Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This study’s purpose was to investigate preservice teachers’ conceptions and experiences with creativity in secondary social studies classrooms to illuminate the role of creativity in the practices of teaching and learning. Four preservice secondary social studies teachers were interviewed in the final month of, or immediately following, their final semester of student teaching. We identified three themes based on the interview data: Alignment between preservice teachers’ visions for their practices and conceptions of creativity, differences between the visions of preservice teachers and the pedagogical practices of past teachers and veteran teachers, and barriers to creativity and exploration of teacher identities.

Keywords

creativity accountability social studies preservice teachers

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aljughaiman

Mowrer-Reynolds

(2011). Teachers’ conceptions of creativity and creative students. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 39(1), 17–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2162-6057.2005.tb01247.x

Apple

M. W.

(2008). Curriculum planning: Content, form, and the politics of accountability. In Connelly

M. F.

Phillion

(Eds.), The Sage handbook of cur-riculum and instruction (pp. 25–44). Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976572.n2

Baildon

Afandi

(2018). History education research and practice: An international perspective. In Metzger

S. A.

Harris

L. M.

(Eds.), The Wiley international handbook of history teaching and learning (pp. 37–59). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119100812.ch2

Ball

S. J.

(2000). Performativities and fabrications in the education economy: Towards the performative society? Australian Educational Researcher, 27(2), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03219719

Ball

S. J.

(2003). The teacher’s soul and the terrors of performativity. Journal of Education Policy, 18(2), 215–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/0268093022000043065

Bean

Brennan

K. R.

(2014). Youth voices: Performance poetry as a platform for literacy, creativity, and civic engagement. Journal of Applied Research on Children, 5(1), 1–8. http://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/childrenatrisk/vol5/iss1/23

Beghetto

R. A.

(2019). Creativity in classrooms. In Kaufman

J. C.

Sternberg

R. J.

(Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of creativity (pp. 587–606). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316979839.029

Bereczki

E. O.

Kárpáti

(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

Berg

C. W.

Christou

T. M.

(2020). The Palgrave handbook of history and social studies education. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37210-1

10.

Blumenfeld-Jones

D. S.

(2016). Teacher education for the 21st century: Creativity, aesthetics and ethics in preparing teachers for our future. Information Age Publishing.

11.

Brugar

K. A.

Allen

Roberts

K. L.

Ratcliff

Capps

(2023). Preparing the expert novice: Preservice teacher thinking and efficacy in inquiry design. Journal of Teacher Education, 74(5), 495–507. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224871231202956

12.

Cachia

Ferrari

(2010). Creativity in schools: A survey of teachers in Europe (JRC59232). European Union Joint Research Council, Institute of Prospective Technological Studies, Publication Office. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2791/48818

13.

Cajani

Lässig

Repoussi

(2019). The Palgrave handbook of conflict and history education in the post-Cold War era. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05722-0

14.

Catterall

J. S.

Chapleau

Iwanaga

. (1999). Involvement in the arts and human development: General involvement and intensive involvement in music and theatre arts. In Fiske

E. B.

(Ed.), Champions of change: The impact of the arts on learning (pp. 1–18). Arts Education Partnership and President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/champions/pdfs/ChampsReport.pdf

15.

Chapman

(2021). Knowing history in schools: Powerful knowledge and the powers of knowledge. University College London Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv14t477t

16.

Cheung

W. M.

Tse

S. K.

Tsang

H. W. H.

(2003). Teaching creative writing skills to primary school children in Hong Kong: Discordance between the views and practices of language teachers. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 37(2), 77–98. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2162-6057.2003.tb00827.x

17.

Cho

(2018). Crafting a third space: Integrative strategies for implementing critical citizenship education in a standards-based classroom. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 42(3), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2017.07.001

18.

Crocco

(2018). Gender and sexuality in history education. In Metzger

S. A.

Harris

L. M.

(Eds.), The Wiley international handbook of history teaching and learning (pp. 335–364). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119100812.ch13

19.

Demetrulias

D. M.

(1989). The courage to create: Creativity in teacher education programs. The Teacher Educator, 25(2), 9–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/08878738909554955

20.

Dewey

(1938). Experience and education. Macmillan.

