Introduction

Special needs are crucial concept in ensuring equitable education on an international level. The implementation of special education to accommodate students with diverse needs has become the cornerstone of education reform (Asbury et al., 2021). Special needs refer to the unique requirements for the existence, growth, and development of people based on the individual differences (Wang et al., 2023). In the field of education, students with special needs require additional support in order to cater to their individual differences in learning (Stanczak et al., 2023). These differences may arise from physical or mental characteristics, socio-cultural background, or specific health conditions. Higher education plays a vital role in constructing a lifelong education system and social innovation system, as it provides vital support for personal growth and long-term social development. Consequently, it is of paramount importance to direct particular attention to students with special needs who are pursuing higher education.

Meanwhile, with the development of cloud computing, the Internet, big data, and virtual reality, education has undergone a transformation in various practices enabled by these new digital technologies. For instance, universities now record courses for students to review, share them on the Internet and use cloud conferences to invite guest professors to give lectures. The adoption of new technologies necessitates a shift in the traditional learning habits of students, who must adapt to the emergence of novel educational models and embrace interdisciplinary learning and computer-based learning methods (Arisoy, 2022). However, it is more challenging and stressful for students with special needs, who face additional challenges and stressors, including economic poverty, physical challenges, psychological vulnerability, learning delays, and sociophobia, etc. (Williamson, 2015). Creativity is a multi-faceted concept that encompasses creative problem-solving skills (Williamson, 2011), creative thinking (Suherman and Vidákovich, 2022), and creative learning (Jeffrey, 2006). Research has demonstrated that creativity has several benefits for student, including increased motivation, promotion of professional activities, enhancement of higher-order thinking and judgment skills, fostering of creative cooperation, and managing cognitive load (Tang et al., 2022). In light of the digital transformation of education, which has been prompted by the implementation of digital technology, it is valuable to examine how the creativity of students with special needs is influenced by the digitalization of education.

Numerous empirical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of various digital educational technologies in enhancing students’ creativity. For instance, the incorporation of science fiction films in a lesson (Tsai et al., 2013) and the engagement of students in online problem-solving activities (Chang, 2012), have been found to foster creativity among students. According to Le (2023), online digital education has been found to enhance students’ creative thinking in digital arts, which aligns with the 4P’s framework of creativity. However, these studies ignore the different responses of students to the information delivered through digital education, particularly with regard to students with special needs. Digital education has the potential to tackle the issue of insufficient access to education and promote social equity. In addition, there is limited research on its influencing mechanism. A recent study by KesİCİ (2022) suggested that lifelong learning deposition serves as a mediating role in the relationship between digital education and students’ creativity. Consequently, the mechanisms through which education digitalization affects the creativity of students with special needs require further investigation.

Based on the information theory, the effectiveness of digital education in promoting the creativity of students with special needs is primarily determined by their capacity to adapt and redesign their study patterns, a process referred to as study crafting (Wrzesniewski and Dutton, 2001). Digital education can positively influence this process by encouraging creativity through increasing study resources, challenging study demands, and decreasing the obstacles of study demands (Tims et al., 2012). Study crafting may act as a mediator in the relationship between digital education and creativity. Additionally, modern students are accustomed to dealing with vast quantities of digital information and are capable of crafting their study process with confidence. This familiarity with technology helps them develop confidence in their ability to interpret and apply knowledge, as noted by Tand et al. in 2022. This, in turn, enhances their creative self-efficacy. When students identify themselves as creative individuals and perceive the expectations of their teachers, they are more likely to adopt innovative approaches to their studies (Tierney and Farmer, 2011). Creative self-efficacy may positively moderate the impact of digital education on creativity.

This study is based on the theoretical framework of information theory and employs a meticulous examination of the correlation between the digitalization of education and the creativity of students with special needs, with a particular focus on the roles of study crafting and creative self-efficacy. It makes a theoretical contribution by seeking to bridge the existing gaps in our understanding of the relationship between education digitalization and the creativity of students with special needs. The following sections will present the methodology employed in this research, present the findings, and discuss their significance.

Hypothesis development

Information theory is a field of study that concerns the conversion of raw data and materials into digitalized information. It also encompasses the dissemination and utilization of this information within organizations (Ash, 2012). The process of digitalization in education reflects the transformation of written knowledge into digital knowledge and the advent of a novel approach to the dissemination and utilization of educational information. This process encompasses the digitalization of educational resources, the dynamization of educational technology, and the innovation in educational methodologies (Kalimullina et al., 2021).

