University Students’ Perceptions of Creativity: The Role of Educators’ Teaching Methods,Competence,and Mentoring Quality

Abstract

We examined the relationship between teaching styles and competence and students’ perceptions of creativity, recognizing the essential role of creativity in fostering innovation and adaptability. The study involved 172 fourth-year university students specializing in history, mathematics, and physics. The methodology included a structured questionnaire, complemented by statistical analysis, in order to evaluate teaching style, competence, perceived creativity, and mentoring interaction quality. We found a strong positive correlation between teachers’ methods and their perceived creativity. Students, particularly those in mathematics, tended to view teachers as more creative compared to peers in history or physics, suggesting that the subject context shapes creativity perceptions. Through regression analysis, we revealed that teaching style is strongly associated with students’ perceptions of teacher creativity, while teacher competence does not independently determine perceived creativity. These findings underscore the importance of diverse teaching approaches that enrich the learning environment and highlight creativity's critical role in education.