The influence of individual differences on technical creativity in Slovenian K-9 students

Avsec, Stanislav (author), Modic, Klavdija (author)

This study aims to verify and understand the effect of individual differences on technical creativity in Slovenian K - 9 students. Students' learning styles and their attitudes towards technology and engineering , which might have implications in students for teaching and developing creativity, were investigated. Despite of several approaches to teaching and of curriculum learning standards in technical creati vity, technology education courses still suffer from creativity development needed for future creation of new technologies, and for inventions of products. For the purpose of this study, an effective sample of n =17 7 secondary school students in grade 6 an d in grade 9 w as collected . An empirical research design was followed. A recently developed DSLI learning style inventory was used for measuring learning styles, while student attitude towards technology and engineering was surveyed with 25 - item test. Stud ents' creative potential was measured with a standardised test of creative thinking - divergent production. The results of the study on creativity show no significant (p>0.05) differences in creative potential between sixth - and ninth - graders. Moreover, inte rest for technology is not particularly positive for both groups of students, when a lack of technology identification in sixth - graders appears significantly (p<0.05) . Students' learning styles were found as significant (p<0.05) predictors in students crea tive potential . S tudents still feel perplexed with technology and the current design and technology curriculum might not markedly influence student decision to pursuit careers in technology and engineering.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: tehnološko izobraževanje
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Year: 2017
• Number of pages: 128-143
• Numbering: 9
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-96690
• ISSN: 1803-6805
• COBISS.SI-ID: 11767625
• Publication date in RUL: 11.10.2017

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Keywords: technological education