**4. Methods**

#### **4.1 Sample and design**

A mixed method was used for the purpose of the current study. The quantitative method consisted of a control experimental and pre-posttest design. The qualitative approach included observation and interview. The researcher observed students' task performance and conducted semi-structured interviews asking students to elaborate on their tasks' performance.

A random sample of 60 female students aged 9–12 participated in the study (*n* = 60). They were, mostly, from middle socioeconomic status and attended a primary girls school in an inner area of Bani Jamra. They were randomly assigned into two groups of treatment and controlled groups.

#### **4.2 Procedures**

A series of two workshops on integrating meaningful and creative learning in classrooms were executed for 30 members of the teaching staff. Sixty follow-up sessions' observations on two periods were carried out. Students' creativity was measured using Frank Williams [35] Creativity Assessment Package (CAP) prior to and after their teachers took part in the training.

Furthermore, during class observations, the students' performance on class activities were observed and 30 follow-up semi-structured interviews of 30-minutes long were conducted. Students were asked to elaborate on their tasks' performance. The quantitative data was selected to provide an overall picture of the impact of applying meaningful learning on students' creative thinking skills, the qualitative data was sought to further investigate the possible impact of each characteristic of meaningful learning on the development of creative thinking skills.

#### **4.3 Data analysis**

A pre and posttest design was selected for the purpose of this study. The quantitative data source included CAP tests that students completed on a pre-post basis. Respondents were asked to complete 12 drawings, using a simple line as a stimulus provided. The test measured changes in students' creativity skills of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. The results indicated in pre and post CAP were analyzed using the *t*-test with repeated measures. It was conducted to compare the pre-post scores on overall CAP results, besides subscales of creative thinking skills of flexibility, fluency, originality, and elaboration.

The qualitative data source included observations of students' performed class activities, where researchers explored their creative thinking skills of flexibility, fluency, originality, and elaboration based on their class activities' performance. Students' interview transcripts were also used to inform the observation. Mixed methods ensured triangulation. Cronbach's alpha was used to rate reliability in the test; alpha was 0.78, which was in the acceptable range.

### **5. Results**

The findings from both quantitative and qualitative data yielded interesting results. The participants achieved higher scores on creative thinking skills following teachers' training interventions in the treatment group, when compared to the students' scores in the controlled group, and these changes were significantly different. The paired samples *t*-test comparing creativity posttest scores in the treatment and controlled groups demonstrated significant gains at posttest, *t*(29) = 2.157, and *p* = 0.040 (*p* < 0.05) in favor of students' scores in the treatment group. Student scores after teachers' training program (*M* = 45.666, SD = 8.482) showed an increase of on average 6.533 points compared to their counterparts in the controlled group (*M* = 39.133, SD = 8.105). These findings supported the study hypothesis denoted that applying characteristics of meaningful learning of constructive, active, cooperative, intentional, and authentic learning, positively affect developing creative thinking skills of flexibility, fluency, elaboration, and originality. It also provided support for the MC model of creative and meaningful learning, where each characteristic of meaningful learning (i.e., constructive, active, intentional, cooperative, and

*Developing Creative and Meaningful Learning in the Curriculum DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102644*


#### **Table 2.**

*The results of the t-test with repeated measures comparing students' posttest scores on subscales of creativity in the treatment and controlled group.*

authentic) was suggested to result in developing creative thinking skills of fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. The results of the *t*-test with repeated measures comparing students' posttest scores on subscales of creativity in the treatment and controlled group is indicated in **Table 2**. The study findings regarding these creative thinking skills shall now be discussed in detail.

#### **5.1 Flexibility**

The *t*-test comparing flexibility posttest scores in both treatment and controlled groups indicated significant gains at the posttest, *t*(29) = 2.808, and *p* = 0.009 (*p* < 0.05) in favor of the students' scores in the treatment group. Flexibility gains were the most significant among other creative thinking skills as the *p* value of 0.009 was indicated. This may be due to the argument put forward by the author as presented in the MS model, most characteristics of meaningful learning resulted in the development of flexibility. Similarly, students' performance on various activities and their interview subtracts supported the above findings. For instance, following the session with a focus on active learning, a student explained how she/he built and programmed a robot to do different missions (i.e., flexibility) of watering, moving, and providing data regarding the soil moisture and temperature. Similar results were found following sessions focusing on constructive, cooperative, and authentic learning. These findings supported the study hypothesis that the above-mentioned characteristics of meaningful learning resulted in developing creative thinking skills of flexibility. The findings were in harmony with previously mentioned studies [23, 30, 31].

#### **5.2 Fluency and elaboration**

Similarly, the *p* values regarding other subskills of creativity in terms of fluency and elaboration indicated the following gains of 0.019 and 0.011, respectively, which were statistically meaningful. Students' performance on cooperative tasks indicated the development of creative skills of elaboration and fluency. For example, student participants were able to create a cap, which consisted of 18 components and performed four activities using artificial intelligence. The findings supported the study

hypothesis as cooperative and authentic activities resulted in developing fluency and elaboration. The findings were in line with previously mentioned studies [25, 28, 30].