21.

Di Blas

. (2024). K-12 collaborative digital storytelling: How to craft masterpieces. In Tillman

D. A.

(Ed.), Exploring perspectives on creativity theory and research in education. Creativity Theory and Action in Education (Vol. 8, pp. 39–55). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55416-2_3

22.

Dickenson

Gillis

Jones

(2023). Defending history: Educators stand up to protect Virginia’s social studies standards. Social Education, 87(6), 346–354. https://www.socialstudies.org/social-education/87/6/defending-history-educators-stand-protect-virginias-social-studies-standards

23.

Drake

F. D.

(2008). Swing of the pendulum: From social studies education to history education at Illinois State University. In Warren

W. J.

Cantu

D. A.

(Eds.), History education 101: The past, present, and future of teacher preparation (pp. 61–84). Information Age.

24.

Endacott

J. L.

Warren

Hackett-Hill

Lalonde

(2023). Arts integrated historical empathy: Preservice teachers’ engagement with pluralistic lived experiences and efforts toward instructional application. Theory & Research in Social Education, 52(3), 414–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2023.2279157

25.

Eulie

(1984). Creativity: Its implications for social studies. The Social Studies, 75(1), 28–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.1984.10114413

26.

Evans

(2023). Reframing civic education through hip-hop artistic practices: An empowerment and equity based learning model for black adolescents. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 31(4), 845–861. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2021.1952294

27.

Evans

(2014). Schooling corporate citizens: How accountability reform has damaged civic education and undermined democracy. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org.10.4324/9781315765587

28.

Fasko

Rizza

M. G.

(2019). Role of creativity in educational systems and the change process. In Mullen

C. A.

(Ed.), Creativity under duress in education? (Vol. 3, pp. 383–398). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90272-2_20

29.

Fecho

(2011). Teaching for the students: Habits of heart, mind, and practice in the engaged classroom. Teachers College Press.

30.

Fecho

Coombs

Stewart

T. T.

Hawley

T. S.

(2021). Novice teachers embracing wobble in standardized schools. Routledge.

31.

Feiman-Nemser

Buchmann

(1985). Pitfalls of experience in teacher preparation. Teachers College Record, 87(1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146818508700107

32.

Ferguson

Brink

(2004). Caught in a bind: Student teaching in a climate of state reform. Teacher Education Quarterly, 31(4), 55–64.

33.

Fitzpatrick

Friedman

(2024). “I got knocked down”: Factors impacting a novice teacher’s decision making. Social Studies Research & Practice, 19(3), 365–377. https://doi.org/10.1108/SSRP-09-2023-0049

34.

Fitzpatrick

van Hover

Hemmler

Cornett

(2024). How do we know what they know? A case study of classroom-based assessment with multilingual learners. Theory & Research in Social Education, 52(4), 497–531. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2024.2335236

35.

Flyvbjerg

(2006). Five misunderstandings about case-study research. Qualitative Inquiry, 12(2), 219–245. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800405284363

36.

Freire

(1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Penguin Random House.

37.

Fryer

Collings

J. A.

(1991). British teachers’ views of creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 25(1), 75–81. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2162-6057.1991.tb01356.x

38.

Gudmundsdottir

(1996). The teller, the tale, and the one being told: The narrative nature of the research interview. Curriculum Inquiry, 26(3), 293–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/03626784.1996.11075463

39.

Hargreaves

Fullan

(2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. Teachers College Press.

40.

Harris

de Bruin

L. R.

(2018). Secondary school creativity, teacher practice and steam education: An international study. Journal of Educational Change, 19(2), 153–179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-017-9311-2

41.

Hawley

T. S.

Whitman

G. M.

(2020). Fear and learning in student teaching: Accountability as gatekeeper in social studies. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 44(1), 105–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2019.04.003

42.

Henriksen

Henderson

Creely

Ceretkova

Černochová

Sendova

Sointu

E. T.

Tienken

C. H.

(2018). Creativity and technology in education: An international perspective. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 23(3), 409–424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-018-9380-1

43.

