Open research questions in Creativity in Education and Neuroscience

What the literature leaves open

• ABSTRACT Background Generative artificial intelligence text‐to‐image tools are increasingly used in design education, but evidence is limited on whether structured classroom integration improves expert‐rated creativity outcomes while controlling homogenisation.

  A Study on the Role of Midjourney, A Generative Artificial Intelligence Tool, in Enhancing Student Creativity in Illustration Design Classes · 2026 · DOI

• This study explored how first-year BAGP students at MUM developed creative thinking skills during a semester-long course on Critical and Creative Thinking. The findings revealed that students gradually transformed from passive learners into confident, reflective, and innovative thinkers. Through activities such as group projects, brainstorming, mind mapping, and the use of SCAMPER and Six Thinking Hats, students learned to generate ideas, question assumptions, and apply creativity to real-world geographic issues. It also showed that collaborative learning, peer interaction, and reflective practice played a central role in stimulating creativity.

  Enhancing Student Creative Thinking through Active Learning: Evidence from BAGPS Students at the Muslim University of Morogoro, Tanzania · 2026 · DOI

• Future research could investigate how students inter- act with these alternative agents, assess differences in reasoning capabilities, and evaluate their suitability for various academic tasks to better inform instructional practices. Second, the exclusive female composition of the participants is a significant limitation of this study.

  Navigating the Human-AI Partnership in the Undergraduate Creative Process: A Qualitative Inquiry · 2026 · DOI

• Thus, with the aim of relaxing the tension between con- cerns and their potential benefits in using LLMs in educational contexts—hopefully in favor of the latter—future work will focus on the development of quantitative measures based on this analysis and their integration into the LLMs’ training phase.

  Unraveling Creativity Through Variability: A Comparison of LLMs and Humans in an Educational Q&A Scenario · 2026 · DOI

• Fourth, although the epistemic moves listed in column 2 appear exhaustive, the analytic focus in column 3 is limited to their dialogic quality, resulting in some insightful explana- tions being coded as less desirable moves owing to a lack of criticality in our coding. First, in a rigorous action research study, such a statistical analysis alone is insufficient to draw conclusions.

  A dialogic model for analyzing idea development in creativity-oriented text-based discussion forums · 2026 · DOI

• • • Sample and Cross-Validation: In this study, both Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were conducted on the same sample group to determine construct validity. Because the sample size does not allow the data to be split, this situation, which was necessarily preferred, may increase the risk that the obtained factor structure is specific to the dataset. To minimize the potential impact of this situation on the generalizability of the results, cross-validation analyses with different sample groups can be conducted in future studies. Criterion Validity: Although the study presents strong evidence regarding the internal structure of the scale, criterion validity analyses examining the relationship between scale scores and other tools measuring similar constructs or external criteria such as academic success have not been conducted. This limitation is inherent to the study, and correlation analyses across different scales are planned for future research to test the scale's predictive power. 1139 Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 2026(3): Research Article • Measurement Invariance: In future studies, we recommend conducting Item Functioning Variability analyses to understand the gender-based differences of the scale or to include qualitative interviews aimed at measuring the semantic perception of items between groups. • • • • Diversity of Data Collection Tools: Research data was collected solely using a self- reported Likert scale. In future studies, supporting quantitative findings with open- ended questions, qualitative interviews, or document analyses will contribute to a deeper and more multidimensional understanding of students' creative self- regulation skills. Contextual and Demographic Limitations: Although the adapted scale meets the assumption of normal distribution, in its current form, it reflects the characteristics of a specific sample group. A comparative examination of the scale's psychometric properties across students from different socio-economic levels, geographical regions, and educational stages (e.g., middle school, university) in Türkiye could enhance the tool's generalizability and test its cultural universality. Domain-Specific Applications: The scale measures a general creative self- regulation structure. However, the creativity literature argues that this skill may be domain-specific. Therefore, testing the scale by tailoring it to specific disciplines, such as science education, art, or mathematics, could yield more targeted contributions to the literature. Contextual and Demographic Limitations: Although the present sample was adequate for an initial scale adaptation study, it consisted only of ninth-grade students from a single high school in the Central Anatolian region and was selected through purposive sampling. Therefore, the findings should be regarded as preliminary evidence rather than as results directly generalizable to all student populations in Türkiye. The psychometric properties of the adapted scale may vary across different geographical regions, socioeconomic strata, school types (e.g., vocational, science, Anatolian, private schools), and age groups. For this reason, future studies should examine the scale with more diverse and representative samples in order to test the stability and generalizability of the factor structure across different educational and demographic contexts.

