1877-0428 © 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.956

Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 2 (2010) 5850–5854

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

WCES-2010

Contributions of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities

Deniz Özcana * aDepartment of Computer Information Systems, Near East University, Lefkosa 98010, Northern Cyprus

Received November 15, 2009; revised December 3, 2009; accepted January 25, 2010

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine contributions of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities and relationships between these effects and teachers’ characteristics which may be related with them. The sample of the study consists of 110 English teachers which are working in primary, secondary and high schools in Nicosia, Cyprus. Data is collected by “Contributions of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities” questionnaire and a demographical information form. Frequency tables and t-test are used to analyze data. The results of the study show that contributions of English teachers’ behaviours provide positive contributions on students’ creative thinking abilities. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Creative thinking; teachers’ behaviour; thinking skills.

1. Introduction

According to Beyer (1991, p. xi) 'Thinking skills are the discrete, precisely delineated mental operations used in varying combinations as we think.' De Bono (1991) describes these skills as tools of effective thinking. Swartz and Perkins (1991) talk about 'subskills' to avoid any misunderstanding of the main five kinds of thinking. They say that a 'thinking skill is a competency that contributes to some kind of thinking' (Perkins, p.19). Each type of thinking includes a number of thinking skills or subskills (or for short, skills). Kagan (2003) divides thinking skills into three types: understanding information, manipulating information, and generating information. In each of the three categories are specific skills. For example, “summarize” is related to understanding information; problem solving is related to manipulating information; and questioning is related to generating information. In contrast to the above list of skills Lipman (1983) thinks that 'Thinking skills is a catch-all phrase' (cited in Coles & Robinson 1991, p.9), because the list of skills has no end due to the abundant nature of the intellectual powers of mankind.

Creative thinking is a thinking style which enables the individuals to produce new and authentic products, find new solutions, and reach a synthesis. Creativity means being critical and proposing new suggestions (Emir, 2001; Emir, & Bahar, 2003). The characteristics of creativity are defined as being aware of one’s own unity and coherence and evaluating the conditions for uniting the knowledge the person uses in the framework of this awareness,

* Deniz Özcan. Tel.: 0533 875 5661 E-mail address: denizozcan55@hotmail.com

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understanding the information obtained through observations and experiments, and making it ready to be used, perceiving the problem very quickly and making decisions quickly associating it with his imagination (Özcan, 2000). A creative person is the one who searches for the new fields, makes new observations, makes new guesses, and propose new implications. Creative people need to have the ability to think fluently, authentically, and flexibly (Aslan, 2003; Emir, & Bahar, 2003).

Creative thinking process is a complex process and is fulfilled in four steps as preparation, incubation, enlightenment, and approval (Bartzer, 2001; Erden, & Akman, 1994; Hilgard, & Atkins, 1967 cited in Aslan, 1994; Özden, 2003; San, 1993; Y ld r m, 1998):

- Preparation Period includes approaching the problem systematically and logically. - Incubation Period follows the preparation period. As there is no control of consciousness in this period new

synthesis and original ideas appear. - Enlightenment Period is the period in which the individual makes various syntheses among the information he

obtained in previous period and finds new solutions. - The Approval of the Findings is a conscious and logical period. The pitfalls of the solutions found before are

fixed their accuracy is reviewed. Creative thinking can be learned and improved as logical rules. This is fulfilled through education in schools

and with the help of teachers. The influence of the educational settings on improving creative thinking skills is quite a lot. The things expected from teachers are to contribute to the training of the individuals who can think independently, can solve problems, have the ability to make decisions, and can think creatively (Bekci, & Erdo an, 2007; Emir, Erdo an, & Kuyumcu, 2008; Y ld r m, 1998).

1.1. Aim of the study

This study aims to examine the contributions of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities and relationships between these effects and teachers’ characteristics which may be related with them. More specifically the study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the contributions of English teachers’ behaviours working in primary, secondary and high schools in Nicosia, Cyprus on students’ creative thinking abilities? 2. In what extent, do the characteristics of teachers affect their contributions to the students’ creative thinking abilities according to teachers; a) Gender b) Teaching experience c) Teaching degree d) Extra work experience e) Weekly lesson hours.

2. Method

2.1 Sampling

This study has been carried out in Nicosia, TRNC. The sampling of the research consisted of 110 English teachers working in primary, secondary and high schools. 75 of the teachers were female, and 35 of them were male.

2.2 Data Collecting Tools

Data was collected by “Contributions of Teachers’ Behaviours on Creative Thinking Abilities” questionnaire and a demographical information form created by Kür at Yenilmez & Belma Yolcu. The questionnaire consisted of four- point likert scale 17 questions and a demographical information form required the participants’ gender, teaching experience, teaching degree, extra work experience and weekly lesson hours.

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2.3 Data Analysis

The data was analyzed quantitatively, and it was conducted by using SPSS 16.0. Frequency tables and t-test were used to analyze data.

3. Findings

3.1 Mean values of points gotten by English teachers

Table1. The mean of the opinions towards “Contributions of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities”

N Number of items The lowest point The highest point Mean Standard Deviation

110 17 19 54 44.88 5.92

The mean of opinions towards “Contributions of English Teachers’ Behaviours on Students’ Creative Thinking

Abilities” is 44.88 (S.D. = 5.92). While the lowest point is 19 (minimum 17), the highest point is 54 (maximum 68). It is seen that there are 2.38 points difference between mean values of points gained from the teachers (44.88) and general mean. When the two mean is analyzed with single sample t-test, meaningful difference is found between them (p<.05). According to this result, it is seen that English teachers’ behaviours provide positive contributions on students’ creative thinking abilities.

