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Developing Scientific Creativity Test
Developing Scientific Creativity Test
Developing Scientific Creativity Test
Abstract. This study aims to develop a test Flexibility is the ability to ‘change tack’, not to
for primary school students which measures be bound by an established approach after that
scientific creativity and scientifci process approach is found no longer to work
skills. A test, inspired by a Scientific Creativity efficiently.
Structure Model (SCSM), was used with Originality is interpreted statistically: an
minor changes according to the Turkish answer which is rare, which occurs only
language and culture. The model includes two occasionally in a given population, is
aspects: the processes of science and the considered original.
characteristics of being creative. The test These features were helpful during the
administered to year-7 students in Turkey analyses of the answers of the test items.
(n=79). After suitable scoring, in order to find Structure of scientific creativity has been
out if the test was valid, the expert ratings was defined [4] as below:
used (n=15). The experts were the people who 1. Scientific creativity is different from
studied scientific creativity. The test results other creativity since its concerned
have been analyzed by the researchers, who with creative science experiments,
study in the same area. The analysis of the creative scientific problem finding and
data showed adequate reliability and validity. solving, and creative science activity.
2. Scientific creativity is a kind of ability
Keywords. Scientific creativity, scientific which includes intellectual factors.
creativity tests, scientific processes. 3. Scientific creativity must depend on
scientific knowledge and skills.
1. Scientific creativity, what does it 4. Scientific creativity should be a
combination of static structure and
mean?
developmental structure. The
adolescent and the mature scientist
Before explaning the test items the
have the same basic mental structure
difference between creativity and scientific
of scientific creativity but that of the
creativity is going to be clarified and
latter is more developed.
relationship between scientific creativity and
5. Creativity and analytical intelligence
scientific process skills are going to be stated.
are two different factors of a singular
Basically, scientific creativity is the ability to
function originating from mental
find new problems and the ability to formulate
ability.
hypotheses, it usually involves some addition
Mansfield and Busse [5] addressed five
to our prior knowledge, whereas artistic
stages of creative process in science fields:
creation may give some new representation of
1. the selection of the problem sensitively
life or feelings thus there is a difference
2. extended efforts to solve the problem
between scientific creativity and artistic
3. deciding and using experimental,
creativity [5].
methodological and cognitive skills
Torrance [4] considered fluency,
4. changing the decisions according to
flexibility, and original thinking as central
the hypotheses in the 3rd
features of creativity: [3, 5].
5. verification and elaboration needs
Fluency means the number of original ideas
repeating the experiment
produced,
In summary, the characteristics of
scientific creativity can be as follows: being
1
sensitive to any problems, ability to product
new ideas which are technologically accepted, 1. Factual questions that can be answered by
ability to wonder, understanding the world looking in a textbook
around, ability to problem solving, seeking 2. questions related to scientific principles or
solutions, designing experiments, imagination, laws that can be answered by a statement
identifying difficulties, making predictions or of a scientific law.
hypothesising, etc. 3. questions related to the ability to transfer
For measuring scientific creativity this or make applications
research focused on creative thoughts and 4. spontaneous questions of curiosity
processes of scientists. In this study, students’ 5. questions that are genuine problems that
scientific creativity can be assessed using a need to be solved
holistic approach; asking them questions Another categorisation includes four levels
related to their using scientific process skills. of questions [5]:
It is believed that finding out students’ 1. memorised statements
scientific process skills will also show how 2. descriptions, classifications or
much students’ have scientific creativity comparisons
components. Findings are also helpful for 3. experiments/variables must be made
science teachers in order to understand their specific, measurable,manipulable
specifications as a scientist. We choose SCSM 4. experiments/variables are already specific,
test as it is measuring scientific creativity by measurable, manipulable
assessing students’ scientific process skills. So After developing the test further study is
that it can be found that the correlation also going to explore the types of students’
between students’ scientific creativity and questions according to the qoutations above.
students’ scientific process skills.
1.2 What is the relationship between
1.1 Scientific creativity and problem scientific creativity and scientific process
solving skills?