Henriksen

Woo

L. J.

Mishra

(2024). Working with constraints: Creativity through repurposing. In Tillman

D. A.

(Ed.), Exploring perspectives on creativity theory and research in education. Creativity Theory and Action in Education (Vol. 8, pp. 3–22). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55416-2_1

44.

Hermans

H. J. M.

(2001). The dialogical self: Toward a theory of personal and cultural positioning. Culture & Psychology, 7(3), 243–281. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X0173001

45.

Hermans

H. J. M.

Hermans-Konopka

(2010). Dialogical self theory: Positioning and counter-positioning in a globalizing society. Cambridge University Press.

46.

Hicks

(2005). Continuity and constraint: Case studies of becoming a teacher of history in England and the United States. International Journal of Social Education, 20(1), 18–40.

47.

Hicks

Lisanti

van Hover

(2020). Shifting the gaze: (Mis)using actor-network theory to examine preservice teachers’ uses of digital technologies. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 20(4), 730–742. https://citejournal.org/volume-20/issue-4-20/social-studies/shifting-the-gaze-misusing-actor-network-theory-to-examine-preservice-teachers-uses-of-digital-technologies

48.

Hunter-Doniger

(2024). Creativity: The precarious balance between constraints and autonomy. In Tillman

D. A.

(Ed.), Exploring perspectives on creativity theory and research in education. Creativity Theory and Action in Education (Vol. 8, pp. 167–181). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55416-2_9

49.

Jeffrey

Craft

(2004). Teaching creatively and teaching for creativity: Distinctions and relationships, Educational Studies, 30(1), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305569032000159750

50.

Kampylis

Berki

Saariluoma

(2009). In-service and prospective teachers’ conceptions of creativity. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 4(1), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2008.10.001

51.

Kaufman

J. C.

Beghetto

R. A.

(2009). Beyond big and little: The four C model of creativity. Review of General Psychology, 13(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013688

52.

Keirn

(2018). History curriculum, standards, and assessment policies and politics: U.S. experiences. In Metzger

S. A.

Harris

L. M.

(Eds.), The Wiley international handbook of history teaching and learning (pp. 11–36). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119100812.ch1

53.

Kleiman

(2008). Towards transformation: Conceptions of creativity in higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45(3), 209–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703290802175966

54.

Kramer

C. S.

Lester

A. J.

Wilcox

K. C.

(2021). College, career, and civic readiness: Building school communities that prepare youth to thrive as 21st century citizens. Theory & Research in Social Education, 49(4), 602–629. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2021.1968984

55.

Kupers

Lehmann-Wermser

McPherson

van Geert

(2019). Children’s creativity: A theoretical framework and systematic review. Review of Educational Research, 89(1), 93–124. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654318815707

56.

Lee

Hicks

Henriksen

Mishra

, & the Deep-Play Research Group. (2015). Rethinking technology and creativity in the 21st century: Historical soundscapes for creative synthesis. TechTrends, 59(5), 4–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0882-6

57.

Levstik

L. S.

Barton

K. C.

(2015). Doing history: Investigating with children in elementary and middle schools (5th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315818108

58.

Lortie

(1975). Schoolteacher. The University of Chicago Press.

59.

Mayan

M. J.

(2016). Essentials of qualitative inquiry. Routledge, Taylor and Francis.

60.

Marshall

Rossman

G. B.

(2016). Designing qualitative research (6th ed.). Sage.

61.

Martell

C. C.

Martinelle

Chalmers

J. P.

(2023). Barriers and pathways to enacting justice-oriented social studies: A longitudinal study of novice teachers in urban contexts. Urban Education, 60(4), 1124–1153. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859231170638

62.

Merriam

S. B.

(2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. Jossey-Bass.

63.

Metzger

S. A.

Harris

L. M.

(2018). Introduction: History education in (and for) a changing world. In Metzger

S. A.

Harris

L. M.

(Eds.), The Wiley international handbook of history teaching and learning (pp. 1–11). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119100812.ch0

64.

Meuwissen

K. W.

(2005). Maybe someday the twain shall meet: Exploring disconnections between methods instruction and “life in the classroom”. The Social Studies, 96(6), 253–258. https://doi.org/10.3200/TSSS.96.6.253-258

65.

