Will Classroom Learning Environment Affect Creativity of Hospitality Degree Students? Case Study in Taiwan Dr. Simon WONG School of Hotel and Tourism Management

Will Classroom Learning Environment Affect Creativity

of Hospitality Degree Students?

Case Study in TaiwanDr. Simon WONG

School of Hotel and Tourism Management

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

&

Ms. Shu-ying LIN

Mingdao University, Taiwan

TTRA 2011 European Chapter ConferenceApril 11-13, 2011Archamps, France

1

Introduction• Creativity has been investigated via many

approaches (Sternberg, 1999)• Creativity Crisis in America as it is declining (Bronson

& Merryman, 2010 ) at Newsweek • Csikszentmihalyi (2006) discussed the development

of Creativity in Higher Education• No previous research on understanding the

Creativity level of hospitality students in Taiwan• Relationship between Classroom Learning

Environment and Creativity is a research interest

Research Objectives1. To identify different dimensions of classroom learning

environment among hospitality degree students in Taiwan using factor analysis;

2. To measure the creativity level of Taiwan hospitality degree students;

3. To discover any relationship between the underlying dimensions of classroom learning environment and the creativity level of Taiwan hospitality degree students; and

4. To make recommendations on how to enhance creativity level of Taiwan hospitality degree students.

Previous Research on Creativity…1• Presidential speech by Guilford (1950) at the

American Psychological Association on Creativity• Definition of Creativity: “production of something

new through imaginative skills” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1983, p. 304)

• Two features about creativity: “originality” and “usefulness” (Mayer, 1999)

• Amabile (1988, p. 126) defined creativity as “the production of novel and useful ideas by an individual or small group of individual working together”

Previous Research on Creativity…2• Jackson & Sinclair (2006) argued that

“creativity has to be explicitly recognized and valued within the outcome of a higher education.”

• Cropley (2001) suggested that educational institutes should not limit to the transmission of set contents, skills or values, but also the importance of “creativity”

Previous Research on Creativity…3

• Creative-thinking ability is one of the competencies required to work in the hospitality industry (Hanson, 1993; Ashley et al., 1995, Tas et al., 1996)

• Simons & Namasivayam (1999) considered creativity is one of the many attributes that influence strategic plans

• Holjevac (2003) suggested the need of imagination and creativity for envisioning the future of tourism and hotel industry

Previous Research onCreativity in Higher Education …1

• Cropley (2001) found out that development of skills, attitudes and motivation for production of novelty are uncommon in higher education

• Positive link between learning experience and creativity (Oliver et al., 2006)

• Generic features (such as imaginative, original, exploratory) of creativity in any context are alike (Jackson & Shaw, 2006)

• The level of Synthesis by Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom et al., 1956) emphasize creative ability

• Craft (2006) stated that creativity enable individual to identify possibilities and opportunities

Factors Influence Creativity in the Educational Setting

• Creativity can be promoted or fostered (Cropley, 2001; Driver, 2001; Csikszentmihalyi, 2006)

• Personality characteristics (Plucker & Renzulli, 1999; Prabhu et al., 2008) and Environmental factors (Amabile, 1996; Amabile Gryskiewicz, 1989; Niu & Sternberg, 2002) affect the creative performance.

• Learning Environment has impacts on students’ creative performance (Amabile, 1996; Beghetto, 2005; Hill & Amabile, 1993)

• School Environment and Classroom atmosphere may affect creative potential (Dudek et al., 1993, Amabile, 1996; Fleith, 2000)

Taiwan Hospitality Industry and Creativity study in Taiwan Education

• Tourism accounts for 2.92% of GDP in 2008, 3.02% in 2007 and 3.19% in 2006 (Tourism Bureau of Taiwan, 2009)

• Foreign visitors arrivals increase from 2.1 million in 1994 to 3.8 million in 2008 (Tourism Bureau of Taiwan, 2009)

• Creativity Education – include creativity in Taiwan educational curricula (Niu, 2006)

• Government promoted Creative education since 1980’s. Project on the Enhancement of Creative Education (2002 to 2005) to support the cultivation of creativity in education (Ministry of Education, 2005)

