Jessie Ee

Styles of creativity: Adaptors and innovators in a singapore context

Kirton (1976) described two creative styles, namely adaptors and innovators. Adaptors prefer to “do things better ” whilst, innovators prefer to “do things differently ”. This study explored the relationship between two creative styles (adaptor and innovator) and the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience) and how they subscribe to creativity, risks and goal orientations. A total of 206 Polytechnic students from Singapore completed a self-report questionnaire, which consisted of the Kirton Adaptation-Innovation Inventory (Kirton, 1976), NEO-Five Factor Inventory (Saucier, 1994), Learning Goal Scale (Ng, 2003), What Kind of Person Are You Self-Report Inventory (Khatena & Torrance, 1976), Gough’s Creative Adjective Checklist, Risk Scenario, and Risk Taking Attitude Scale developed by Ng. It was found that adaptors were significantly more conscientious and subscribe to risk avoidance, ego approach and ego avoidance orientations than innovators, whilst, innovators were significantly more extraverted and open to experience and are likely to subscribe to creativity, risk taking and mastery goal orientations than adaptors. No significant differences were found between adaptors and innovators in agreeableness. The implications for the findings for the classroom teacher will also be discussed.

Which social emotional competencies are enhanced at a social emotional learning camp

Research studies have shown that educational programmes such as camps and field trips can develop affective and social relationships through personal exposure to outdoor experiences among students. This study will illustrate the outcome of a social emotional learning camp organized for 93 Secondary Two students (mean age 14.1) in Singapore. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were carried out during camp to assess students’ social emotional competencies (SECs) such as their self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and relationship management and responsible decision-making. Students were found to have improved in all SECs from the pre–post test questionnaire. From their camp activities and their reflections, students were found to have greater self-awareness, relationship management and self-management skills. However, teachers’ observations showed that students scored lowest in relationship management skills. Students’ self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and relationship management were found to be predictive of responsible decision-making, with 71% of the variance explained. The implications of the findings will be discussed to assist schools in enhancing students’ SECs.