The inferior access to traditional education resources for students with special needs vis-à-vis regular students due to discrepancies in economic background, psychology, and physical condition can be alleviated through digital education (Asbury et al., 2021). For example, for students with special needs in economic poverty, educational digitalization may provide a convenient and accessible way to absorb a wide range of resources and information (Amka and Dalle, 2022). For students with physical disabilities, digital education provides a more accessible and convenient means of studying, allowing them to expand their learning opportunities (Garg and Sharma, 2020). For students with psychological difficulties, digital education offers a platform for exploring innovative educational technologies and methodologies, with the potential to enhance their psychological well-being (Amka and Dalle, 2022).

From the perspective of information theory, education digitalization brings an array of digital educational resources along with new educational technologies and methodologies (Frolova et al., 2020). This leads to a significant change in the way where students with special needs handle new forms of knowledge, adapt to new technologies, and employ new methodologies. It may cultivate reflective thinking and increase their ability to innovate and learn independently, thereby enhancing the creativity of students with special needs (Rafi et al., 2019). Consequently, education digitalization may facilitate the creativity of students with special needs.

The influence of digital education on the creativity of students with special needs may be mediated by students’ cognition and behaviors. Study crafting is a study behavior derived from job crafting, reflecting a self-initiated change in study behaviors and an active redesigning of their study (Wrzesniewski and Dutton, 2001). If students with special needs actively adapt their study patterns to information delivered by digital education and innovative education technology and methodologies, they may enhance their creativity (Frolova et al., 2020). Therefore, study crafting may act as a mediator role in the relationship between education digitalization and the creativity of students with special needs. In addition, creative self-efficacy is a cognitive aspect of students cognition, defined as a belief in one’s ability to produce creative outcomes (Tierney and Farmer, 2002). Students with a higher level of creative self-efficacy are more adept at behaving creatively and employing creative strategies to absorb the vast array of digitalized knowledge and tackle study problems (Christensen-Salem et al., 2021). This may facilitate the acceleration or strengthen the creative process based on digital education. Creative self-efficacy may serve as a moderating factor in the relationship between education digitalization and the creativity of students with special needs. Accordingly, the theoretical framework model is depicted in Fig. 1, which illustrates the relationships among education digitalization, study crafting, creative self-efficacy, and the creativity of students with special needs.

Fig. 1
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Theoretical Framework.

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The creativity of students with special needs

The advent of digitalization is revolutionizing the field of education, leading to profound changes in the way pedagogical practices are conducted, particularly in the context of special needs education. This transformation can be broadly divided into three primary components: the digitization of educational resources, the dynamization of educational technology, and the innovation in instructional methodologies (Kalimullina et al., 2021).

First, the digitization of educational resources enhances their quantity and quality, exposing students to a diverse range of knowledge across the globe, which is not constrained by their primary fields of study. Furthermore, learners are able to receive immediate feedback through interactive platforms (Dobudko et al., 2019). The combined wealth of resources and real-time response may expand students’ intellectual horizons (Ugur, 2020), thereby stimulating innovative thinking among students and challenging students to integrate these new resources into their knowledge base. Therefore, the digitalization of educational resources may enhance the creativity of students with special needs.

Second, the digitization of education reshapes the dissemination of information and knowledge, thereby energizing educational technology (Mpungose, 2020). The use of social media and online forums enables students to share their perspectives on course materials and express their identities, leading to the generation of creative ideas (Ugur, 2020). In essence, the dynamization of educational technology may greatly promote the creativity of students with special needs.

Third, digital education introduces innovative means of information utilization, altering how knowledge is interpreted and applied. Digital visualization tools unveil novel ways of understanding datasets and geometric figures (Chang, 2016), while digital notebooks enable multidimensional knowledge management, potentially leading to creative knowledge integration. Learning to navigate these digital educational methodologies empowers students to cultivate unique modes of thought and creative skills, further increasing their creativity.

The advent of digitalization has transformed the traditional academic training model and, fundamentally, the overall educational experience. It introduces novel ideas and distinctive educational perspectives that can ignite inspiration and foster enhanced creativity. As such, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1. Digitalization in education will substantively enhance the creativity of students with special needs.

Study crafting

Study crafting can be observed in the behaviors of increasing study resources, increasing the challenges of study demands, and decreasing the obstacles of study demands (Tims et al., 2012). The paradigm shift brought about by education digitalization effectively urges students to rebuild and craft their studies (Eze et al., 2020). This study crafting stimulates the creativity of students with special needs.

First, increasing resources available for study can encourage the development of study crafting. The digitalization of educational resources helps students actively seek out diverse informational inputs to enrich their learning process (Cook et al., 2020). These resources broaden students’ knowledge base and provide diverse stimuli, which in turn catalyze creative thinking by exposing students to various ideas and perspectives (Smyrnaiou et al., 2020) and drive their study crafting to a higher level. Furthermore, students are motivated to maintain or increase their study resources, as these resources stimulate their academic performance and dedication to study (Chang, 2016). In conclusion, increasing study resources through digitalization enhances students’ learning by increasing dedication and engagement, thereby promoting their creative thinking and improving their academic performance.