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MethodologyPhase 1: Qualitative Interview – Classroom

Learning Environment• Eight Academia in Taiwan Universities – individual

interviews• Four Focus group interviews with Taiwan University

hospitality degree students

Phase 2: Quantitative Survey• A questionnaire is developed with 77 statements

measuring Classroom Learning Environment and ATTA for measuring Creativity

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Instruments …. 1Instrument for measuring Classroom Learning

Environment• Doorman’s (2008) “What is Happening in This

Classroom (WIHIC)” – 56 statements (original) + 21 statements

(additional from qualitative focus interviews with 8 academia and 4 groups of Taiwanese University hospitality degree students) = 77 statements

– Likert scale: 1 = Never, 2 = Low, 3 = Infrequently, 4 = Sometimes, 5 = Often, 6 = Almost Always and 7 = Always

Instruments …. 2Instrument for measuring Creativity

• Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults (ATTA) by Goff & Torrance, 2002. A Chinese version printed by Taiwan Psychology Publishing Co. Ltd.– Scale ranged from 1 = Minimal, 2 = Low, 3 = Below Average,

4 = Average, 5 = Above Average, 6 = High and 7 = Substantial

• Taiwan Psychology Publishing Co. Ltd is responsible for grading and rating the result of each participant

Research FrameworkClassroom Learning

Creativity Environment (Exogenous Variables) (Endogenous Variable)

Multiple Regression is used to test the relationship

Profile of Respondents (N=194)Demographic Variables Valid Percentage (%)

Gender- Male- Female

40.759.3

Age Group- 21-22 years old-> 23 years old

72.227.8

Type of High School graduated- Senior High School- Senior Vocational High School- Comprehensive High School of Hospitality program

-Missing

64.424.710.3

0.5

Take any course relating to Creativity during University study- Yes- No--Missing

18.081.40.6

Overall Mean Values• Creativity Level of Hospitality Degree

Students = 4.97(Range from 1 = Minimal to 7 = Substantial)

• Classroom Learning Environment, overall mean = 4.78(Range from 1 = Never to 7 = Always)

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Factor Analysis to discover underlying dimensions of Classroom Learning Environment

Factor NameFactor Mean

Eigen-value

Cumulative Variance (%)

Cronbach’s Alpha

Teacher and Teaching Approach 4.98 25.2 10.29 0.94

Cooperation with Classmates 4.66 5.68 20.36 0.93

Teacher Support 5.36 4.71 30.35 0.95

Investigation 4.27 4.51 39.56 0.94

Task Orientation 4.85 2.84 45.66 0.85

Equity 4.65 2.15 51.23 0.86

Student Cohesiveness 5.49 1.90 56.65 0.91

Involvement 4.01 1.81 61.81 0.88

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Factor Loading of statements in each Dimension derived by Factor Analysis

Teacher and Teaching Approach (Factor Mean = 4.98)

Factor Loading

- Teachers provide interesting and dynamic lectures- Teachers know the value of creativity- Teachers use a variety of methods for course assessments- Teachers apply different ways of teaching methods- Teachers link the subject matter with real settings of

practice or application- Teachers teach creativity- Teachers employ variety of teaching materials- Teachers use updated knowledge / information relate to

subject matter for teaching

0.830.820.800.800.79

0.770.740.65

Remarks: The mean value is ranged from 1 to 7, where “1” = “Never” and “7” =“Always”.


