Markers of creative potential in girls and boys during mathematics and language lessons: An observational study

Abstract

This study explores behaviors associated with creative potential (i.e., creative potential markers) among high school students in mathematics and language lessons, with an emphasis on gender differences. The research involved 176 high school students and 12 teachers from six schools - from various regions of Poland. Using direct observation and a structured observation protocol, the study identified four key types of creative potential markers: (1) questioning others’ views and generating alternative solutions, (2) public presentation of creative products, (3) public presentation of personal views, and (4) demonstrating openness to new information and perspectives. The results revealed that students’ behaviors associated with the public presentation of personal views were less frequently observed in mathematics lessons than in language lessons. No statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of other types of creative potential markers between mathematics and language lessons. Boys demonstrated greater openness to new information and perspectives, but only in mathematics. No statistically significant differences were observed in the frequency of creative potential markers based on students’ gender in language lessons. These findings suggest that educational practices should be adapted to foster creativity across different subjects and address gender-specific tendencies in creative expression.