Second, as students face increasingly challenging study demands, they are afforded the chance to develop and craft their study skills. This necessitates their engagement with complex and innovative tasks. Educational technology plays a pivotal role in this process by introducing novel digital tools and content that challenge students to expend their comfort zones. By avoiding monotony and promoting concentration, this approach fosters adaptability and creativity (Ng and Chan, 2019). The completion of challenging study demands provides the opportunity for mastery experiences, which in turn leads to the feelings of satisfaction and high self-efficacy. The increase of self-efficacy can further enhance the process of study crafting and further stimulating creativity. In conclusion, the introduction of challenging study demands through educational technology encourages students with special needs to venture beyond their comfort zones, fostering creativity and self-efficacy. This, in turn, further promotes study crafting and innovation.

Third, the reduction of obstacles to effective learning can be achieved through the implementation of innovative methods such as adaptive learning and interactive digital platforms in digital education. (Chang, 2016; Fu et al., 2019; Hollinger and Sturzenegger, 2004). Minimizing hindrances permits students to direct their attention towards the creative exploration of ideas. Furthermore, when study demands become less overwhelming, students may proactively reduce these hindrances, intensify their study crafting, which allows more room for creative thinking. This adaptability and problem-solving approach provide further evidence of the mediation effect. In conclusion, the implementation of innovative digital education methods to minimize the obstacles of study demands enables students to direct their attention towards creative exploration, thereby enhancing their study crafting by reducing the obstacles in effective learning. Given these considerations, we propose:

H2. Study crafting mediates the relationship between education digitalization and the creativity of students with special needs.

Creative self-efficacy

Creative self-efficacy, a belief in one’s ability to produce innovative outcomes, is positively influenced by two factors: creative role identity and teachers’ creativity expectations. Creative role identity is a multifaceted self-perception that is subject to self-regulation and reciprocal determinism (Bandura, 1986), and is one’s recognition of creativity. Teachers’ creativity expectation is derived from job creativity requirement (Tierney and Farmer, 2011), which conveys cues that students consider in their efficacy formulation.

First, creative role identity can be defined as an individual’s identification with innovation and the view that creativity as a core part of their self-concept (Farmer et al., 2003). This identification with creativity, which brings confidence and a sense of identity, can provide positive hints and thus enhance students’ abilities to understand and absorb the information provided through digitalized education (Fino and Sun, 2022). As a consequence of this enhanced comprehension, students with special needs can more effectively utilize the information, which in turn amplifies their creative self-efficacy and promotes students’ creativity in the end. In conclusion, the ability of students with special needs to absorb and utilize information from digitalized education can be enhanced by creative role identity, which in turn boosts their creative self-efficacy and overall creativity.

Second, teachers’ expectations for creativity refer to how teachers believe and express that their students can produce creative work. High expectations for creativity can boost students’ ability to understand and process digitalized information (de Boer et al., 2010). This improvement in understanding can, in turn, enhance students’ creative self-efficacy (Tierney and Farmer, 2011). Furthermore, it can magnify the positive impact of education digitalization on students’ creativity by encouraging deeper engagement and application of the material. In summary, high level of teachers’ expectations for creativity facilitate students’ comprehension and engagement with digitalized information, thereby enhancing creative self-efficacy and amplifying the positive impact of educational digitalization on creativity. Given these considerations, we propose:

H3. Creative self-efficacy positively regulates the impact of education digitalization on the creativity of students with special needs, such that the impact is stronger when creative self-efficacy is high.

Creative self-efficacy may moderate the relationship between education digitalization and study crafting

First, creative role identity is associated with the willingness of students with special needs to understand and absorb the wealth of information that education digitalization provides (Tierney and Farmer, 2011). As a result, they become better equipped to increase their study resources as they comprehend and make sense of this information (McDowell, 2002), which is a key promoter of study crafting. Consequently, the creative role identity serves to enhance the positive impact of education digitalization on study crafting. In conclusion, the creative role identity enhances students’ capacity to utilize digital education resources effectively, thereby amplifying the positive impact of educational digitalization on study crafting.

Second, teachers’ expectations for creativity play the critical role in fostering creative self-efficacy. These expectations, which express the teachers’ belief in their students’ capacity to produce innovative work, enhance the confidence of students with special needs in their ability to understand and process the wealth of digital information (de Boer et al., 2010). The confidence further enables students with special needs to meet the challenging study demands of digitalized education, which is a crucial promoter of study crafting. Consequently, high expectations of teachers regarding creativity can facilitate the impact of education digitalization on study crafting. In conclusion, high level of teachers’ expectations for creativity can enhance the confidence of students with special needs in handling digital information, thereby improving their ability to meet the challenges of study demands and promoting study crafting. Given the consideration, we propose:

H4. Creative self-efficacy moderates the relationship between education digitalization and study crafting, such that the relationship is stronger when creative self-efficacy is high.

