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Promoting Creativity in Early Childhood Education in Brunei

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Hanapi Mohamad
B.A (Hons) Primary Education (University Brunei Darussalam)
M.A Education (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)

This thesis is presented for the

degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the
University of Western Australia

Graduate School of Education

March 2006

Declaration

This thesis is my own composition, all sources have been acknowledged

and my contribution is clearly identified in the thesis. For any work in this
thesis that has been co-published with other authors, I have the permission
of all co-authors to include this in my thesis.

(Hanapi Mohamad)
Candidate

(Dr Felicity Haynes)

Supervisor

Abstract
The overall aim of this study was to examine Bruneian preschool teachers
conceptions about creativity (including factors related to creativity), their beliefs on
how to promote childrens creativity in the classroom, how their beliefs may influence
their actual practice and whether their practices are consistent with the requirements of
the Brunei National Curriculum. It will also try to identify any factors that constrain or
influence teachers practice. The research employed a grounded theory approach
involving semi-structured interviews and classroom observations of preschool
teachers.
The findings of this study indicate that the teachers primarily conceptualise creativity
as something mainly but not exclusively to do with art work. The teachers believe that
providing children enough time to engage with art works, giving children freedom,
provide enough materials for children, flexibility in teaching, interactions and openended questions, group work and discussion and learning through play are the best
ways to promote childrens creativity, but the research reveals inconsistencies between
teachers beliefs about best way to promote creativity. Teachers actual practice
mainly consists of teacher control, enforcement of obedience, rote learning, teacher
directed and teacher chosen activities and heavy emphasis on whole-class teaching.
Other mediating constraints on their promotion of creativity included: pressure from
Primary 1 teachers, parents and the officials in Ministry of Educations to complete and
adhere to the National Curriculum; teachers own pedagogical limitations; large class
size; lack of adult help and the presence of special children in the classroom; lack of
resources and pressure from other non-teaching commitments.
The implication of the findings are that further research needs to be conducted into
Bruneis preschool teacher training programmes, to identify contradictory messages
about the value of creativity and to find a more culturally appropriate way of
promoting childrens creativity through the curriculum

Acknowledgement
I would like to express my gratitude to the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji
Hassanal Bolkiah, whose generous scholarship has made this study entirely possible. I
would like to acknowledge the University of Brunei Darussalam, the Departments of
Schools and the Education officer of the private school for the financial and other
support rendered.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Dr Felicity Haynes
for her encouragement, guidance, expert advice and I am privileged to have the
opportunity to learn from her.
My deepest gratitude goes to all 16 teachers involved in this study and the
administrators of the three schools concerned for their time and contribution to this
study. The thesis would not be as it is without their assistance and support.
I am also grateful to my friend Dr Noor Azam in the Department of English Language
and Applied Linguistics for his valued assistance and support.
I must thank the following individual Dr Junaidi Abd Rahman (Dean of SHBIE), my
colleagues and former colleagues in the Department of Early Childhood Education,
Hjh Aisah Hj Mohd Yussof (HoD), Hjh Asmah Hj Morni and Rosalind Charleston for
their moral support.
I have been blessed with the unwavering support of my family: Hj Ali Ahmad and Hjh
Jeliah, my dearest brothers and sisters, in laws. Most importantly, I am forever
indebted to my parents, Hjh Zainah and the memory of my dear departed father, Hj
Mohamad (You are greatly missed). They have both been inspirational me in every
sense of the world.
One constant was the tremendous emotional support from my wife and son, Azimah
and Mohd Danial Afif. Their love, encouragement and prayers throughout my many
years away have all made this journey bearable. To them, I dedicate this thesis.

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Map of South East Asia

Source: Brudirect.com [http:www/file.brudirect.com/about-brunei/index.htm]

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Map of Brunei Darussalam

Source: Brudirect.com [http:www/file.brudirect.com/about-brunei/index.htm]

Key:
Capital
Town

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Table of Contents
Page
Abstract
Acknowledgement
Map of South East Asia
Map of Brunei Darussalam
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Appendices

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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study

1.1 Rationale of the study
1.2 Purpose of the research
1.3 Significance of the study
1.4 Thesis outline

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Chapter 2: Background of the Study: Brunei Darussalam.