Cooperation with Classmates (Factor Mean = 4.66)

Factor Loading

- When I work in groups in this class, there is teamwork- I cooperate with other students on class activities- I work with other students in classes- I cooperate with other students when doing assignment work- I share my books and resources with other students when

doing assignment- I work with other students on projects in classes- I learn from other students in classes- Students work with me to achieve class goals

0.800.800.780.770.77

0.770.720.70



Teacher Support(Factor Mean = 5.36)

Factor Loading

- Teachers consider my feeling- Teachers take a personal interest in me- Teachers go out their way to help me- Teachers are interested in my problems- Teachers help me when I have trouble with the work- Teachers talk with me

0.810.790.780.760.750.72



Investigation(Factor Mean = 4.27)

Factor Loading

- I carry out investigations to answer questions that puzzle me- I find out answers to questions by doing investigations- I carry out investigations to answer questions coming from

discussions- I carry out investigations to answer the teacher’s question- I solve problems by using information obtained from my own

investigations- I carry out investigations to test my ideas- I explain the meaning of statements, diagrams and graphs- I am asked to think about the evidence for statements

0.850.850.84

0.790.79

0.750.740.66



Task Orientation(Factor Mean = 4.85)

Factor Loading

- I know what I can try to accomplish in classes- I pay attention during classes- I try to understand the work in classes- I do as much as I set out to do- I know the goals for classes- I know how much work I have to do

0.740.690.660.630.630.61



Equity(Factor Mean = 4.65)

Factor Loading

- I have the same amount say in classes as other students- I get the same opportunity to answer questions as other

students- I get the same opportunity to contribute to class

discussions as other students- I am treated the same as other students in classes

0.720.70

0.65

0.64



Student Cohesiveness(Factor Mean = 5.49)

Factor Loading

- I work well with other class members- Members of classes are my friends- I am friendly to members of classes- I make friendships among students in classes- Students in classes like me

0.770.760.680.660.63



Involvement(Factor Mean = 4.01)

Factor Loading

- Teachers ask me questions- I ask teacher questions- I give my opinions during class discussion- My ideas and suggestions are used during class discussions

0.670.670.670.63


Ranking of Order (Descending) by Factor Mean of Eight dimensions of Classroom Learning

EnvironmentFactor Name Factor

MeanRanking

Order

Student Cohesiveness 5.49 1

Teacher Support 5.36 2

Teacher and Teaching Approach 4.98 3

Task Orientation 4.85 4

Cooperation with Classmates 4.66 5

Equity 4.65 6

Investigation 4.27 7

Involvement 4.01 8

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Multiple Regression Analysis using Creativity as Dependent Variable

Multiple Regression Coefficient R=0.289 with significance level at 0.037* (* p < 0.05)

Classroom Learning Environment Factors as independent variables

Unstandardized Coefficient Beta

Significance

Teacher and Teaching Approach 0.023 0.848

Cooperation with Classmates -0.009 0.951

Teacher Support -0.101 0.393

Investigation 0.325 0.012*

Task Orientation 0.015 0.927

Equity -0.028 0.815

Student Cohesiveness 0.244 0.136

Involvement 0.068 0.613

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Remarks: Constant is significant at 0.004 with 2.43 beta coefficient

Recommendations1. Allow students to take risk and explore

information by themselves. Investigative Culture will promote creativity

2. For educators, when designing assignments for students, emphasize more on self investigation and self reflection

3. Creative Teaching Methods (such as Field Trip, Cross Exchange) rather than traditional lecturing

4. More guidance, guidelines and references to assist students in searching information

Conclusion1. Overall, Creativity level of Taiwan Hospitality degree

students is Above Average with mean = 4.972. Eight Dimensions of Classroom Learning Environment were

derived: Teacher and Teaching Approach, Cooperation with Classmates, Teacher Support, Investigation, Task Orientation, Equity, Student Cohesiveness, and Involvement

3. “Investigation” factor in the Classroom Learning Environment is found significantly and positively related to Creativity level (Beta Coefficient = 0.325)

4. Creative Teaching Methods emphasizing on self reflection and guided learning will promote the students' creative level

Limitations andFuture Research Directions

• This sample was limited to 3 Taiwan Universities’ students. It can be expanded to all hospitality degree students in Taiwan

• Students from other disciplines such as creative arts can be studied and compared with the hospitality students

• Cross-cultural comparisons between Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China students or other countries with Western culture

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Merci beaucoupThank You

Q & A

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Will Classroom Learning Environment Affect Creativity of Hospitality Degree Students? Case Study in Taiwan Dr. Simon WONG School of Hotel and Tourism Management