Creativity as a transformational educational outcome in higher education through a six facet classroom lens

Creativity in higher education is often framed as an employability skill rather than a core educational purpose. This study reconceptualises creativity as a transformational educational outcome - a sustained shift in how students frame problems, regulate learning, exercise agency, navigate uncertainty, and create value in authentic contexts. Guided by the meta-creativity model, we applied a six-facet classroom lens - affective climate, cognitive exploration, metacognitive regulation, behavioural engagement, navigating uncertainty, and creativity-in-action - to examine how students perceive creativity-supportive teaching practices. Data from 140 students across multiple faculties at a public university were analysed using correlational and structural modelling techniques. Results reveal a coherent pattern of associations among perceived teaching practices: supportive climates co-occur with exploration. Exploration is linked to reflective planning; planning is associated with engagement; and engagement is associated with creativity-in-action. Conceptually, the study positions creativity as an outcome of educational transformation rather than a by-product of skill acquisition. Empirically, it provides a transferable framework for observing how higher education teaching is associated with the classroom conditions through which creativity emerges. Practically, it offers educators a structured lens for designing learning environments that cultivate creative growth across disciplines.