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ERIC Number: ED533292
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 160
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: ISBN-978-1-1248-6192-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Encouraging Women's Creative Confidence: A Case Study of Women's Insights into Their Own Creativity
Esslinger, Deborah S.
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Capella University
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the insights of a small group of women to determine factors important in encouraging creative confidence and specific activities that would contribute to creative growth. There were three research questions that guided the study, using an open-ended questionnaire and a focus group discussion as research tools. The questions focused on the areas of learning environments, prior knowledge from individual experience and expression, and motivational factors. Emergent themes from the data analyses were compared to the reviewed literature concerning the ideas of creativity, confidence, women's ways, and adult and creativity education using Chenail's Qualitative Matrix (cited in Evans, 2008). The tenets of adult education established by Knowles (1980, 1984) Freire's (1998, 2000) pedagogy of the oppressed, and Johnson's (1974) organic learning ideas were used in relation to the participants' insights to answer the research questions that guided the study. Insights concerning learning environments most supportive to creative confidence were found to be respect for the participants' time; sharing a syllabus at the beginning of workshops; and allowing a certain flexibility in set curriculum. Design elements of a workshop were to limit the program to a small group of women and to select a setting that would be safe and convenient. Insights concerning prior knowledge and past experiences were that most women did nothing to enhance their creativity and often they did not finish their creative projects; the participants recommended that the curriculum allow for completed projects; and ample time should be allowed during each session for group discussion and individual visiting among participants. Insights concerning motivation were to provide opportunities to try different things and to build on individual experiences and talents to ensure a chance for praise; the participants also emphasized the importance to model self-efficacy and self-regulation ideals to move from external motivators of praise to internal motivators for satisfaction in self-expression. Torrance's (2002) and Piirto's (2005) creativity teaching models were utilized to design and develop a creative confidence workshop curriculum outline in relation to the themes that emerged from the research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A