Creative self-efficacy may moderate the relationship between study crafting and the creativity of students with special needs

First, students, who identify themselves as creative, are more likely to engage in study-crafting strategies that optimize their study resources and manage challenging study demands (Beghetto, 2006). This engagement, in turn, leads to increased satisfaction with study process. Increased study satisfaction has been demonstrated to boost students’ creativity as they derive joy and fulfillment from their studies (Sacchetti and Tortia, 2013). Consequently, the creative role identity amplifies the positive effects of study crafting on students’ creativity by leading to greater engagement in study crafting, increasing study satisfaction, and ultimately boosting students’ creativity.

Second, when teachers encourage their students to be creative, the students develop the intention to engage in challenging study demands (de Boer et al., 2010). This intention can result in higher levels of study crafting, specifically in engagement and study satisfaction, which in turn promotes students’ creativity. Therefore, high expectations of teachers’ creativity have a strengthening effect on the relationship between study crafting and students’ creativity. Thus, we propose:

H5. Creative self-efficacy moderates the relationship between study crafting and the creativity of students with special needs, such that the relationship is stronger when creative self-efficacy is high.

Methodology

Sample and procedure

The research objectives of this paper are oriented toward students with special needs. The questionnaire in this study was distributed in various cities in order to ensure reliability and validity. Prior to the official distribution of the questionnaire, we conducted a pilot test with 30 respondents. The questionnaire was distributed formally and collected after achieving an acceptable level in the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient reliability test.

The survey method was employed to collect data and online questionnaires were distributed to the respondents, allowing them to complete the questionnaire independently. A total of 211 students with special needs with economic poverty, physical difficulties, psychological vulnerability, lagging in learning, and sociophobia from different classes and different geographic backgrounds in China were invited to complete the questionnaire. Among the 211 responses received, excluding those with a short answer time or incorrect answers, 173 valid questionnaires were deemed valid, reflecting an effective response rate of 81.99%. The majority of participants were between the ages of 18 and 24, with 78 males and 95 females. Among the total sample, 83.8% are university undergraduates, and 91.3% of the participants attended “Double First-Class” universities. The demographic information of the sample is presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Demographic information.
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Measures

Educational digitalization

In order to ascertain the extent to which students with special needs perceive the digital transformation of education, the questionnaire was designed in accordance with an article written by Rafferty and Griffin (2006). The scale had 9 items and was divided into three dimensions: digitization of education resources, dynamization of educational technology, and innovation in educational methodologies. Responses were measured on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 “strongly disagree” to 5 “strongly agree”. The total score was positively correlated with the level of the educational digitalization. One example item was as follows: “I have used multimedia, computer, Internet, VR, digital library and other teaching tools.” The Cronbach’s alpha for the present study’s measure of education digitalization was 0.919.

Study crafting

Study crafting was adjusted and measured using a scale on job remodeling developed by Tims et al. (2012). The scale consisted of 15 items, covering 3 dimensions: increment of study resources, increment of challenging study demands, and decrement of hindering study demands. One example of the questionnaire items was “I try to develop my capabilities.” The response categories ranged from “1=strongly disagree” to “5 = strongly agree.” The Cronbach’s alpha for the study crafting scale in this study was 0.879.

Creative self-efficacy

The scale, compiled by Tierney and Farmer (2002), was employed to measure the level of creative self-efficacy of students with special needs. The scale consisted of 4 items pertaining to creative self-efficacy. One example of the questionnaire items is “I have confidence in my ability to do problem-solving creatively.” The items were rated on a five-point Likert-type scale, with responses ranging from 1 “strongly disagree” to 5 “strongly agree”. The present study yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.870 for creative self-efficacy.

The creativity of students with special needs

The scale of the creativity developed by Zhou and George (2001) for students with special needs, comprises eight items. The scale was measured on a 5-point Likert scale, with responses ranging from 1 “strongly disagree” to 5 “strongly agree”. One example was “I often propose new ways to achieve my goals.” The Cronbach’s alpha for the creativity of students with special needs in the present study was 0.935.

Data analysis and results

The collected data were subjected to a stepwise analysis with the aid of statistical software, including AMOS, IBM SPSS 25.0, and PROCESS. First, Harman’s one-way method for common method bias was employed on the original data. Second, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted in order to verify the validity of data. Third, the mean and standard deviations of all variables were analyzed, and a correlation analysis was performed. Finally, hypothesis testing was conducted using Model 4 and Model 59 of the SPSS.

