ORCID ID

alwildman

Date Awarded

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Education

Advisor

Megan Tschannen-Moran

Committee Member

Carol Tieso

Committee Member

Mark Hofer

Abstract

In the last few decades, classical education has greatly expanded across the United States. The philosophical roots of classical education span over 2,000 years of history, yet very little educational research has focused on these ever-expanding schools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between implicit beliefs related to creativity and the uses of instructional practices related to creative thinking among classical school teachers. This study used quantitative research methods including exploratory factor analysis, multiple regression analysis, and bivariate correlations to establish a research basis for the importance of facilitating creativity, imagination, and wonder in classical school students. Study findings indicate that classical school teachers tend to hold democratic beliefs about creative potential, value creative thinking, and commonly utilize several instructional practices conducive to facilitating creative thinking ability in students. Research findings offer support for training and further professional learning to better assist classical educators in their ability to use creative thinking instructional practices. Recommendations for future research include deeper examinations into classical teachers’ instructional practices coupled with epistemological beliefs of learning as well as examinations of classical administrators’ beliefs and attitudes related to the importance of promoting creativity in classical schools.

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.25774/w4-g7yw-4a36

Rights

© The Author

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