A PSYCHOMETRIC REVALIDATION OF THE CREATIVITY FOSTERING TEACHER BEHAVIOUR SCALE IN INDIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/eijhss.v10i1.241Keywords:
Creativity Fostering Teacher Behaviour, CFT Index, Psychometric RevalidationAbstract
This study aimed to revalidate the Creativity Fostering Teacher Behaviour Index (CFT Index) developed by Soh (2000) within the Indian educational context, specifically among elementary school teachers in Nagaland. The research followed a quantitative methodology, employing Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to assess the construct validity and reliability of the scale. A total sample of 431 elementary teachers was selected using a multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. EFA supported a six- factor structure namely, Independent Thinking (IT), Supportive Environment (SE), Encouraging Student Autonomy (ESA), Student-Centered Learning (SCL), Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL), Participation and Extension (PAE) which is nearly consistent with the original scale. The study provides empirical support for its application in teacher evaluation, professional development, and educational policy implementation in line with NEP 2020 objectives. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) further affirmed the model's goodness-of-fit, with satisfactory indices indicating structural validity. Reliability analysis showed high internal consistency across all subscales. The findings confirm the suitability of the CFT Index for measuring creative teaching behaviours in the Indian context, offering valuable implications for teacher development, educational research, and policy implementation.
References
Beghetto, R. A. (2019). Structured uncertainty: How creativity thrives under constraints and uncertainty. In C. A. Mullen (Ed.), Creativity under duress in education? (pp. 27–40). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90272-2_2
Bereczki, E. O., & Kárpáti, A. (2018). Teachers’ beliefs about creativity and its nurture: A systematic review of the recent research literature. Educational Research Review, 23, 25–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.10.003
Craft, A. (2010). Possibility thinking and wise creativity: Educational futures in England? In A. Craft, T. Cremin, & P. Burnard (Eds.), Nurturing creativity in the classroom (pp. 289–312). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511781629.015
Cropley, A. J. (1997). Fostering creativity in the classroom: General principles. In M. A. Runco (Ed.), Creativity research handbook (Vol. 1, pp. 83–114). Hampton Press.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal Of Marketing Research, 39-50
Grohman, M. G., Ivcevic, Z., Silvia, P., & Kaufman, S. B. (2017). The role of passion and persistence in creativity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 11(4), 376–385. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000121
Hair, J., Black, W., Babin, B. and Anderson, R. (2010) Multivariate Data Analysis: Global Edition. 7th Edition, Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River.
Heilmann, G., & Korte, W. B. (2010). The role of creativity and innovation in school curricula in the EU27: A content analysis of curricula documents. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies. http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC61106_TN.pdf
Lille, B., & Romero, M. (2017). Creativity assessment in the context of maker-based projects. Design and Technology Education: An International Journal, 22(3), 32–47.
Ministry of Education. (2020). National Education Policy 2020. Government of India. https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
Nijstad, B. A., & de Dreu, C. K. W. (2002). Creativity and group innovation. Applied Psychology, 51(3), 400–406. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00984
Shaheen, R. (2010). Creativity and education. Creative Education, 1(3), 166–169. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2010.13026
Sharma, E., & Sharma, S. (2018). Creativity nurturing behaviour scale for teachers. International Journal of Educational Management, 32(6), 1016–1028. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-10-2017-0294
Sijtsma, K. (2009). On the use, the misuse, and the very limited usefulness of Cronbach’s Alpha. Psychometrika, 74(1), 107–120. doi:10.1007/s11336-008-9101-0
Soh, K. (2015). Creativity fostering teacher behaviour around the world: Annotations of studies using the CFTIndex. Cogent Education, 2(1), 1034494. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2015.1034494
Soh, K. C. (2000). Indexing creativity fostering teacher behaviour: A preliminary validation study. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 34(2), 118–134. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.2000.34.issue-2
Sternberg, R. J., & Lubart, T. I. (1995). Defying the crowd: Cultivating creativity in a culture of conformity. Free Press.
Swaminathan, A., & Rathnasabapathy, M. (2025). Psychometric properties of a creativity scale developed by Field and Bischoff in Indian context. Journal of Human Research in Rehabilitation, 15, 38–52. https://doi.org/10.21554/hrr.042504
World Economic Forum. (2020). The future of jobs report 2020. World Economic Forum. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2020.pdf
