Creativity and creative pedagogies in practice in visual arts at secondary schools: A case study of Sekondi-Takoradi in Ghana
Date of Award
2023
Document Type
Thesis - ECU Access Only
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
School
School of Education
First Supervisor
Julia E. Morris
Second Supervisor
Geoffrey W. Lummis
Third Supervisor
Andrew Jones
Abstract
Creativity has been recognised as a crucial competency in 21st-century education and has received growing attention in curricula globally. Ghana's 2019 National Pre-tertiary Curriculum Framework prioritises creativity as a core aim of pre-tertiary education. However, it is unknown how teachers are enacting the curriculum, and there is a paucity of regionally focused research on creativity and creative pedagogical practice in Ghana. Consequently, this study explored 16 Ghanaian secondary visual arts teachers' perceptions and understanding of creativity and how they integrate creative pedagogies in their teaching in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, as visual arts is aligned with creative practice.
A multi-site qualitative case study approach was adopted as the research design, informed by the constructivist and interpretivist perspectives. Data were drawn from interviews, participant observations, and document analysis and thematically analysed using the data analysis spiral. Social constructivism and the sociocultural theory of creativity informed the theoretical foundations, as they are based on the premise that creativity can be taught through social interaction in a supportive environment.
The study found teachers perceived roles and understanding of creativity in their teaching did not reflect in their observed practice, which was often teacher-centred. It found that initial teacher education is a core influence on teachers’ practice.
The results provide insight into teaching creativity from a non-Western perspective in secondary visual arts education, offer evidence on how creativity in policy is being enacted in Ghanaian school system and recommend pedagogies that will enhance how teachers embed creativity as outlined in the 2019 curriculum.
DOI
10.25958/je4f-5d34
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 13th November 2025.
Recommended Citation
Swanzy-Impraim, E. (2023). Creativity and creative pedagogies in practice in visual arts at secondary schools: A case study of Sekondi-Takoradi in Ghana. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/je4f-5d34