  Creative Self-Regulation Scale: Adaptation, Validity, and Reliability Study · 2026 · DOI

• This project looks at the paradoxes of achievement and self-doubt through interactive performance. It uses game-like engagement, audience participation, and the idea of failure to highlight the Im- postor Phenomenon. By separating achievement from confidence, the system shows the complex nature of validation, vulnerability, and playfulness, inviting both performer and audience into a space of uncertainty. This work explores musical expression and encourages new conversations about failure, risk, and play across different fields, audiences, and spaces. During development, we investigated possibilities for alterna- tive spaces beyond the traditional stage. Using the foot tracker integrated into the game system, the performer is not limited to a fixed position and can be located anywhere. The current configuration employs a cymbal as a stage prompt to announce achievements, with the performer activating the cymbal if the player successfully navigates glitches and leaves the game en- vironment. For future iterations, we aim to adapt the piece for outdoor performances by integrating a carillon in place of the cymbal for achievement announcements. Additionally, we will investigate the use of alternative sound icons and innovative announcement methods to further expand the work’s sonic and spatial possibilities. We keep exploring alternative glitch effects and announcement mechanisms, and to use NIME performance as a vehicle for dialogue in academic and non-academic commu- nities. In addition to performance practice and technical development, we are also developing a score and script for the performance. This will make the work accessible to other NIME participants and performers from diverse backgrounds who want to present the piece, enabling broader interpretations. Finally, Dr. Özcan’s ongoing artistic investigation into play- fulness and failure in performance art is reflected in multiple NIME performances, including a piece centered on juggling [9]. In Where Do I Go?, this juggling performance will be incorpo- rated as one of the “glitches,” positioning the current work within a broader continuum of performances. This approach allows Dr. Özcan to integrate her NIME practice into the evolving narrative.

  Where Do I Go?: A Game-Based Exploration of Failure and Playfulness as Musical Expression · 2026 · DOI

• CCAPM, likely, serves as the foundation for continuing education studies, where teaching creativity is warranted because it encompasses subjects like the visible structural factors influencing academic performance and the hidden ones that arise from broader aspects.

  The Creativity-Centric Framework: Redefining Academic Performance through Task Completion and Cognitive Synergies · 2026 · DOI

• Although limited by a small cohort size and one author’s involvement in supervising participants, findings highlight the effectiveness of discipline-specific, cohort-based training in bridging theoretical and practical knowledge, fostering research culture, and mitigating isolation often experienced in HDR pathways.

  Fostering methodological literacy and research identity in creative-practice HDR education: Insights from a pilot seminar series · 2026 · DOI

• It would be valuable to replicate and extend the research to independent samples. Openness to experience was not measured in this study. Our results pave the way for future research into the molecular genetics of creativity and its implications for education, innovation, and AI-driven so- cieties. The results support the use of the CAQ in genetic research, and incorporating it, for instance, into large biobanks is an obvious extension and enhancement of work initiated by Li et al. (2024) in generating genetic polygenic scores and causal genetic variants underlying elevated cre- ativity. Integrating personality traits like openness to ex- perience and leveraging large-scale biobanks will further elucidate the mechanisms underlying human creative po- tential. Openness is related to creativity (Oleynick et al., 2017), contributes genetically to creative achievement (de Manzano & Ullén, 2018), and has plausible links to artistic and technological expressions of creativity via its aesthetic and intellect facets respectively (Kaufman et al., 2016) (though note that the “intellect” elements of openness ap- pear to reflect confounding with cognitive ability (Gignac et al., 2020). Adding a measure of openness would allow fur- ther genetic insight into this important but neglected trait. There is a need for formal psychological models explain- ing the modest links of creative achievement with cognitive ability (Nijstad et al., 2010). As achievement involves goal- setting (Bates et al., 2023) and persistence (Bates, 2024), incorporating conscientiousness in models of creativity alongside openness would also be valuable (Jauk et al., 2014). The result suggests that creativity is expressed in scientific/technological, artistic and, also, in domains of entrepreneurial enterprise. It is important to understand why cognitive ability does aid creativity but does not ex- plain all of it. Why not? There are exciting pointers in this direction from computer science as AI researchers grapple with creativity (Kamb & Ganguli, 2024).

