The impact of nurturing creativity in language arts classrooms for improving students\u27 creative products

This study was conducted to examine the impact of nurturing creativity in language arts classrooms based on gender and inclusion in special education clusters for improving seventh grade students\u27 creative products and determining students\u27 perceptions of creativity nurturing. This study utilized a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design with two intact samples separated into treatment and control. Both groups were heterogeneous mixed including students of varying abilities representative of the total school population, with the treatment group containing the identified special education cluster. Quantitative data included the control groups\u27 product scores and the treatment groups\u27 rubric scores, and were based on the results of 50 students\u27 gains on posttests after implementation of the treatment. The qualitative data were gathered from a sample of the treatment group utilizing a questionnaire and semi-structured interview focused on the group\u27s attitudes toward creativity nurturing. In this research-based treatment, six original lessons plans with an instructional rubric were developed, which allowed for the creation of open-ended, creative products through the implementation of the creativity enhancing techniques of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. The first five hypotheses were designed to quantify the effect of treatment measuring through the posttest scores in comparison to the pretest scores. The statistical analysis of the data utilized a repeated measures analysis of variance model (RMANOVA). In RMANOVA the between subject effect was compared between the pretest and posttest scores using the pretest as a covariate. The frequency procedures were used to calculate the chi-square test statistics and associated p-values for hypothesis six and seven. There were statistically significant differences between the control and treatment group. The treatment group displayed statistically higher posttest scores compared to the control group after the intervention. In regard to the impact of nurturing creativity, the results support the position that creativity can be enhanced through conscious and creative efforts, improving both male and female students\u27 creative products. It is recommended that educators make a more strenuous effort to advance academic instruction through the use of creativity enhancing techniques. Creativity training must become an integral part of the educational process and not be considered the fluff of the curriculum