Creative ability in young children has traditionally been assessed through the use of standardized tests of divergent thinking. This study investigated an alternate way of identifying creative ability. The concurrent validity of a more developmentally appropriate and authentic, behavior-based observation approach was examined on a sample of 45 kindergarten children from an urban elementary school. Significant, but relatively weak correlations were found between the Nebraska Starry Night Observation Protocol (NSNO) and the originality and elaboration scores of the concurrent measure, the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT). Implications of using the NSNO to identify young creative children are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Albert, R.S., & Runco, M.A. (1986). The achievement of eminence: A model based on a longitudinal study of exceptionally gifted boys and their families. In R. J. Stemberg & J. E. Davidson (Eds.), Conceptions of giftedness (pp. 332-360). New York: Cambridge University Press.
2.
Amabile, T.M. (1996). Creativity in context. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
3.
Anastasi, A. (1982). Psychological testing. New York: Macmillan.
4.
Argulewicz, E.N., & Kush, J.C. (1984). Concurrent validity of the SRBSS creativity scale for Anglo-American and Mexican-American gifted students. Educational and Psychological Research, 4(2), 81-89.
5.
Auzmendi, E., Villa, A., & Abedi, J. (1996). Reliability and validity of a newly constructed multiple-choice creativity instrument. Creativity Research Journal, 9(1), 89-95.
6.
Baer, J. (1991). Generality of creativity across performance domains . Creativity Research Journal, 4, 23-39.
7.
Baer, J. (1993). Creativity and divergent thinking: A task-specific approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
8.
Barron, F. (1988). Putting creativity to work. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), The nature of creativity (pp. 76-98). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Borland, J. (1978). Teacher identification of the gifted: A new look . Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 2(1), 22-32.
11.
Bredekamp, S. (Ed.). (1987). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children birth through age 8. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
12.
Bredekamp, S., & Rosegrant, T. (1992). Reaching potentials: Appropriate curriculum and assessment for young children. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
13.
Brown, R.T. (1989). Creativity: What are we to measure? In J. A. Glover, R. R. Ronning , & C. R. Reynolds (Eds.), Handbook of creativity (pp. 3-32). New York: Plenum Press.
14.
Butler-Por, N. (1993). Underachieving gifted students. In K. Heller & F. Monks (Eds.), International handbook of research and development of giftedness and talent (pp. 649-668). New York: Pergamon.
15.
Chase, C.I. (1985). Review of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking . In J. V. Mitchell (Ed.), The ninth mental measurement yearbook (pp. 1631-1632). Lincoln: University of Nebraska.
16.
Cooper, E. (1991). A critique of six measures for assessing creativity. TheJournal of Creative Behavior, 25(3), 194-204.
17.
Cropley, A.J. (1992). More ways than one: Fostering creativity. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Co.
18.
Dawson, V.L. (1997). In search of the wild Bohemian: Challenges in the identification of the creatively gifted. Roeper Review , 19(3), 148-152.
19.
DeHaan, R.F., & Havighurst, R.J. (1961). Educating gifted children . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
20.
Duncan, J., & Dreger, R. (1978). Behavioral analysis and identification of gifted children. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 133, 43-57.
21.
Ehrlich, V.Z. (1982). Gifted children: A guide for parents and teachers . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall .
22.
Feldhusen, J., & Treffinger, D. (1990). Creative thinking and problem solving in gifted education. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt.
23.
Feldman, D.H., Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Gardner, H. (1994). Changing the world: A framework for the study of creativity. Westport, CT: Praeger .
24.
Ford, D.Y. (1994). The recruitment and retention of African-American students in gifted education programs: Implications and recommendations (No. RBDM 9405). Storrs: University of Connecticut, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.
25.
Ford, D.Y., & Harris, J. (1992). The elusive definition of creativity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 26(3), 186-198.
26.
Gear, G.H. (1978). Effects of training on teacher judgment in identifying intellectually gifted children: A review of the literature. Gifted Child Quarterly, 22, 90-97.
27.
