Perceptions Of Physics Students And Teachers Towards Creativity

One of the concerns in education today is low creativity among children, with wrong perception identified as an important militating factor. The purpose of this study was to establish the perceptions of students and teachers towards creativity. Its objectives were to (a) identify factors perceived as critical in enhancing creativity and (b) examine students’ belief in own creative abilities. The study population consisted of 2,236 Form 4 physics students in Nairobi Province; while the sample comprised 763 students (386 girls and 377 boys) selected by simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using Creativity Perception Questionnaire for physics students, and teachers respectively. Both instruments were constructed by the researcher and validated by three experts in research methods from Maseno University. Students expressed confidence in own creative abilities and cited availability of materials, and encouragement by parents as the most important factors for creativity, while teachers perceived project work, science debate, and opportunity for creative work as the most important factors. The study recommends that (1) opportunity be created to engage students in creative work (2) necessary materials for creative work be provided and (3) design be encouraged as a major step in the creative process.