  Creative Achievement: Behavioral Genetic Evidence for Overlap With General Cognitive Ability and for Independent Latent Traits · 2026 · DOI

• Although this study provides meaningful insights into how per- ceived usefulness of AI-generated art tools is associated with self- reported creative design performance through perceptual, cognitive, and aesthetic mechanisms, several limitations should be acknowl- edged when interpreting the findings. The sample was drawn exclu- sively from Chinese university students in design-related programs, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other cultural, educational, or professional contexts where AI adoption, visual liter- acy training, and design workflows differ. Self-reported measures may also introduce common method bias, although the multi-construct model structure reduces this risk. In addition, the study focused on short-term psychological processes activated during interaction with AI-generated imagery; future research would benefit from longitudi- nal or experimental designs to examine how sustained exposure influ- ences skill development, creative habits, or aesthetic preferences over time. The model also did not incorporate potential boundary condi- tions—such as prior artistic training, digital proficiency, or attitudes toward AI—that may shape the strength of these relationships. Last but not the least, because the study relied on a cross-sectional self- report design, the findings should be interpreted as associative rather than causal, and the mediation pathways should not be understood as evidence of true temporal mediation. Addressing these limitations in future studies would strengthen the theoretical scope and practical relevance of this emerging research area. of design practice. As AI continues to reshape visual industries, rec- ognizing and leveraging these mechanisms will be essential for educa- tors, practitioners, and researchers seeking to cultivate creativity in increasingly AI-mediated design environments.

  The association between perceived usefulness of AI-generated art tools and self-reported creative design performance: a parallel mediation model of artistic perception, cognitive engagement, and aesthetic judgment · 2026 · DOI

• First, the present meta-analysis integrated diverse creative task paradigms (e.g., divergent thinking, insight, and cre- ative comprehension) to explore the neural mechanisms of novelty and appropriateness across tasks. While this approach enhances the generalizability and theoretical sig- nificance of our findings, it may also somewhat obscure the unique cognitive and neural signatures inherent to different task types. Although prior research indicated that distinct creative tasks (e.g., insight versus divergent thinking; verbal task versus figural task) may engage partially dissociable neural substrates, the limited number of independent studies available for each task subtype precluded reliable subgroup analyses in the present study. Our goal was to provide an initial, exploratory identification of domain-general neural correlates underlying novelty and appropriateness, rather than to delineate task-specific activations. The convergence observed despite task heterogeneity suggests that certain regions (e.g., MFG and IPL for novelty; AC and MTG for appropriateness) may play fundamental roles across diverse creative contexts. While our findings demonstrate a robust functional dissociation between novelty and appropriate- ness processing at the domain-general level, this conclusion may not directly generalize to specific subtypes of creative tasks. Future research with larger samples should conduct finer-grained comparisons and integrative analyses of the neural mechanisms underlying the two processes in specific creative tasks. Second, several methodological limitations characterize the present coordinate-based meta-analysis. First, the pres- ent ALE algorithm cannot assess effect sizes that existed in the included studies, and this deficit might lead to overes- timating effects on the final conclusion (Acar et al. 2018). Meanwhile, the current results were derived from the coor- dinate-based ALE method. This method can test the con- vergence rather than the increase (activation) and decrease (deactivation) of the research topic (Albajes-Eizagirre and Radua 2018; Müller et al. 2018). Therefore, caution is war- ranted in interpreting these findings. Second, the apparent variability in task responses and technical parameters from the chosen studies might result in divergent findings. Dif- ferent responses, such as the overt verbal response, physical button press, and hand-written response, were clearly seen. Consequently, observed activations may partially reflect neural activity associated with verbal and motor processes (Shah et al. 2013). In addition, diversity in technical param- eters such as different apparatus devices (1.5/3.0/4.0-T MR) and statistical corrections (Bonferroni/False Discovery Rate/Family-wise Error Rate) with different significance levels (0.05/0.01 at cluster level). This uncontrolled sta- tus could bring about interference with the conclusion to some extent. Third, the current study focused on fMRI data derived from the whole-brain analysis, missing out on other valuable exploration by regions of interest and functional connectivity-based analyses. Future interpretation of the neural mechanisms behind novelty and appropriateness pro- cessing should not be limited to the structures we mentioned above but also need to look at other brain regions upholding creativity analyzed by various neuroimaging methods. Notwithstanding the pioneering contribution of the pres- ent meta-analysis, more rigorous efforts could be devoted to unsealing neural dynamics of novelty and appropriate- ness processing. First, replication using complementary meta-analytic techniques (e.g., seed-based d mapping) would strengthen the robustness of these findings (Munafo et al. 2017). Moreover, future research should elucidate the large-scale network dynamics underlying novelty and appropriateness processing in creativity. Further advanced meta-analyses are advised to consider possible functional connectivity data originating from novelty and appropriate- ness processing with the efficient meta-analysis connectivity models (MACM) (Langner and Camilleri 2021). Hopefully, these upcoming excursions may provide clarity to better understand the complex dynamics within creativity.