Glasnapp, D.R. (1981). Use of discriminate analysis in the identification of gifted students. Paper presented at Annual International Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children, New York.
28.
Griffin, N.S. (1993). Nebraska project- Replication guide. Lincoln: University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
29.
Griffin, N.S. (1995). Content validity and field-test results of Nebraska Starry Night Observation Protocol. Unpublished manuscript, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
30.
Griffin, N.S., & McKenzie, J. (1993). Nebraska Starry Night: A behavior-based observation protocol, version 8.893. Lincoln: University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
31.
Guilford, J.P. (1967). factors that aid and hinder creativity. In J. C. Gowan, J. Khatena, & E.P. Torrance (Eds.), Creativity: Its educational implications (pp. 106-123). New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
32.
Guilford, J.P. (1971). Creativity tests for children: A manual of interpretations . Orange, CA: Sheridan Psychology Services.
33.
Han, K.S., & Marvin, C. (2000). A five year follow-up study of the Nebraska Project . Roeper Review, 23 (1), 25-33.
34.
Han, K.S., & Marvin, C. (2002). Multiple creativities: Investigating domain-specificity of creativity in young children. Gifted Child Quarterly, 46(2), 98-109.
35.
Hennessey, B.A., & Amabile, T.M. (1988). Story-telling: A method for assessing children's creativity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 22(4), 235-246.
36.
Hocevar, D. (1981). Measurement of creativity: Review and critique . Journal of Personality Assessment, 45(5), 450-464.
37.
Hocevar, D., & Bachelor, P. (1989). A taxonomy and critique of measurements used in the study of creativity. In J. A. Glover. , R. R. Ronning & C. R. Reynolds (Eds.), Handbook of creativity (pp. 53-75). New York: Plenum Press.
38.
Houtz, J.C., & Krug, D. (1995 ). Assessment of creativity: Resolving a mid-life crisis. Educational Psychology Review, 7(3), 269-301.
39.
Houtz, J.C., & Shaning, D.J. (1982). Contribution of teacher ratings of behavioral characteristics to the prediction of divergent thinking and problem solving . Psychology in the Schools, 19, 380-383.
40.
Hunsaker, S.L., & Callahan, C.M. (1995 ). Creativity and giftedness: Published instrument uses and abuses. Gifted Child Quarterly , 39(2), 110-114.
41.
Jackson, P., & Messick, S. (1965). The person, the product, and the response: Conceptual problems in the assessment of creativity. Journal of Personality , 33, 309-329.
42.
Karnes, M.E., & Johnson, L.J. (1986). Identification and assessment of gifted/talented handicapped and nonhandicapped children in early childhood. Journal of Children in Contemporary Society, 18, 35-54.
43.
Karnes, M.B., & Johnson, L.T. (1991). The pre-schooling primary gifted child. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 14(3), 267-283.
44.
Khatena, J. (1982). Myth: Creativity is too difficult to measure. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26(1), 21-23.
45.
Kirschenbaum, R.J. (1986). Assessing creative power in the identification of gifted and talented students. Roeper Review, 9(1), 54-62.
46.
Kitano, M.K. (1989). The k-3 teacher's role in recognizing and supporting young gifted children. Young Children, 34, 57-63.
47.
Kitano, M.K., & Kirby, D.F. (1985). Gifted education: A comprehensive view. Boston: Little Brown and Company.
48.
Kitto, J., Lok, D., & Rudowicz, E. (1994). Measuring creative thinking: An activity-based approach. Creativity Research Journal, 7(1), 59-69.
49.
Lewis, G. (1991, January). Constructive and destructive behavior in creatively gifted children. Paper presented at the meetings of the Henry B. and Jocelyn Wallace National Research Symposium on Talent Development, Iowa City, IA.
50.
Male, R.A., & Perrone, P. (1979). Identifying talent and giftedness, part II. Roeper Review, 2(2), 5-7.
51.
Milgram, R.M. (1990). Creativity: An idea whose time has come and gone? In M. A. Runco & R. S. Albert. (Eds.), Theories of creativity (pp. 215-233). London: Sage.
