An Empirical Study on the Creative Learning Environment Fostering Student Creativity: A Multiple Mediation Analysis Using Smart PLS 4

Abstract

Creativity should be seen as a critical skill for students in the twenty-first century and a stated objective of formal education that supports students in navigating an ambiguous future. There is evidence that a creative learning environment would encourage students to be more creative in the classroom, but research is lacking to support this. This study examines whether a creative learning environment will encourage students to be more creative in three ways: learning goal orientation, network links, and knowledge sharing, based on Amabile's componential theory of creativity. A total of 388 Chinese university students participated in the surveys. The collected data were analysed by SmartPLS 4, the approach of multiple mediation analysis. The results demonstrate that a creative learning environment makes students more focused on learning goals and more willing to share information, significantly positively affecting student creativity. However, network ties do not play a role in the link between a creative learning environment and student creativity. In the end, this study discusses the theoretical and educational implications of the results, the drawbacks of the study, and recommendations for future studies.

Received: 22 April 2023 / Accepted: 10 June 2023 / Published: 5 July 2023