Digital Frontiers: The Transformative Potential of E-Learning in Cultivating Arab Primary School Learners’ Creativity

This study explores the transformative power of e-learning environments in fostering primary stage pupils’ creative thinking, as perceived by 48 teachers awarded for outstanding instructional performance and creativity in e-learning in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. This research follows a qualitative research approach to explore how e-learning environments potentially affect the development of creative thinking skills among primary school pupils. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using grounded theory. The results showed that e-learning significantly improves pupils’ creative thinking, as the dynamicity and interactivity of the platforms facilitated inquiry, collaboration, creative and critical thinking, and self-directed learning. The participants reported that the provision of emotional support, through positive feedback and communication, is a requisite for effectively creating an innovative learning environment. The findings also revealed that well-incorporated formative assessment in e-learning platforms potentially enhances critical and creative thinking through the provision of continuous problem-solving-oriented feedback. The findings also emphasize the need for proper teacher professional development to learn how to better develop collaborative, learner-centered environments conducive for fostering creativity and innovation. The findings uncover a need for designing strategies for regulating learning, learner emotions, active learning, and formative assessment in online platforms to enhance creativity and critical thinking. Future research using larger samples and mixed-method designs is recommended.