Creative Thinking and Physical Education: A Study on the Creative Thinking Tendencies of Preservice Teachers

This study was conducted to determine the creative thinking (CT) tendencies of physi-cal education and sports (PES) teacher candidates and to analyze the effects of various demographic variables on these tendencies. The study sample consisted of 365 PES teacher candidates enrolled in the faculties of sports sciences at various state universi-ties in Turkey. The "Marmara Creative Thinking Tendencies Scale" (MCTTS), consisting of six subscales, was used as the data collection tool in the study. The analysis results revealed that the prospective teachers’ overall CT tendencies clustered at a high level (X̄=96.47). In analyses conducted by variable, a marginal difference in favor of first-year students was detected in the curiosity dimension based on class level. The most striking finding of the study was a statistically significant difference in favor of large cities (d > b) in the courage sub-dimension based on place of birth and upbringing (p < 0.05). In contrast, no significant differences were found in total scores or sub-dimensions based on gender or the type of sport actively practiced (individu-al/team). The findings indicate that the cultural capital provided by the place of resi-dence plays a decisive role in the development of creative potential and the courage to take risks. Consequently, curriculum revisions focused on “non-linear pedagogy” and “game-based learning” are necessary in physical education faculties to support the tendencies toward courage and innovation among candidates, particularly those from rural and district backgrounds. These revisions are a strategic necessity to enhance the cognitive agility of future teachers.