Mathematical creativity and school mathematics: indicators of mathematical creativity in middle school students.

The literature suggests that mathematical talent is most often measured by speed and accuracy of a student's computation with little emphasis on problem solving and no opportunities for students to work on rich mathematical tasks. Such an approach limits the use of creativity and reduces mathematics to a set of skills to master and rules to memorize. Doing so causes many children's natural curiosity and enthusiasm for mathematics to disappear as they get older. Keeping students interested and engaged in mathematics by recognizing and valuing their mathematical creativity may reverse this tendency.

The identification of creative potential is challenging. Prior research into the identification of mathematical creativity has focused on the development of measurement instruments. Scoring of these instruments is time consuming and subject to scorer interpretation due to the variety of possible responses. Thus, their use in schools has been very limited since their creation. This study sought a simpler means to obtain indicators of creative potential in mathematics. Existing instruments, the Creative Ability in Mathematics Test, the Connecticut Mastery Tests, the Fennema-Shermam Mathematics Attitude Scales, What Kind of Person are You? from the Khatena-Torrance Creative Perception Index and the Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students were used to conduct a standard multiple regression analysis. This analysis explored the relationship between mathematical creativity and mathematical achievement, attitude towards mathematics, self-perception of creative ability, gender and teacher perception of mathematical talent and creative ability. Data were gathered from 89 seventh graders. The regression model predicted 35% of the variance in mathematical creativity scores. Mathematical achievement was the strongest predictor accounting for 23% of the variance. Student attitudes towards mathematics, self-perceptions creative ability and gender contributed the remaining 12% of variance. Interpretation of the relative importance of the independent variables was complicated by correlations between them.

Eric Louis Mann (2005)

University of Connecticut 

Eric Mann, Ph.D., is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Science Education at Purdue University. His research interests are in the identification and development of talent in STEM disciplines among middle- and high-school students and the role of creativity in mathematics and science education. E-mail: [e-mail]