52.
Mitchell, B.M. (1987). A strategy for the identification of the culturally different gifted/talented child. Roeper Review, 10(3), 163-165.
53.
Ogilvie, E. (1973). Individual differences and the behavioral criteria of giftedness: Gifted children in the primary schools. London: Macmillan Education Ltd.
54.
O'Neil, H.F. (1994). The measurement and teaching of creativity. In H. F. O'Neil & M. Drillings (Eds.), Motivation: Theory and research (pp. 245-263). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
55.
Renzulli, J.S. (1978). What makes giftedness? Re-examining a definition . Phi Delta Kappan,60, 180-184.
56.
Renzulli, J.S., Hartman, R.K., & Callahan, C.M. (1971). Teacher identification of superior students. Exceptional Children, 38, 211-214.
57.
Renzulli, J.S., Smith, L.H., Callahan, C.M., White, A.J., & Hartman, R.K. (1976). Scales for rating the behavioral characteristics of superior students. Wethersfield, CT: Creative Learning Press.
58.
Richart, E.S. (1990). Rampant problems and promising practices in identification . In N. Colangelo & G. A. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of gifted education (pp. 81-96). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
59.
Rimm, S., & Davis, G.A. (1976). GIFT: An instrument for the identification of creativity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 10, 178-182.
60.
Roedell, W.C., Jackson, N.E., & Robinson, H.B. (1980). Gifted young children. New York: Columbia University, Teachers College Press .
61.
Runco, M.A. (1991). Divergent thinking. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
62.
Runco, M.A. (1993). Divergent thinking, creativity, and giftedness . Gifted Child Quarterly, 37(1), 16-22.
63.
Runco, M.A., & Albert, B.S. (1990). Theories of creativity. London : Sage.
64.
Runco, M.A., & Noble, E.P., & Luptak, Y. (1990). Agreement between mothers and sons on ratings of creative activity. Educational and Psychological Measurement , 50, 673-680.
65.
Runco, M.A. & Nemiro, J. (1994). Problem finding, creativity, and giftedness. Roeper Review, 16(4),235, 240.
66.
Silverman, L.K. (1986). Parenting young gifted children. In J. R. Whitmore (Ed.), Intellectual giftedness in young children (pp. 73-88). New York: Haworth Press.
67.
Starko, A.J. (1995). Creativity in the classroom: Schools of curious delight. New York: Longman.
68.
Steams, J.E. (1994). Assessment of characteristics of creative high school students. Unpublished dissertation, Ohio State University .
69.
Sternberg, R.J. (1982). Lies we live by: Misapplication of tests in identifying the gifted. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26(4), 157-161.
70.
Sternberg, R. J., & Davidson, J. (Eds.). (1986). Conceptions of giftedness. New York: Cambridge University Press.
71.
Sternberg, R.J., & Lubart, T.I. (1995). Defying the crowd. New York : The Free Press.
Torrance, E.P. (1988). The nature of creativity as manifest in its testing . In R. J. Stemberg. (Ed.), The nature of creativity (pp. 43-75). New York: Cambridge University Press.
77.
Treffinger, D.J. (1985). Review of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking . In J. V. Mitchell (Ed.), The ninth mental measurements yearbook (pp. 1632-1634). Lincoln: University of Nebraska.
78.
Treffinger, D.J. (1986). Research on creativity. Gifted Child Quarterly, 30(1), 15-19.
79.
Treffinger, D.J., Renzulli, J., & Feldhusen, J.F. (1971). Problems in the assessment of creative thinking. Journal of Creative Behavior, 5, 104-112.
80.
Wallach, M.A. (1992). What do tests tell us about talents ? In R. S. Albert (Ed.), Genius & eminence (pp. 113-124). New York: Pergamon Press.
81.
Whitmore, J.R. (1980). Giftedness, conflict, and under-achievement. Needham Height, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
82.
Young, J.G. (1985). What is creativity?Journal of Creative Behavior, 19(2), 77-87.