  Consistent neural evidence to support novelty and appropriateness processing for creative thinking: a coordinated meta-analysis using activation likelihood estimation · 2026 · DOI

• The findings of this study highlight the limitations of understanding the educational effects of generative AI solely in terms of its use or non-use, and suggest that its impact depends on usage style and the nature of the human–AI relationship. Although generative AI was primarily perceived as a tool for improving task efficiency, usage styles such as feedback provision and meaning summarization were associated with increases in CSE. However, this study has several limitations. First, the analysis was based on a single course context, and the sample was limited to 64 participants who completed all measurements; therefore, caution is required when generalizing the findings. Second, in the analysis by AI usage style, some categories included only a small number of participants, and thus, the results should be considered exploratory. Finally, the study was relatively short, and it is possible that the relationship between users and AI had not yet been sufficiently established. Future research should adopt a longer-term longitudinal approach to examine how interactions with generative AI evolve over time and how these changes influence CSB. In addition, incorporating factors such as perceived control and sense of agency toward AI into measurement frameworks may enable a more nuanced understanding of how human–AI relationships shape creativity. CRediT authorship contribution statement Riku Okamoto: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. Akiyoshi Inasaka: Conceptualization, Supervision, Resources, Investigation, Writing – review & editing.

  The Influence of Generative AI Usage Styles on Creative Self-Beliefs: Findings from a Longitudinal Study in Design Education · 2026 · DOI

• From our perspective, this study encompasses five limitations that indicate future research directions. Firstly, our study’s dataset is limited in size because the Viacocrea application gen- erates data from a real classroom setting aimed at solving a specific science project. Notwithstanding this limitation, we believe that the small-sized dataset generated within a real context holds value in addressing our research objectives and allowing us to draw pedagogical conclusions. This approach remains valuable in achieving our research objectives. Nevertheless, this exploratory research made significant contri- butions by successfully providing real-time novelty feedback and promoting ideas’ novelty and cocreative behaviours. This preliminary study paves the basis for more extensive experimental research with a larger sample. Secondly, our methodology, applied in a science project PBL scenario, holds poten- tial for application in other PBL scenarios across various real classroom settings. By expanding the application of our methodology to diverse PBL educational contexts, we can gain a deeper understanding of its effectiveness and adaptability. Future work should focus on conducting comprehensive studies in different PBL environments to validate and refine our approach, ensuring it supports a broad spectrum of learning objectives and student needs. This will enhance the generalizability of our findings and contribute to the development of innovative educational practices that promote creativity and collaborative learning across disciplines. Thirdly, although novelty is one key dimension of creativity, in the future, we plan to evaluate other dimensions of creativity highlighted in educational research as relevant, such as flexibility, elaboration and fluency, and provide real-time feed- back to enhance the cocreation process. Furthermore, variables including collabora- tion, engagement and motivation play pivotal roles in shaping creative processes and outcomes within educational settings. By including these factors in future research endeavours, we can better understand the complex interplay between feedback mech- anisms and various aspects of student participation and performance in cocreative activities. This expanded approach can inform the development of more effective strategies for fostering creativity and collaboration in educational contexts. Fourthly, based on previous research, we provide only three types of feedback (e.g., low, medium, and high novel). However, future research could explore pedagogically tailored feedback design that aligns with the creative techniques’ instructional goals and creative methodologies. Future research could explore more sophisticated feed- back mechanisms pedagogically tailored to align with specific instructional goals and creative methodologies. This could involve developing feedback that is not only differentiated by levels of novelty but also customised to support various stages of the creative process, address individual learner profiles, and enhance specific creative skills. Additionally, the potential of AI generative models for feedback generation presents a promising avenue for future studies. These generative models can produce 1 3Journal of Computers in Education dynamic, personalised feedback that adapts in real time based on novelty scores. They can suggest novel ideas and help learners avoid common or overused concepts, encouraging originality and creativity. Lastly, our application of real-time feedback within the Google Slides platform introduces unique challenges due to its distinct infrastructure. Despite efforts to auto- mate the feedback process, complete autonomy still needs to be discovered, neces- sitating human intervention, such as expert feedback delivery following automatic creativity evaluation. While these limitations do not impede the timeliness of feed- back delivery, there is room for further automation by extending the application of our feedback mechanism beyond Google Slides to encompass other e-learning plat- forms. Expanding the scope of our approach could streamline the feedback process and enhance its applicability across diverse educational contexts. Acknowledgements This research has been funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Gov- ernment of Spain under Grants PDC2022-133203-I00 and PID2022-139060OB-I00. We are also grateful to Dr. David Aguilar, a science professor, and the teacher education students who participated in this study. Funding Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. Data availability Data will be made available on request.