Common method bias inspection

To effectively control for common method bias, all the questionnaires in this study were completed anonymously. To enhance the accuracy and reliability of our study, we informed respondents that their responses would be utilized exclusively for academic research and that there were no correct or incorrect answers. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using Harman’s one-way method to investigate the presence of common method bias among the items. The results demonstrated the absence of common method bias in this study. Eight factors were identified with eigenvalues greater than 1. 35.59% of the variance was explained by the first factor, which was less than the critical criterion of 40%.

Confirmatory factor analysis

CFA was used to ascertain that the presence of both convergent and discriminant validity. Educational digitalization and study crafting were combined to form a three-factor model. Educational digitalization and study crafting were merged to develop a two-factor model that combines creative self-efficacy and the creativity of students with special needs. All the variables were combined to form a single-factor model. The results of confirmatory factor analysis of the four models are presented in Table 2 above.

Table 2 Discriminant validity analysis.
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The results indicated that the four-factor model exhibited a superior fit to the data in comparison to any alternative models (CMIN/DF = 2.107, GFI = 0.838, CFI = 0.929, TLI = 0.917, RMSEA = 0.080, p < 0.001). Experimental data indicated that the questionnaire scale used exhibited a good intrinsic quality, and the model demonstrated excellent construct validity.

As demonstrated in Table 3, all Cronbach’s alphas for inter-item consistency within each construct were greater than 0.70, indicating that the measures utilized were reliable. Moreover, the model exhibited satisfactory construct reliability with all composite reliability (CR) values exceeding 0.70. (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988). The loadings of all factors exceeded 0.5, which exceeded the acceptable threshold value (Purwanto, 2021). Additionally, all average variance extracted (AVE) estimates were greater than 0.50 (Purwanto, 2021). In conclusion, the model demonstrated a high degree of validity.

Table 3 Measurement model (N = 173).
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Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses

Table 4 presents the means and standard deviations of educational digitalization, study crafting, creative self-efficacy, and the creativity of students with special needs. The results indicated that there were significant positive correlations between educational digitalization, study crafting, creative self-efficacy, and the creativity of students with special needs.

Table 4 Descriptive statistics and correlation.
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Testing of hypotheses

Direct effect

Hypothesis 1 was tested first. A regression analysis was conducted using educational digitalization as the independent variable and the creativity of students with special needs as the dependent variable. The results indicated that educational digitization had a significant positive effect on the creativity of students with special needs, with a standardized coefficient of 0.355. Hypothesis 1 was thus supported.

Mediating effect

A mediating model was constructed with educational digitalization as the independent variable, the creativity of students with special needs as the dependent variable, and study crafting as the intermediary variable. The mediating effect of study crafting was tested using Model 4 of the PROCESS. To further test this hypothesis, we employed the bias-correct percentile bootstrap method, with a repeated sampling process of 5000 iterations. The results of the regression of educational digitalization on study crafting indicated that the goodness of fit of the model was 0.536, the model was significant, and educational digitalization had a significant positive correlation on study crafting (p < 0.001, 95% CI = [0.315, 0.509]). The results demonstrated that study crafting mediated the relationship between educational digitalization and the creativity of students with special needs (indirect effect=0.351, p < 0.001, 95% CI = [0.218, 0.497]). This supported Hypothesis 2. Furthermore, the mediation effect test criteria of the bootstrap method indicated that the mediation effect was significant when the upper and lower limits of the bootstrap 95% confidence interval of the direct effect did not contain 0. The criteria also proved Hypothesis 2 to be validated.

Moderated mediation effect

Model 59 of the PROCESS was employed to test Hypothesis 3, Hypothesis 4, and Hypothesis 5.

The results indicated that the interaction between educational digitalization and creative self-efficacy significantly predicted the creativity of students with special needs (β = 0.188, SE = 0.067, t = 2.826, p < 0.01). This finding suggests that creative self-efficacy could significantly moderate the impact of educational digitalization on the creativity of students with special needs. The greater the creative self-efficacy, the more pronounced the positive impact of educational digitalization on the creativity of students with special needs. Consequently, Hypothesis 3 was validated. The relationship between educational digitization and the creativity of students with special needs was moderated by creative self-efficacy. The moderating effect plots are presented in Fig. 2. Similarly, the study demonstrated that creative self-efficacy played a moderating role in the relationship between study crafting and the creativity of students with special needs (β = 0.152, SE = 0.072, t = 2.117, p < 0.05). Hypothesis 5 was supported. The relationship between study crafting and the creativity of students with special needs was moderated by creative self-efficacy. Fig. 3 presents the interaction plots. However, the moderating effect on the relationship between educational digitalization and study crafting was insignificant (β = −0.049, SE = 0.044, 95%CI [−0.136, 0.037]), thereby rejecting H4. The result demonstrated that the impact of creative self-efficacy is more pronounced subsequent to study crafting.