3.2 Findings related to demographical features of English teachers

3.2.1 Gender

Table2. Results of points according to teachers’ gender

Gen. N M SD df t P

F 75 44.36 p>0.05 -1.64 108 -1,358 .177

M 35 46.00

As it is seen in Table 2.1, there is no significant difference between English teachers’ genders and contributions

of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities. (p>0.05) According to this result, Gender of English teachers does not affect their behaviours’ contribution on students’

creative thinking abilities.

3.2.2 Teaching experience

Table3. Results of points according to English teachers’ teaching experience

Experience N M SD F P

1-5 years 55 45.63 03.75 2.79 .030 P<0.05 6-10 years 19 45.84 04.04 11-15 years 20 41.60 10.57 16-20 years 10 47.20 05.05

21 and upper 6 42.00 03.09

As it is seen in table 3, according to English teachers teaching experiences, there is a significant difference

between teachers having 1-5 years, 6-10 years, 16-20 years teaching experiences, and having 11-15 years teaching experiences (p<0.5). It can be said that teachers being in the first ten years of teaching experiences provide more

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contributions on students’ creative thinking abilities since they are more liable to apply contemporary education concept, and they have higher motivation. Also it is seen that the mean of teachers having 16-20 years teaching experiences is high since they have the motivation of teaching for long years.

3.2.3 Teaching degree

Table4. The results of points according to English teachers’ teaching degree

Degree N M SD F P

Primary school 26 45.69 4.25 1.021 .36 P>0.05

Secondary school 38 45.47 4.21

High school 46 43.93 7.66

According to the Table 4, there is no significant difference between English teachers’ teaching degree and

contributions of their behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities. (p>0.05) Findings in Table 4 are commentated as English teachers’ teaching degree does not affect contributions of their

behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities.

3.2.4 Extra work experience

Table5. The results of points according to English teachers’ extra work experience

Extra works N M SD F P

Tutoring 73 43.98 5.52 8.47 .000 P<0.05 Private establishment for teaching 6 39.66 10.32 Others 13 48.88 4.35

According to Table 5, there is a significant difference between English teachers tutoring and studying in a

private establishment for teaching, and English teachers working in other works (p<0.5). English teachers working in other works except teaching provide more contribution on students’ creative thinking abilities (M=48.88, SD=4.35). These findings can be commentated as English teachers tutoring and working in a private establishment for teaching use their professional motivation while teaching outside the classroom, and they do not give much more importance for their classroom students in their schools. However, people working in different fields and having different experiences use the language more effectively, and this reflects to peoples’ behaviours in a positive way as well.

3.2.5 Extra work experience

Table6. The results of points according to English teachers’ weekly lesson hours

According to Table 6, there is a significant difference between English teachers giving 8-15 hours lesson in a

week and giving 16-32 hours lesson in a week (p<0.05). English teachers giving 8-15 hours lesson in a week provide more contributions on students’ creative thinking abilities(X=45.96, SS=4.79).This result can be commentated as weekly lesson hours of teachers affect their behaviours in the classroom.

Lesson hours N M SD df t P

8-15 78 45.96 4.79 P<0.05 108 3.10 .002

16-32 32 42-25 7.49

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4. Conclusion

It is seen that demographical characteristics of English teachers are effective on contributions of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities. According to the results of “Contributions of Teachers’ Behaviours on Creative Thinking Abilities” questionnaire and demographical information form, English teachers behaviours provide positive contributions on Students’ creative thinking abilities. According to English teachers genders there is no significant difference between English teachers’ genders and contributions of English teachers’ behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities.

There is a significant difference between teachers having 1-5 years, 6-10 years, and 16-20 years teaching experiences, and having 11-15 years teaching experiences. It can be said that teachers being in the first ten years of teaching experiences provide more contributions on students’ creative thinking abilities since they are more liable to apply contemporary education concept, and they have higher motivation. Also it is seen that the mean of teachers having 16-20 years teaching experiences is high since they have the motivation of teaching for long years.

According to English teachers’ teaching degree, there is no significant difference between English teachers’ teaching degree and contributions of their behaviours on students’ creative thinking abilities.

According to English teachers extra work experience, there is a significant difference between English teachers tutoring and studying in a private establishment for teaching, and English teachers working in other works. English teachers working in other works except teaching provide more contribution on students’ creative thinking abilities.

According to English teachers’ weekly lesson hours, there is a significant difference between English teachers giving 8-15 hours lesson in a week and giving 16-32 hours lesson in a week. English teachers giving 8-15 hours lesson in a week provide more contributions on students’ creative thinking abilities. This result can be commentated as weekly lesson hours of teachers affect their behaviours in the classroom.

5. Recommendations

According to the findings and results of the study, the proposals have been developed like creativity courses should be organized for the teachers, and motivation-oriented studies should be done to increase teachers’ motivation inside the classroom, moreover behaviours of the teachers should be observed in the classroom to get more clear and definite results.

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