Mohan

(1973). Is there a need for a course in creativity in teacher education? The Journal of Creative Behavior, 7(3), 175–186. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2162-6057.1973.tb01413.x

66.

Moser

Zimmermann

(2025). Meaning-making through dialogic classroom discourse in history classes: Multi-perspective case studies from a teacher professional development program. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 49(1), 51–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/23522798241278284

67.

NACCCE. (1999). All our futures: Creativity, culture and education. Department for Education and Employment.

68.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Table 5. Average student membership size of regular public elementary and secondary schools with membership, by instructional level, membership size of largest and smallest school, and state or jurisdiction: School year 2009–10. Author. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/pesschools09/tables/table_05.asp

69.

National Council for the Social Studies. (2013). The college, career, and civic life (C3) framework for social studies state standards: Guidance for enhancing the rigor of K-12 civics, economics, geography, and history. NCSS. https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/2022/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.2.pdf

70.

National Council for the Social Studies. (2023, January 17). VSSLC, VASCD, AHA, VCSS, NCSS, & VGA respond to the January draft history & Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia public schools. https://www.socialstudies.org/current-events-response/vsslc-vascd-aha-vcss-ncss-vga-respond-january-draft-history-social-science?utm_campaign=TSSP&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=242072864&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–9ygPLAn180vrJakj88L2OAUDNaHOv16U7CEdyZ6WRMUV9NjRY9x5IZMSt2TG_Ea7GAM9QKyqri9-C6S6xS9ImauDXvg

71.

Nickerson

R. S.

(1999). Enhancing creativity. In Sternberg

R. J.

(Ed.), Handbook of creativity (pp. 392–430). Cambridge University Press.

72.

Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. (2017, May). Innovation and creativity: Inquiry into innovation and creativity: Workforce for the new economy. Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Employment_Education_and_Training/Innovationandcreativity/Report_-_Innovation_and_creativity

73.

Paulson

(2022, December 4). Divisive concepts. The First Amendment Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/2178/divisive-concepts

74.

Philip

(2013). Cultivating creative ecologies: Creative teaching and teaching for creativity [Conference paper presentation]. HERDSA Conference, Auckland, New Zealand. https://www.herdsa.org.au/publications/conference-proceedings/research-and-development-higher-education-place-learning-and-31

75.

Placier

Walker

Foster

(2002). Writing the “show-me” standards: Teacher professionalism and political control in the U.S. state curriculum policy. Curriculum Inquiry, 32(3), 281–310. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-873X.00229

76.

Rawlings

B. S.

Cutting

S. J.

(2024). Linking disparate strands: A critical review of the relationship between creativity and education. Educational Psychology Review, 36(4), Article 135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09973-z

77.

Reidel

Salinas

(2024). If students don’t feel it, they won’t learn it: Early career secondary social studies educators plan for emotional engagement. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 48(2), 87–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/23522798231219967

78.

Reisman

McGrew

(2018). Reading in history education: Text, sources, and evidence. In Metzger

S. A.

Harris

L. M.

(Eds.), The Wiley international handbook of history teaching and learning (pp. 527–550). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119100812.ch20

79.

Robinson

(2006). Do schools kill creativity? [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity/transcript?language=en

80.

Robinson

Aronica

(2015). Creative schools: The grassroots revolution that’s transforming education. Penguin.

81.

Ross

E. W.

(2006). The social studies curriculum: Purposes, problems, and possibilities (3rd ed.). State University of New York Press.

82.

Salinas

Blevins

(2014). Critical historical inquiry: How might pre-service teachers confront master historical narratives? Social Studies Research and Practice, 9(3), 35–50. https://doi.org/10.1108/SSRP-03-2014-B0003

83.

Salinas

Castro

A. J.

(2010). Disrupting the official curriculum: Cultural biography and the curriculum decision making of Latino preservice teachers. Theory and Research in Social Education, 38(3), 428–463. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2010.10473433

84.

Sawyer

(2012). Explaining creativity: The science of human innovation (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

85.

Sawyer

(2015). A call to action: The challenges of creative teaching and learning. Teachers College Record, 117(10), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811511701001

86.

Sawyer

(2019). The creative classroom: Innovative teaching for 21st-century learners. Teachers College Press.

