Creative confidence: a classroom study of creativity theory in first-year composition

Abstract

In the context of composition studies, creativity has historically been isolated to the realm of “creative writing.” However, since the 1960s, creativity has developed into a theoretical and practical field of its own with important and interesting insights that can be applied to the teaching of writing. This dissertation investigates the value of creativity for composition pedagogies, focusing on the following questions: How might learning about creativity as a process affect students’ engagement in their writing processes? How might learning about creativity as a process affect students’ writing products? How might guiding students through the Creative Problem-Solving process for each major assignment affect students’ engagement in their writing processes? How might guiding students through the Creative Problem-Solving Process for each major assignment affect students’ writing products, as demonstrated through their drafting? How might reflecting on creativity affect students’ perception of writing? Following a review of relevant scholarship from the fields of composition, creativity, education, and psychology, I contextualize my project with a discussion of the teacher research and grounded theory approach I took with this classroom study. Ultimately, I establish that introducing students to creativity theory through a creativity-informed writing process positively affects students writing confidence and intrinsic motivation for writing.