Creativity Development in Higher Education: Learning Styles and Teaching Practices from Students and Professors' Perspectives

Abstract

Creativity development has become an essential competence in higher education, as it contributes to preparing students to respond critically and innovatively to contemporary social and professional challenges. Its development is associated with teaching practices, learning styles, and educational experiences that shape university learning environments. The aim of this study was to investigate the teaching practices, knowledge areas, learning styles, and extracurricular activities that promote creativity development in higher education from the perspectives of students and professors. A mixed-methods study was conducted. A structured questionnaire was administered to a purposive sample of 834 undergraduate students enrolled in Social Sciences and Humanities programs at three universities in Colombia and qualitative data were obtained through an open-ended question included in the same questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with eleven professors from the same universities. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated through methodological and source triangulation. The findings reveal convergent perceptions regarding the value of active teaching methodologies, multimodal learning experiences and visual and auditory learning styles. Both main actors emphasized the importance of problem-based learning, authentic learning experiences, and unconventional classroom activities for creativity development. The study also highlights the pedagogical value of structured uncertainty as a strategy for strengthening students' creative development.