87.

Schul

J. E.

(2012). Compositional encounters: Evolvement of secondary students’ narratives while making historical desktop documentaries. Journal of Social Studies Research, 36(3), 219–244.

88.

Schwab

Zahidi

(2020). The global competitiveness report: Special edition 2020: How countries are performing on the road to recovery. World Economic Forum. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2020.pdf

89.

Scripp

(2002). An overview of research on music and learning. In Deasy

R. J.

(Ed.), Critical links: Learning in the arts and student academic and social development (pp. 132–136). Arts Education Partnership.

90.

Seixas

Morton

(2013). The big six: Historical thinking concepts. Nelson Education.

91.

Selwyn

(Host). (2020, October 4). The sociology of education policy (Stephen Ball) (No. 65) [Audio podcast episode]. Meet the education researcher. Monash University. https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/meet-the-education-researcher-521839

92.

Sheppard

(2023). Emotional rules in two history classrooms. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 47(2), 108–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2022.04.003

93.

Siebörger

(2020). “But they can’t do that!” Practical approaches to engage South African primary school pupils in historical learning. In Berg

C. W.

Christou

T. M.

(Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of history and social studies education (pp. 53–76). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37210-1

94.

Snepvangers

Thomson

Harris

A. M.

(Eds.). (2018). Creativity policy, partnerships and practice in education (Ser. Creativity, education and the arts). Palgrave Macmillan.

95.

Sternberg

R. J.

Lubart

T. I.

(1999). The concept of creativity: Prospects and paradigms. In Sternberg

R. J.

(Ed.), Handbook of creativity (pp. 3–15). Cambridge University Press.

96.

Troman

(2008). Primary teacher identity, commitment and career in performative school cultures. British Educational Research Journal, 34(5), 619–633. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920802223925

97.

Turner-Bissett

(2005). Creative teaching history in the primary classroom. David Fulton.

98.

Ucus

(2018). Exploring creativity in social studies education for elementary grades: Teachers’ opinions and interpretations. Journal of Education and Learning, 7(2), Article 111. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v7n2p111

99.

Ucus

(2024). Creativity in social studies education: Nurturing thoughtful explorers. In Tillman

D. A.

(Ed.), Exploring perspectives on creativity theory and research in education. Creativity Theory and Action in Education (pp. 183–200). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55416-2_10

100.

van Hover

S. D.

Yeager

E. A.

(2004). Challenges facing beginning history teachers: An exploratory study. International Journal of Social Education, 19(1), 8–21.

101.

Virginia Department of Education. (2022). Virginia school quality profiles. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://schoolquality.virginia.gov/

102.

Profile of a Virginia Graduate. (2022). Retrieved September 15, 2025, from https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/policy-initiatives/profile-of-a-virginia-graduate

103.

Vygotsky

L. S.

(1967). Play and its role in the mental development of the child. Soviet Psychology, 5(3), 6–18.

104.

Wargo

J. M.

(2021). “Sound” civics, heard histories: A critical case of young children mobilizing digital media to write (right) injustice. Theory & Research in Social Education, 49(3), 360–389. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2021.1874582

105.

Widiastuti

Supriatna

Disman, & Nurbayani

(2022). Creative pedagogy as an innovation in social studies teaching and learning to promote 21st century skills. In Priyana

Sari

N. K.

(Eds.), Proceedings of the 9th international conference on education research, and innovation (ICERI 2021) (pp. 44–54). Atlantis Press.

106.

Woyshner

C. A.

Watras

Crocco

M. S.

(Eds.). (2004). Introduction. In Woyshner

C. A.

Watras

Crocco

M. S.

(Eds.), Social education in the twentieth century: Curriculum and context for citizenship (pp. 1–10). Peter Lang Inc.

107.

Wright-Maley

Lee

J. K.

Friedman

(2018). Digital simulations and games in history education. In Metzger

S. A.

Harris

L. M.

(Eds.), The Wiley international handbook of history teaching and learning (pp. 37–59). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119100812.ch20

108.

Yin

R. K.

(2014). Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). Sage.

Doing Things Differently: Social Studies Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions of and Experiences With Creativity in Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References