2.1 Brunei Darussalam in brief
2.2 The influence of religion in Brunei cultures
2.3 Social hierarchical influences
2.4 Bruneis history the British influence
2.5 Brunei education system
2.6 Preschool education in Brunei
2.7The preschool curriculum
2.6 Preschool assessment
2.7 Preschool teacher training

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Chapter 3: Brunei Policy in Promoting Childrens Creativity... 30

3.1 Brunei education policy: Developmentally
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Appropriate Practice

Chapter 4: Review of Literature

4.1 Definitions of creativity
4.1.1 Creativity as a product
4.1.2 Creativity as a person
4.1.3 Creativity as a process
4.2 Creativity in early childhood education
4.3 Theories of childrens learning
4.3.1 The constructivist theory
4.3.2 The behaviourist theory
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4.4 Theory into practice: The cultural transmission model

4.5 Background: Teachers beliefs
4.6 Teachers beliefs about creativity and their belief in the best
way to promote creativity in the early childhood classroom
4.7 Teachers Constraint

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Chapter 5: Research Design and Methodology

5.1 Research aims and questions
5.2 Orientation of research
5.3 Theoretical framework of the study
5.4 Sampling
5.5 Methods of data collection
5.6 Pilot study
5.7 Analysis of the data
5.8 Ethical considerations

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Chapter 6: Research Findings - Phase 1...

Interview Results:
6.1 Teachers conceptions about creativity
6.2 The importance of creativity for preschool children
6.3 Characteristic examples of creativity given by teachers
6.4 Characteristics of creative children
6.5 Preschool curricular that likely to elicit childrens creative
development
6.6 Teachers priorities of creativity in preschool curriculum
6.7 Preschool teachers belief about how best to facilitate
childrens creativity in the classroom
6.8 Teachers perception on the role of Visual Arts in promoting
childrens creativity
6.9 Constraining factors in promoting childrens creativity in the
classroom
Observation Results:
6.10 Preschool teachers act in the classroom to promote childrens
creative development
6.11 How do Bruneian preschool teachers help to
Promote childrens creativity through Visual Art?

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Chapter 7: Research Findings Phase 2..

Interview Results:
7.1 Teachers conceptions of creativity
7.2 Activities that encourage children to produce something
unique and original
7.3 Activities that provide children the opportunity to express
their feeling
7.4 The importance of creativity for preschool children

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7.5 Characteristic examples of creativity given by teachers

7.6 Personality characteristics typically associated with creative
children
7.7 Childrens characteristic favoured by preschool teachers
7.8 Childrens characteristics not favoured by preschool
teachers
7.9 Preschool teachers beliefs on how best to facilitate
childrens creativity in the classroom
7.10 Teachers perception on the role of Visual Arts in promoting
childrens creativity
7.11 The status of Visual Art in preschool curriculum
7.12 The type of Visual Arts activities favoured by the preschool
teachers
7.13 Constraining factors in promoting childrens creativity in
the classroom
Observation Results:
7.14 Preschool teachers act in the classroom to promote childrens
creative development
7.15 How do Bruneian preschool teachers help to promote
childrens creativity through Visual Art?

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Chapter 8: Research Findings - Phase 3 (Final Stage)

Interview Results:
8.1 Bruneian teachers views of American teachers ways of
promoting creativity
8.2 Factors hindering or discouraging Bruneian teachers to follow
the American teachers way of promoting creativity
Observation Results:
8.14 Preschool teachers act in the classroom to promote childrens
creative development
8.10 How do Bruneian preschool teachers help to promote
childrens creativity through Visual Art?

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Chapter 9: Analysis and Discussion of Results

9.1 Teachers conceptions about creativity
9.2 Teachers as facilitators of creativity
9.3 The status of Visual Art in the curriculum
9.4 The impact of mediating constraint in promoting
creativity
9.5 Relationship between the teachers beliefs of the best way
to promote creativity and their actual practice
9.6 Childrens characteristic that the teachers value
9.7 Assessing creativity

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Chapter 10: Conclusions

10.1 General conclusions
10.2 Contributions of the study
10.3 Strengths and weakness of the study
10.4 Implication for change

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List of Tables
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List of tables
Table 5.1
Table 5.2
Table 5.3
Table 5.4
Table 5.5

Table 6.1
Table 6.2
Table 6.3
Table 6.4
Table 6.5
Table 6.6
Table 6.7
Table 6.8
Table 6.9
Table 6.10
Table 6.11
Table 6.12
Table 6.13
Table 6.14
Table 6.15
Table 6.16
Table 6.17
Table 6.18
Table 6.19
Table 6.20
Table 6.21
Table 6.22

Chapter 5
Characteristics of three selected schools
Distribution of teachers by qualification
Other in-service training of six months duration or longer
attended by teachers.
Teachers age group
Distribution of teachers by numbers of the teaching experience