  Promoting cocreativity with real-time automatic novelty feedback in open-ended problem-solving · 2026 · DOI

• This study has several limitations. First, the analyses were limited to six selected brain regions and should not be taken as representing the full executive-function network, as other relevant regions, including parietal areas, were not examined (Horowitz-Kraus et al., 2023). Second, the study focused on nodal properties and broader structural network characteristics, but did not address functional connectivity between regions, which may provide complementary evidence regarding the neural basis of creativity in interactive contexts (Wu, 2023).

  Structural nodal efficiency in executive-function-related regions moderates individual and paired-player creativity · 2026 · DOI

• transformation process. Bereiter and Scardamalia (2014) emphasized that deep learning is a process where learners actively construct meaning, identify contradictions, and reorganize conceptual networks; innovative learning requires learners to view knowledge as an improvable object, deepening raising questions, testing ideas, and refining understanding. cognition through continuously that and flexibly adapt Learning transfer theory further reveals the critical conditions transfer for knowledge application. Barnett and Ceci’s (2002) transfer taxonomy requires far framework indicates identify structural learners to abstract underlying principles, similarities, research finds that metacognitive awareness significantly predicts the success rate of learning transfer, particularly in interdisciplinary problem-solving contexts (Phung et al., 2025) high-metacognitive learners are better at identifying deep structural similarities and activating relevant knowledge in new contexts (Wiedbusch et al., 2025). strategies. Recent Based on the above theoretical integration, this study proposes a theoretical model in which IESR plays a key mediating role in the relationship between ATCU and IIPI. This model encompasses three mechanistic pathways: First, the cognitive activation pathway-high levels of ATCU enable students to establish more refined conceptual networks, which provide richer “raw materials” for metacognitive monitoring, allowing students to more accurately assess “what I understand” and “what I need,” thereby formulating more effective inquiry plans. Second, the strategic adaptation pathway-IESR enables students to continuously monitor inquiry progress, identify obstacles in knowledge integration, and flexibly adjust strategies to transform abstract disciplinary knowledge into contextualized problem- solving actions. Third, the resilience maintenance pathway-the self- reflection and emotional regulation components of metacognition enable students to extract experience from failures, maintain motivation, and persist in exploration, ultimately achieving innovative breakthroughs. FIGURE 1 Hypothesized theoretical model.

  From conceptual understanding to interdisciplinary innovation: the mediating mechanism of IESR among high school students · 2026 · DOI

• integrating assumption different conflicts or methodological differences between disciplines, and forming a unified framework; and innovative application and solution generation, applying integrated knowledge to novel solutions, and evaluating their contexts, designing practical feasibility and innovativeness. resolution, reconciling integration and conflict (Repko and Szostak, the operational perspectives, disciplinary 2020): 2023) innovative (Nersessian and Patton, Recent research shows that interdisciplinary problem-solving is significantly positively correlated with creative thinking, as authentic innovation often occurs at disciplinary intersections (Kelley and Knowles, 2016) conceptual integration ability in scientific innovation teams is a key predictor of breakthrough discoveries interdisciplinary project-based learning in STEM fields significantly enhances thinking and problem-solving abilities students’ (Kwon and Lee, 2025). However, many students a “knowledge island” phenomenon in interdisciplinary tasksdespite mastering disciplinary knowledge, they cannot effectively integrate it (Spelt et al., 2009) even in contexts explicitly requiring interdisciplinary thinking, students still tend to adopt singledisciplinary perspectives (Darbellay, 2015). These findings suggest that IIPI does not automatically emerge from disciplinary knowledge accumulation but requires specific cognitive and metacognitive mechanisms to support cross-boundary knowledge transfer and creative recombination (Darbellay, 2022).

