Upcoming Unlocking Creativity: Exploring the Impact of Design Thinking on Creative Self-Efficacy
TL;DR
Qualitative analysis of student reflections provided insights into the mechanisms of changes, suggesting that design thinking training helped students act creatively without defining themselves as inherently creative and not necessarily become a more creative person but more equipped with a problem-solving toolkit.
Abstract
Creative thinking has become an essential skill for students to navigate the digitally driven and competitive professional landscape in recent years. Employing a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental research design, this study reports on an intervention using design thinking as a creative thinking training program for undergraduate students. Quantitative results showed significant increases in creative self-efficacy (p = .001, d = .86) and use of creative cognition (p = .002, d = .79) following the intervention. Qualitative analysis of student reflections provided insights into the mechanisms of these changes, suggesting that design thinking training helped students 1) reimagine creativity as a skill set rather than a trait 2) act creatively without defining themselves as inherently creative and 3) not necessarily become a more creative person but more equipped with a problem-solving toolkit. The findings are discussed through the lens of social cognitive theory and used to advance implications for creative learning pedagogy to be integrated in higher education.