In PhD thesis we have investigated the conditions for of distance learning effectiveness, and empirically proved that online learning setting allows to develop teenagers’ creativity successfully. Additionally, we have explored teachers' beliefs on creativity and their influence on teachers' readiness to develop creativity at schools and showed that teachers' misconceptions on creativity might be an important obstacle to its development in students. We created online course aimed at creativity development through the exploration of sources for creative ideas and tested course effectiveness for teenagers
The relevance of the investigated problem is due to following reasons. Firstly, distance education potentially allows to provide full-fledged education even without physical presence in school, however, there are some concerns about effectiveness of online learning for development of soft skills, including creativity. Secondly, despite great importance of creativity in the modern world, schools have troubles with creativity development. One of the ways to solve the problem is to create specialized courses aimed at the development of creativity. Online format of such courses would potentially increase their accessibility; however, the effectiveness of such approach needs to be carefully studied.
The Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (JAS) provides favorable environment for testing of the latest educational approaches.
During our research we obtained the following results:
a) the new structure of individual creative potential based on the literature analysis was developed;
b) the possibility of successful development of creativity for teenagers in distance learning setting was empirically proved;
c) the program aimed at exploring the sources of creative ideas, but not focusing on divergent thinking techniques, can be an effective tool for the development of creativity.
For the first time:
‒ It was proved that creativity of teenagers might be successfully developed during online learning;
‒ It is shown that the course, focused on exploring the sources of ideas is beneficial for divergent thinking development;
‒ It was shown that there are differences in online course for creativity development effectiveness for students of JAS and students of secondary school;
‒ Ukrainian teachers' beliefs on creativity were studied; the positive role of trainings for the teacher’s readiness to develop creativity was established, the misconceptions that prevent teachers from effective creativity developing were determined.
During our research we improved:
‒ knowledge on creativity, the structure of creative potential and approaches to its development;
̶ knowledge about the conditions for the effectiveness of distance learning;
‒ methodology of creativity development in the online learning setting.
During our research we deepened and clarified:
̶ the content of concepts "creativity", "creative potential", "development of creative potential", "distance learning", "online learning";
The following problems received further development:
‒ development of the creative potential of teenagers;
‒ pedagogical environment for the creativity development of teenagers;
̶ role of projects implemented by the National Center "Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine" in the creativity development of gifted students;
‒ potential of online education in the development of creativity of teenagers;
‒ studying the influence of student’s engagement on the effectiveness of creativity development in the process of online learning.
We developed and implemented the program of the online course aimed at developing the components of creativity of teenagers that can become a supportive tool for teachers at schools and extracurricular educational institutions, parents, and can also potentially be modified for other age groups, in particular, for students of pedagogical specialties and teacher training programs.
The practical significance of the obtained scientific results is the following:
̶ the study of teacher’s beliefs on creativity and its effect on their readiness to develop students creativity is necessary for further planning of measures to improve creativity development at school;
̶ identification of pedagogical conditions of creativity development during online learning is beneficial for creating online creativity training courses and planning soft skills development in the conditions of online learning;
̶ developed program would help teachers in achieving the goal of developing the creative potential of students.
These scientific results can be used in creativity trainings not only for gifted teenagers in extracurricular educational institutions, but also for pedagogical work in secondary education institutions. Further adaptation of the developed program will potentially allow it to be used for work with students of pedagogical universities and for teacher training programs.
