Navigating the landscape of creative teaching: Challenges and opportunities in teacher preparation programs

Abstract

This study investigates the integration of Creative Teaching (CT) within teacher preparation programs in Oman, focusing specifically on the implementation and conceptualization of CT during microteaching sessions in a practicum course. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the research explores the beliefs and practices of 32 teacher trainees across four classes in two colleges. Data were collected through document analysis, video-recorded classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews, spanning nine weeks. The results underscore the notable barriers and facilitators affecting CT in teacher education, particularly focusing on the intricate interaction among institutional constraints, trainees’ beliefs regarding CT, and their creative self-efficacy. These elements determine how trainees interact with CT, posing challenges and presenting opportunities for reform. This study enhances the understanding of CT's incorporation into teacher preparation programs and provides practical recommendations for enhancing microteaching practices and teacher training programs, in Oman and worldwide. The study recommends a re-evaluation of pedagogical frameworks, assessment criteria, and training methods to enhance the promotion of creativity in future educators.