The Relationship Between Self-Management Skills and Creative Thinking Skills of Science Teachers in Catholic Primary Schools in the Eastern Region
Keywords:
Self-Management Skills, Creative Thinking Skills, Science Teachers, Catholic SchoolsAbstract
This study aimed to: (1) examine the level of self-management skills (SM) among science teachers in Catholic primary schools in the Eastern Region, overall and by dimension; (2) assess their creative thinking skills (CT) using EFA-derived factor scores for Fluency, Originality, Flexibility, and Elaboration; (3) analyze relationships between SM and CT, both overall and by SM dimension; and (4) identify which SM dimensions predict each CT factor. The sample included 104 teachers selected from a population of 340 using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table. A three-part questionnaire collected demographic data, SM, and CT measures. Exploratory Factor Analysis confirmed a four-factor CT structure consistent with theory. Reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) were calculated for each subscale: Fluency (0.656), Originality (0.529), Flexibility (0.608), and Elaboration (0.446), reflecting the multidimensional nature of creative thinking. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation, two-way ANOVA, and stepwise regression. Results showed high levels of both SM and CT across all dimensions. SM was positively correlated with Flexibility (r = 0.368, p < 0.01), Fluency (r = 0.254, p < 0.01), and Originality (r = 0.265, p < 0.01), but not Elaboration. Gender and age showed no significant effects on CT. Regression analysis identified Achievement Orientation and Responsivity (AO&R) as the only significant predictor, specifically for Flexibility (β = -0.418, p < .001, R² = 0.175).
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