  From conceptual understanding to interdisciplinary innovation: the mediating mechanism of IESR among high school students · 2026 · DOI

• Second, future research should consider using an Item Response Theory (IRT) approach as a complement to CFA.  LIMITATION This study has several limitations that need to be considered when interpreting the findings. First, future research is recommended to test the scientific imagination instrument across various physics topics at varying levels of abstraction, such as quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and relativity. Second, the analysis used in this study was limited to a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) approach within the Classical Test Theory framework.

  Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Scientific Imagination Assessment for the Bohr Atomic Model · 2026 · DOI

• Despite the positive outcomes, several limitations should be noted. Firstly, the small sample size (N=20 per group) limits the extent to which the findings can be generalized, as a larger sample might yield more reliable data. Although the pre-test comparisons indicated no significant differences between the groups, the relatively small sample size may have reduced the statistical power of these tests. Future research should aim to address these limitations by incorporating larger sample sizes and diverse educational settings. As a second limitation, the duration of the study might be mentioned as it may not adequately reflect the long-term impacts of the UbD model on students’ creative thinking, cognitive flexibility, and learning retention. Future studies can integrate longitudinal designs to validate and extend the findings. Finally, the study was conducted in a specific educational setting, which may limit the applicability of the results to other contexts or subjects. Future research should consider expanding the study to include a broader range of educational settings or subjects to enhance the applicability of the results.

  Understanding by Design (UbD) Model in Mathematics Teaching and its Impact on Students · 2026 · DOI

• The sample group in this study was limited to 60 sixth-grade students attending a single public school located in the city center with a moderate level of academic achievement. In future studies, similar effects can be observed by conduct- ing research with larger sample groups and in schools with different levels of academic achievement or in rural areas. Another limitation of this study is that the assessment of students’ creative thinking dispositions relied primarily on self-report instruments. In addition, only quantitative analy- sis was used in this study, and future research can be sup- ported with qualitative data as well. Future research could include the triangulation of quantitative data with qualita- tive evidence, such as concrete examples of student work, project outcomes, or observations of engagement in creative tasks, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how unplugged CT supports creativity. In future stud- ies, in addition to investigating the impact of integrating unplugged CT activities into various science topics on cre- ative thinking skills, the effects on other 21st-century skills, such as analytical thinking, problem-solving, and systems thinking, can also be explored, not just creative thinking skills. In addition, while the current study was conducted with middle school students to examine the development of creativity skills, future studies could investigate the impact of unplugged CT activities on the development of creative thinking skills, which is a crucial ability for younger age groups, by applying these activities to primary school and preschool students.

  How Unplugged Computational Thinking Shapes Students’ Creative Thinking: Evidence From the Human Nervous and Endocrine Systems · 2026 · DOI

• Despite the valuable insights this study provides, several limitations should be acknowledged. This research employed a qualitative case study approach with a single class of students, and the in-depth analysis focused on four students representing different levels of creative thinking. Therefore, the findings may not fully represent the diversity of students’ creative thinking processes in broader educational contexts. In addition, the mathematical tasks used in this study were limited to number pattern problems involving triangular numbers, which may reveal only certain aspects of students’ creative thinking and reasoning processes. Future research could involve larger samples, different mathematical topics, and various types of problem-solving tasks to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of students’ creative thinking in mathematics learning. Further studies may also explore instructional strategies and learning environments that effectively foster students’ fluency, flexibility, and originality when solving mathematical reasoning problems. 4. CONCLUSION This study examined the creative thinking processes of junior high school students in solving mathematical reasoning problems related to number patterns. The findings indicate that students’ creative thinking can be categorized into four levels, including imitative, routine, creative, and very creative. Students at the imitative level tend to rely on 778 https://doi.org/10.58421/misro.v5i1.1187 memorized procedures and previously learned examples when solving problems, while students at the routine level apply familiar strategies but rarely explore alternative approaches. Students categorized as creative demonstrate greater flexibility by using multiple representations and strategies in solve problems, although their reasoning may still require teacher guidance. Meanwhile, very creative students demonstrate the highest level of creative thinking by constructing generalized rules and developing original solution strategies based on the information provided in the problem. These findings indicate that students’ creative thinking in mathematical reasoning develops progressively as students become more capable of generating ideas, exploring alternative strategies, and constructing generalized solutions. Therefore, mathematics learning should provide opportunities for students to explore patterns, use multiple representations, and develop their own solution strategies in order to support the development of creative thinking in mathematics.