Fig. 2
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The moderating effect of creative self-efficacy on the relationship between educational digitalization and the creativity of special-need students.

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Fig. 3
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The moderating effect of creative self-efficacy on the relationship between study crafting and the creativity of special-need students.

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Collectively, the findings provide empirical support for the moderated mediation model proposed in this study. Table 5 presents the results. The model is depicted in Fig. 4. Based on the results of previous tests, we constructed the final model diagram. Figure 4 demonstrated that the path coefficient from educational digitalization to students’ creativity was significant (β = 0.355, p < 0.001). A significant positive path coefficient was observed between education digitalization and students’ creativity, with study crafting acting as a mediator. The interaction between creative self-efficacy and education digitization had a positive impact on students’ creativity (β = 0.188, p < 0.001). The interaction between creative self-efficacy and study crafting had a positive effect on students’ creativity (β = 0.359, p < 0.001).

Table 5 Model tests.
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Fig. 4
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Research model diagram.

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Case study

The selection of case

The Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Weihai, was selected as the body of our case subjects. HIT at Weihai is a school district of HIT, which is relatively underfunded compared to HIT’s school districts in Harbin and Shenzhen in China. Despite these financial constraints, the Weihai district of HIT remains dedicated to digital transformation in education. It focused on improving educational resources, adopting new educational technology, and implementing innovative educational methodologies.

The digitization of educational resources has been enhanced. On the one hand, the new university system has integrated all HIT school districts into one, thereby enabling students to access a greater variety of digital library resources and databases. On the other hand, more digital textbooks and guidance materials authored by senior professors at HIT are being disseminated through official channels to students who enrolled in the same courses in HIT, Weihai.

The dynamization of educational technology has been improved. First, an intelligent education plugin, designated as “Rain Classroom”, is employed to record course slides and notations, conduct walk-in tests, and provide a platform for free discussion in the form of a forum. Second, classrooms have been upgraded to accommodate remote lectures delivered by guest professors or speeches by scientists and athletes from other school districts.

The innovation in instructional methodologies has been boosted. First, an increasing number of professors began utilizing slides, audio, and video instead of blackboards for keynotes. Second, more students are submitting assignments digitally, often incorporating a variety of media forms in accordance with the instructions provided by their professors.

The methodology of the case study

Grounded theory is a systematic methodology that involves the construction of hypotheses and theories through the data collection and analysis (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). Therefore, we employed the grounded theory methodology in our case study. The involvement of inductive reasoning is unbiased and provides the researchers with the inspiration for hypotheses.

The case study’s interviewees were selected from the students with special needs at Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai. These students face a number of challenges, including economic poverty, physical difficulties, psychological vulnerability, learning delays, and sociophobia. The ratio of males to females is 0.8:1.2, with an age range of 17 to 23. Two interviews were conducted separately. The first interview commenced on January 3rd, 2024, and concluded on January 7th, 2024. The second interview commenced on February 1st, 2024, and concluded on February 6th, 2024.

To ensure the reliability of this study, the data were classified in a double-blind manner, with a consensus among the team on any inconsistencies. A data bank was created for study replication and conclusion testing. In addition, to enhance the research’s reliability, interviewees were selected based on typicality and representativeness, with the objective of identifying universal patterns. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were prioritized to gather first-hand information, and textual content was confirmed with interviewees, thus improving the content’s realism and theme suitability.

Data analysis and coding

The processes of open coding and axial coding are employed to reintegrate the collected memos. Focusing on the topic “the mechanism of impact of education digitalization on the creativity of students with special needs”, a total of 164 items were archived and summarized based on their internal logic, resulting in the identification of 9 subcategories and 4 central categories: education digitalization, study crafting, creative self-efficacy, and the creativity of students with special needs. The subcategories and central categories in each central category along with their respective contents are presented in Table 6.

Table 6 Central categories and subcategories.
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Selective coding is a method employed to analyze and compare categories, subsequently integrating them into an acceptable theoretical framework. Following this process, a storyline featuring “education digitalization-study crafting-students with special needs’ creativity, and the impact that creative self-efficacy has on the former categories” is portrayed. This storyline is then used to create a more detailed and specific model of mechanisms. The concrete memos of interviews can better illustrate our conclusions. Representative memos are presented in Table 7.

