CREATIVE LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS TO PROMOTE TEACHERS' CREATIVITY IN GUANGXI, CHINA

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the conceptual framework of creative leadership of primary school principals to promote teachers’ creativity; 2) to study the current and desirable state of the creative leadership of primary school principals to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China; 3) to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the creative leadership of primary school principals to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China; and 4) to develop creative leadership strategies for primary school principals to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China. The study was mixed method research and involved a sample of 106 schools and 636 school principals and teachers. The instrument used in this study were a questionnaire, a conceptual framework and a strategic evaluation form of suitability and feasibility. The data was analyzed by frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, PINModified and content analysis. The results showed as follows: 1) The conceptual framework of creative leadership of primary school principals to promote teachers’ creativity consists of roles of creative leadership in three areas: 1. to facilitate the creative abilities of every teacher of school; 2. to form and facilitate dynamic creative teacher teams; 3. to promote a school culture of innovation. 2) The current state of the creative leadership of primary school principals to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China was overall at a middle level (=3.37). When considering each aspect, the principals facilitate the creative abilities of every teacher of school was the highest average (=3.42), and the principals form and facilitate dynamic creative teacher teams was the lowest average (=3.34). The desirable state of the creative leadership of primary school principals to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China was at the highest level overall (=4.81). When considering each aspect, the principal facilitates the creative abilities of every teacher of school to promote teachers’ creativity was the highest average (=4.82). 3) The strength of the creative leadership of primary school principals in regard to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China was the facilitating creative potential of every teacher of the school. Conversely, the weaknesses of the creative leadership of primary school principals in regard to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China were the forming and facilitating dynamic creative teacher teams and the promoting a school culture of innovation respectively. The creative leadership development considered political and government policy as the opportunity in developing the principals’ creative leadership to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China. On the other hand, the creative leadership development saw the threats to developing principals’ creative leadership in promoting teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China as the economy, socio-culture and technology respectively. 4) There three main strategies involved in developing primary school principals’ creative leadership to promote teachers’ creativity in Guangxi, China and these include: (i) to develop the principals’ creative leadership in facilitating the team creativity of teachers to foster students’ creativity; (ii) to develop principals’ creative leadership in promoting an innovation culture that encourages the individual and team creativity of teachers to foster students’ creativity; and (iii) to develop the principals’ creative leadership in facilitating the individual creativity of every teacher to foster students’ creativity.