  Capturing Students’ Creative Thinking: An Analysis of Middle Schoolers’ Processes in Solving Mathematical Reasoning Problems · 2026 · DOI

• This manuscript is a conceptual article that intends to address ‘playful creativity’ as an under-explored but potentially insightful component of TESOL programs.

  Playful Creativity in TESOL: Toward Humor-Integrated Language Learning (HILL) · 2024 · DOI

• Although commonly used for identifying talent, little is known about how creativity tests, like the TTCT-Figural, contribute to the probability of being identified as gifted especially with underrepresented populations.

  What Happens After Nomination? Evaluating the Probability of Gifted Identification With the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking · 2024 · DOI

• Is creativity still an understudied area in the IS discipline, as it was 10 years ago? Our goal was not simply to examine the current state of creativity studies within the IS field, but to chart its evolution from 2010 to the present day.

  Creativity in Information Systems Research: A Systematic Literature Review · 2024 · DOI

• Future research could explore this aspect, leveraging ad- vances in AI to deepen our understanding of AI as a collaborative partner in creativity and AIs ability to rationalise and position itself in the creative process.

  Creative partnerships with generative AI. Possibilities for education and beyond · 2024 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Creativity in Education and Neuroscience

• The Necessity of Others is The Mother of Invention: Intrinsic and Prosocial Motivations, Perspective Taking, and Creativity · Academy of Management Journal · 2011 · 1,151 citations
• A review of EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies of creativity and insight. · Psychological Bulletin · 2010 · 698 citations
• When and How Artificial Intelligence Augments Employee Creativity · Academy of Management Journal · 2023 · 577 citations
• Fostering team creativity: Perspective taking as key to unlocking diversity's potential. · Journal of Applied Psychology · 2012 · 574 citations
• Generative AI enhances individual creativity but reduces the collective diversity of novel content · Science Advances · 2024 · 513 citations
• Inspiration as a psychological construct. · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · 2003 · 478 citations
• Divergent thinking: Strategies and executive involvement in generating novel uses for familiar objects · British Journal of Psychology · 2007 · 451 citations
• Routinization, work characteristics and their relationships with creative and proactive behaviors · Journal of Organizational Behavior · 2006 · 428 citations
• The relationship between stressors and creativity: A meta-analysis examining competing theoretical models. · Journal of Applied Psychology · 2010 · 376 citations
• Openness to Experience and Intellect Differentially Predict Creative Achievement in the Arts and Sciences · Journal of Personality · 2014 · 375 citations

Most recent work

• Investigating the Validity Evidence of Automated Scoring Methods for Divergent Thinking Assessments · Creativity Research Journal · 2026
• How Unplugged Computational Thinking Shapes Students’ Creative Thinking: Evidence From the Human Nervous and Endocrine Systems · Journal of Science Education and Technology · 2026
• The 7 Muses of the Neuro-Creative Cycle: Reclaiming Graham Wallas, Visionary Synthesizer for Our Time · 2026
• Analysis of Creativity Following Educational Intervention with Secondary School Students · Creativity Theories – Research – Applications · 2026
• Fostering Creativity Through Meta Virtual Project-Based Networked Learning: An In-Depth Examination · The Electronic Journal of e-Learning · 2026
• Virtual Reality and Creativity in visual Art Education: The Mediating Role of Exploration Within a Project-Based Learning Framework · Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange · 2026
• Human vs. LLM Creativity: A Comparative Analysis of Task-Dependent Asymmetry and Linguistic Mechanisms · Journal of Intelligence · 2026
• Capturing Students’ Creative Thinking: An Analysis of Middle Schoolers’ Processes in Solving Mathematical Reasoning Problems · Journal of Mathematics Instruction, Social Research and Opinion · 2026
• Sequential thinking prompts for creative problem solving · Learning and Instruction · 2026
• ECAT as a contextualized TTCT: evidence of convergent validity in engineering creativity assessment · Frontiers in Education · 2026

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