Table 7 Selective coding.
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Model interpretation

The coding results align with the hypotheses. Exhibits from CW-01, HS-02, and TS-01 demonstrate that education digitalization has an active impact on the creativity of students with special needs, as well as on the innovation of instructional methodologies, which in turn promotes creativity. In essence, Hypothesis 1 is further verified by the case study.

Exhibits from CW-08, IS-03, and HS-06 indicate that education digitalization positively impacts study crafting through three patterns. Exhibits from CW-03 and TG-04 demonstrate that students with special needs at Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai, exhibited that study crafting has a positive impact on their creativity. Therefore, Hypothesis 2 is further corroborated by this case study.

Exhibits from MN-01 and TS-09 demonstrate that education digitalization affects the creativity of students with special needs in two ways: by increasing the willingness to learn and by raising the teachers’ creativity expectation. In conclusion, Hypothesis 3 is further validated. Exhibits from MN-04 and CB-07 present that the relationship between education digitalization and study crafting is derived from two patterns of creative self-efficacy. In essence, Hypothesis 4 is supported. Exhibits from RS-07 and ZT-01 demonstrate that the relationship between study crafting and the creativity of students with special needs are moderated by creative self-efficacy. H5 is further corroborated.

Discussion

In order to investigate the impact of education digitization on the creativity of students with special needs, a moderated mediation model is proposed from the perspective of study crafting as well as the moderating effects of creative self-efficacy. Study crafting is employed as a mediator variable to elucidate internal mechanisms. Furthermore, the study addresses the established moderating function of creative self-efficacy in the process of education digitalization, which affects the creativity of students with special needs through study crafting.

First, the results indicate that educational digitization has a significant positive impact on the creativity of students with special needs, which is consistent with the findings of previous research by Wang and Li (2022). The researchers proposed that the application of digital tools positively influenced students’ creative thinking. This study extends the aforementioned results to the context of digital transformation in education. The advent of digitalization in education has led to the pervasive use of digital technology and products, which have been shown to enhance students’ creativity and evoke their creativity (Tang et al., 2022).

Second, the findings indicate that study crafting plays a partially mediating role in the relationship between educational digitalization and the creativity of students with special needs. The results demonstrated that educational digitalization not only affects the creativity of students with special needs directly, but also indirectly through study crafting. These findings align with those of Hu et al. (2020) and Zhu et al. (2022), who opine that job crafting inspires employee creativity. Tian et al. (2021) demonstrated that job crafting is a potent way for maintaining a high level of creativity at work. This study extends into the field of teaching and learning field, with a particular focus on the critical role of study crafting in the transformation of digital education into students’ creativity. The findings of this study suggest that educational digitalization offers students with special needs increased access to educational resources and tools, enabling them to explore and learn independently, thereby enhancing their creativity. This finding is consistent with the previous research (Carbajal and Caswell, 2021) that students exhibit heighted levels of motivation to learn in the context of modern digital technologies. The use of digital tools has made the process of studying more accessible and more interesting, thereby increasing students’ motivation to learn (Malysheva et al., 2022).

Third, this study has confirmed the moderating role of creative self-efficacy in the relationships among educational digitalization, study crafting, and the creativity of students with special needs. The findings indicate that students with high creative self-efficacy can better comprehend digital information and utilize digital technology, which increases their creativity. The findings are in alignment with the analysis research conducted by Slåtten (2014), who opined that creative self-efficacy is associated with employee creativity. This study extends the aforementioned result into the context of students with special needs and examined the relationship between creative self-efficacy and the creativity of students with special needs. In addition, this study also indicates that a robust creative role identity and high teachers’ creativity expectations caused by self-efficacy could amplify the positive impact of study crafting on students’ creativity (Farmer et al., 2003). The results are consistent with the research conducted by Tierney and Farmer (2011), who focused on employees’ creativity and indicated that increases in employee creative role identity and perceived creative expectations from supervisors over six months were associated with an enhanced sense of employee capacity for creative work. This study extends the moderating effect of self-efficacy into the field of education. It has been demonstrated that students with special needs who exhibit high levels of creative self-efficacy show positive emotional and mental states, a lack of fear of failure, and a willingness to embrace challenges in the process of innovation. They approach these challenges with an original thinking mode, with the aim of improving their creativity.

Theoretical contribution

This study contributes to several fields of study, including the literature on education digitalization, study crafting, and the creativity of students with special needs. First, as a nascent and unconventional field within the discipline of education, the topic of education digitalization has attracted significant attention in previous studies. For instance, Tsai et al. (2013) demonstrated that the incorporation of science fiction films in classrooms fosters students’ creativity. Hwang et al. (2013) demonstrated that specific gaming enhanced students’ creativity. KesİCİ (2022) posited that lifelong learning deposition plays a mediating role in the relationship between digital education and student’ creativity. This study extends its scope to the subject of students with special needs, with a view of elucidating the positive impact of education digitalization on their creativity. This study reinforces the impact of education digitization on the creativity of students with special needs, while also expanding the range of factors influencing this outcome.