Chapter 6
Teachers views of creativity
The reasons for promoting creativity
Characteristic examples of creativity given by the teachers.
Characteristic of creative children
Preschool circular that likely to elicit childrens creative
development
Teaching methods that could facilitate childrens creativity in
the classroom
Reasons for the role of Visual Arts in promoting childrens
creativity
Constraining factors faced by teachers in promoting childrens
creativity
Time children allowed to engage in free play
The use of materials in classroom activities
Teaching methods implemented by teachers
Time provided for the children to involve with group teaching
The use of praise and words of encouragement and the use of
criticism or words of discouragement
The proportion of use of instruction by teachers
Question techniques used by teachers
The nature of teaching methods
Art activities presented
Teachers actual instruction
Materials used in Visual Art Activity
Frequency of art material used by teachers
Teachers responses to children in Visual Art Activities
Criteria for judging childrens creativity

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List of tables (continued)

Chapter 7
Table 7.1
Table 7.2
Table 7.3
Table 7.4
Table 7.5
Table 7.6
Table 7.7
Table 7.8
Table 7.9
Table 7.10
Table 7.11
Table 7.12
Table 7.13
Table 7.14
Table 7.15
Table 7.16
Table 7.17
Table 7.18
Table 7.19
Table 7.20
Table 7.21
Table 7.22
Table 7.23
Table 7.24
Table 7.25
Table 7.26
Table 7.27
Table 7.28
Table 7.29
Table 7.30
Table 7.31
Table 7.32

Teachers views of creativity

Examples of activities that encourage children to produce
something unique and original
Examples of activities that provide opportunities for children
to express their feelings
The importance of creativity for preschool children: teachers
views
Characteristic examples of creativity given by teachers
Personality of creative children
Childrens characteristics favoured by teachers in the
classroom
Childrens characteristics not favoured by teachers in the
classroom
Teaching methods that could facilitate childrens creativity in
the classroom
Examples of materials preferred by teachers to promote
creativity
Teaching materials detected in teachers responses
Flexibility in teaching
The importance of play in promoting childrens creativity:
Teachers responses
Learning corners
Teachers characteristics
The role of Visual Art in promoting childrens creativity
Constraining factors faced by teachers in promoting childrens
creativity
Total of time children are allowed to engage in free play
The use of materials in classroom activities
Teaching methods implemented by teachers
Time involved with group teaching
The use of praise and words of encouragement and the use of
criticism or words of discouragement
The used of praise or words of motivation
The proportion of use of instruction by teachers
Question techniques used by teachers
The nature of teaching methods
Art activities presented
Teachers actual instructions
Materials used in Visual Art Activity
Frequency of art material used by teachers
Teachers responds to children in Visual Art Activities
Criteria for judging childrens creativity
x

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List of tables (continued)

Chapter 8
Table 8.1
Table 8.2
Table 8.3
Table 8.4
Table 8.5
Table 8.6
Table 8.7
Table 8.8
Table 8.9
Table 8.10
Table 8.11
Table 8.12
Table 8.13
Table 8.14
Table 8.15

Total of time children are allowed to engage in free play

The use of materials in classroom activities
Teaching methods implemented by teachers
Time involved with group teaching
The use of praise and words of encouragement and the use of
criticism or words of discouragement
The used of praise or words of motivation
The proportion of use of instruction by teachers
Question techniques used by teachers
The nature of teaching methods
Art activities presented
Teachers actual instructions
Materials used in Visual Art Activity
Frequency of art material used by teachers
Teachers responses to children in Visual Art Activities
Criteria for judging childrens creativity

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List of Figures
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Chapter 2
Figure 2.1
Figure 2.2
Figure 2.3

Figure 5.1
Figure 5.2

Topics to be covered by preschool teachers on courteous

behaviour: (An extract from the PTG)
Topics to be covered by preschool teachers on creative
development: (An extract from the PTG)
An extract from the GAP showing criteria to be assessed on
childrens creativity in arts and handicraft
Chapter 5
Sample activity/time log used on the classroom observation
data collection
Check list based on Flinders Interaction Analysis categories

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List of Appendices
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Appendix 5A
Appendix 5B
Appendix 5C
Appendix 5D
Appendix 5E

Letter to the director of the schools

Letter to education officer of school C
Letter to teacher involved in the research
Consent form for teacher
A Matrix used to analyse the teaching processes based on the
activity logs

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Appendix 6A

Interview schedule Phase 1

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Appendix 7A

Interview schedule - Phase 2

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Appendix 8A

Title of the video: The creativity in the classroom:

An educators guide for exploring creative teaching and
learning
Interview schedule Phase 3 (Final phase of the study)
Questionnaire for teachers - Phase 3

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Appendix 8B
Appendix 8C

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