thinking and practices; and thirdly, follow up visits to determine whether the environmental changes, and the changes in perceptions, had continued. The samples used in the intervention study were students (n = 225) all from second year classes in nine secondary schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The research findings were obtained by observation using behaviour mapping and Likertscale questionnaires indicated that students’ perceptions of creative thinking and practices were improved through changing table and seating arrangement and wall displays. The contribution to new knowledge in this study will inform participants working within and related to the field of education and in particular art education, proposing considerations for appropriate improvements to learning environments by:

· Developing a research process for identifying and testing environmental influences upon the perception of creative thinking and practices.
· Evidencing how table and seating arrangement, and wall display, can improve perceptions of creative thinking and practice in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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