Second, to the best of our knowledge, few studies have focused on the concept of study crafting. Derived from the concept of job crafting, study crafting perfectly matches the process of students rebuilding their studies. It is therefore crucial to introduce this concept, as it provides a vivid summary of a common phenomenon that occurs in students’ learning. This study develops a theoretical argument on how study crafting plays a mediating role in the impact of education digitalization on students’ creativity. It thus fills a critical gap in the literature on the indirect effect of education digitalization on the creativity of students with special needs.

Third, this study finds that the moderating role of creative self-efficacy exists in the relationship between education digitalization and the creativity of students with special needs. This study contributes to the limited research on the moderating mechanism of how education digitalization affects the creativity of students with special needs. Previous studies have primarily explored the impact of specific digital technologies on students’ creativity in education. However, few studies have examined the various effects of digitization in education in different contexts. Understanding this moderating mechanism would strengthen the impact of digital education and enhance creativity in students with special needs more effectively.

Managerial implication

The findings of this study provide educators and policymakers with a valuable guide for future decision-making. First, the findings of this study indicate a positive correlation between educational digitization and the creativity of students with special needs. It’s imperative that students with special needs be educated equitably and efficiently in order to achieve educational results and improve their creativity. This guidance recommends educational institutions to prioritize the digitization of education, encompassing resources, technologies, and methodologies. For instance, open and authoritative educational platforms, such as MOOC, Education, and Udemy, should be utilized as frequently as possible, and multimedia should be employed to facilitate knowledge interconnection. Furthermore, the implementation of sophisticated, intelligent, and comprehensive educational management mode is imminent. This encompasses profound educational decision-making support, real-time monitoring of education operations, individualized education program design, and multi-dimensional education effect evaluation.

Second, this study demonstrates that digitization in education affects the creativity of students with special needs directly, and also indirectly inspires their creativity through study crafting. The digitalization of education creates an environment in which students with special needs are not only passive learners but also active participants in their learning process, thereby promoting creativity. The introduction of digital tools and platforms can facilitate the transformation of the education system, with school education as the core, into one that is more collaborative, involving family, school, and community. This transformation also shifts the focus of education from school to the family and society. For students with special needs, this affords them the opportunity to design more flexible, personalized learning plans that align with their specific needs, personal growth patterns, and cognitive abilities. One potential solution is the creation of student-centered learning scenarios and the implementation of collaborative learning across classes, grades, subjects, and spaces.

Third, the moderating effect of creative self-efficacy in the relationship between education transformation and the creativity of students with special needs implies that we should prioritize and utilize the regulatory function of creative self-efficacy. Schools can provide teachers with educational resources on creativity cultivation and self-efficacy improvement, and assist teachers in mastering the methods of cultivating students’ creativity and self-efficacy. Moreover, teachers can integrate creative tasks and challenges into the classroom to encourage students to express their creativity and receive feedback. Schools can also organize regular seminars and communication meetings, during which students can express their ideas, present their work, and gain approval from others.

Conclusion

This study explores the relationship between educational digitization and the creativity of students with special needs from the perspective of study crafting and creative self-efficacy. On the one hand, education digitalization can directly promote the creativity of students with special needs directly. On the other hand, education digitalization can facilitate the process of study crafting, thereby enhancing the creativity of students with special needs. Moreover, creative self-efficacy serves as a pivotal moderating role in this mechanism. Education digitalization provides students with special needs with a more extensive and convenient array of information and tools. Students with special needs who possess a high degree of creative self-efficacy can utilize these resources to enhance their creativity.

Nevertheless, a few limitations remain, which require further investigation to enhance the precision of the conclusions. First, the extension of research objects is an inevitable necessity for the study of adaptive development. This study focused on students with special needs in China. In the future, it would be beneficial to conduct further studies involving students with special needs from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Moreover, further research may differentiate the heterogeneous effects of educational digitization on distinct types of students with special needs. Second, our study primarily examines the extent of educational digital transformation in terms of educational resources, educational technology empowerment, and innovative education methods. This could include further exploration of the differences in the effectiveness of different educational digital tools (such as online learning platforms, VR, intelligent auxiliary software, etc.) in promoting the creativity of students with special needs. It could also involve analysis of how these tools adapt to the needs of students with different special needs, such as learning disabilities, sensory disorders, and emotional disorders, and study their effectiveness in practical application. Third, future research can divide education into different types, such as art education and music education, etc., to explore the unique impact of digitization on the creativity of students with special needs in specific fields.