The mediator effects of conceiving imagination on academic performance of design students

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Abstract

Three studies were combined to examine the effects of creativity and imagination on the academic performance of design students. Study 1 conducted an exploratory factor analysis to determine the most appropriate structure of the Creativity Capability Scale (CCS) in a sample of 313 college students. The scale was a new self-report measure, and it was developed to be both empirically valid and easy to administer. A two-factor solution identified originality and useful flexibility as dimensions of human creativity. Study 2 conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the established structure of the CCS in a sample of 284 college students in design schools. In addition, we also confirmed the structure of the Imaginative Capability Scale using the same sample. A three-factor solution supported an earlier study in which human imagination was categorized into three types, namely initiating, conceiving, and transforming imaginations. The analyses of composite reliability and construct validity gave both scales good support. Study 3 further tested the effects of creativity and imagination on academic performance in a sample of 271 design students. The hypothesis of Study 3—that conceiving imagination acted as a mediator between creativity/imagination and academic performance—was partially supported. The structural model also showed that useful flexibility, initiating imagination and transforming imagination demonstrated positive, indirect effects on academic performance. Critical reflections on the results are provided. Discussions for future studies are also proposed.

Keywords

Academic performance Creativity Design students Imagination Mediator effects 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

The current study is part of the research project (NSC100-2511-S-155-005-MY2) supported by Taiwan’s National Science Council. The authors would like to extend their gratitude to the insightful suggestions of anonymous International Journal of Technology and Design Education reviewers.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Information CommunicationYuan Ze UniversityChungliTaiwan
  2. 2.Graduate Institute of Learning and InstructionNational Central UniversityJhongliTaiwan

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