The impact of teacher questioning on creative thinking in elementary school students

This study investigates the impact of teacher questioning on creative thinking among sixth-grade elementary school students over a ten-week period. A diverse range of question types, covering various topics, was used to stimulate both general creativity and specific creativity subtypes. The findings reveal three key outcomes. First, the level of general creativity in student responses varied based on the question topic and the targeted creativity subtype. Questions on extracurricular topics and those aimed at promoting flexibility elicited responses with higher general creativity. Second, students produced more creative responses in group settings than when responding individually. Third, the presence of teacher follow-up questions significantly increased general creativity, especially when these follow-ups encouraged elaboration. The study concludes with an analysis of effective questioning strategies for fostering creativity in elementary students, highlighting practical implications for educators.