2
5. Evaluation of the process by critisising the order to validate the test. They also added
validity and reliability of the data and larger samples from different cultures should
drawing conclusions. be investigated. The first draft of the test was
In somewhere else these skills are stated as was administered to 60 secondary students in
the following: Basic skills: Observation, England by Hu and Adey.
classification, communication, measurement,
estimation, prediction, inference. Integrated 2.1 The development of the test
skills: Identifying, controlling variables,
defining operationally, hypothesising, Actually the test has been developed
experimenting, graphing, interpreting, before for secondary school students. In this
modellling [7]. study we have choosen the SCSM test. Some
The skills are also encompassed within 4 questions of the original test have been
major categories [1]. modified according to the Turkish language
1. Formulation includes identification of and culture, and some other questions have
the problem, hypothesising, prediction been added according to the Turkish language
of the outcomes, and planning of the and culture. The test was administered to a
study. sample of 79 students selected from year-7 in a
2. Implementation includes observing, primary school in Turkey. The school was a
making measurements and recording. suburban mixed comprehensive school with a
3. Evidence involves analysing and broad ability range. 56% of the students (n: 19)
interpreting the data, and drawing were female and 44% (n: 70) were male. All of
conclusions. the students are 12 years old.
4. Explanation entails providing the link
between theory and the findings. 2.2 Description of the test
The categories below are actually stating
scientific process skills which have Pupils were required to answer the
components of scientific creativity. questions in a 40-minute time, which was the
Investigative activities, which include period of a lesson. They were informed by
scientific process skills, could be included in verbally to give their personal details, like sex,
both hands on and minds on science. Students age and name, and also the teacher encouraged
both use their skills and conceptual knowledge them by having said that their quality of being
or experience during practical experiences. If a scientist was going to be measured.
the students engage with investigative work Below the items are presented with
they become more creative in deciding the original ones by explaining with their scientific
variables, method and equipment etc. creativity components and their scientific
The creativity component of the process skills component. We would prefer to
investigative work could be measured call this test ‘Scientific Creativity and
checking the students’ skills of asking a Scientific Process Skills’ (SCSPS). (In the
suitable question and deciding the variables, original test the researchers helped students by
planning experiments, trying different giving them examples for items 1-4. However,
methods. It is believed that the test items in in this study no help was given in order to
this research have include both components of differentiate the findings as scientific creativity
scientific creativity and scientific process. or not).
This study aims to develop a test, which Original: Please write down as many as
is designed mainly to measure scientific possible scientific uses as you can for a piece
creativity. The scientific creativity components of glass. For example, make a test tube.
are related to scientific process skills. The test SCSPS: a) Please write down as many as
was designed to check primary students’ (year- possible scientific uses (for example in a lab)
7) scientific creativity. The test is inspired as you can for a plastic bottle.
from SCSM-Scientific Creativity Structure
Model [4]. Hu and Adey suggested that the test
needed to be administered to more students in
3
b) Please write down as many as scientific process skills and ability to produce
possible scientific uses (for example in a lab) new ideas technologically accepted as
as you can for a can. creativity components.
4
2.2.6. Item 6 2.4. Analysing the items
5
Table 2. Face validity: teachers and science
educators. [5] Liang, J. Exploring scientific creativity of
eleventh grade students in Taiwan.
Responses (n = 15) Unpublished PhD thesis, 2002, The University
yes no of Texas at Austin.
1a 15
1b 15 [6] Lubart, T. I. Creativity. In R. J. Stenberg
2 15 (ed.) Thinking and Problem Solving, London:
3 15 Academic Press, 1994, pp. 289-332.
4a 15
4b 15 [7] Martin, R. Sexton, C. Wagner, K., and
5 15 Gerlovich, J. Science for all children. Boston:
6 15 Allyn and Bacon, 1998.
Analysis showed adequate reliabilities and [8] Okuda, S. M., Runco, M. A. And Berger,
validities. D. E. Creativity and the finding and solving of
real-life problems. Journal of
3. What is next? Psychoeducational Assessment, 1991, 9, 45-
53.
After developing the test the purpose of the
further study will be finding out students’ [9] Şahin-Pekmez, E. Procedural
scientific creativity and students’ skills of understanding: Teachers’ perceptions of
using scientific processes. Additionally, Conceptual Basis of Practical Work.
another test will be developed that measures University of Durham, School of Education,
only scientific process skills of students. We unpublished EdD Thesis, 2000.
believe that there is a connection between
scientific process skills and being creative
scientifically and that is one of the reason why
we should use investigative activities. The
better students have the scientific process skills
the more they are creative and problem solver.
Not only our findings will show that our belief
is true or not but also they will describe the
situation of our school science.
4. References