DESIGNING AND VALIDATING AN E-MODULE ON CREATIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN AGRICULTURE
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Date
2020
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DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ICAR-INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI –
Abstract
Creativity plays an important role in development of science and technology.
The field of agriculture cannot be exception to it. Presently, it is recognized that the
development of innovations in science and technology, ability to compete in the present global
market, quality of the scientific research and the development of unreached areas etc. are much
dependent upon the creative brain. Hence it is important to conduct studies related to creativity
and critical thinking abilities in order to devise appropriate strategy for education. Presently, elearning materials are very effective in providing quality education at higher level. Apart from
the textbook, the use of e-learning tools is crucial for expressive and meaningful teaching.
However, there are no e-learning modules for enhancing the creativity process and critical
thinking abilities in higher education in agriculture. Therefore, this study was proposed to
assess the creativity and critical thinking abilities of students and develop a capacity building
module on this area. The present study was conducted with specific objectives of assessing the
level of creative potential and critical thinking abilities among students, study the relationship
among creativity, critical thinking ability, learning climate, socio-personal characteristics and
personality traits among students and design and validate an e- module on creativity and critical
thinking. The six universities were selected purposively based on ranking released by
Agricultural Education Division of Indian Council of Agricultural Research. From each
university, fourty students were selected by following simple random sampling. Total number
of student respondents for the study was 240.
Creative potential assessment test was developed to assess the creative potential of
students pursuing higher education in agriculture subject. The result of the findings shows that
majority of the agricultural students had low level of creativity score. The overall picture of
different dimensions of creativity shows that majority of the students had medium levels of
fluency, flexibility, originality and problem sensitivity. Results showed that there was
significant difference between Deemed and Low Performing Universities. There was
significant difference between High and Low Performing Universities. In contrast, it was
observed that there was no significant difference between Deemed and High Performing
Universities which indicates that both the categories were at par as far as creativity scores of
the students were concerned. The result of the findings shows that the overall critical thinking
abilities percentage score of agriculture students was 48.50 per cent. Among the dimensions of
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critical thinking, the highest percentage score was obtained for data interpretation (64.86%),
followed by deductive reasoning (63.54%) and inductive reasoning (59.30%). On the contrary,
the students’ performance on the dimension’s like problem solving (38.13%), identifying
assumptions (33.75%) and evaluating course of action (31.46%) was found to be lower than
the overall critical thinking score. In the Critical Thinking Abilities Test, the students of
deemed universities had performed better (60.44%) as compared to students of high performing
universities (47.83%) and low performing universities (37.24%). Out of six parameters of
socio-personal characteristics, 4 components viz., ‘gender’, ‘parent’s education status’ ‘level
of aspiration’ and ‘academic achievement’ were found to have significant relationship with
creativity and critical thinking ability. In personality trait components, ‘complexity’,
‘entrepreneurial orientation’ ‘hunger for knowing’ and ‘independence and courage’ were found
to have significant relationship with creativity and critical thinking ability. Among learning
climate dimensions, ‘student’s motivation’, teachers’ motivation, ‘teaching methodology and
quality of teaching’ ‘information and technology service’ ‘relevance of learning’, ‘library
facilities’, ‘counseling and coaching’ and ‘rewards and recognition’ were found to have
significant relationship with creativity and critical thinking ability. It was also evident from the
study that amongst the learning climate dimensions, ‘rewards and recognition’ had explained
about 65.63 per cent variation in creativity while ‘students’ motivation’ had explained about
58.63 per cent variation in critical thinking ability.
Seven validation parameters viz., content, visual design, learning & support, motivation
to learn, perceived utility and navigation, accessibility, interactivity were considered. The result
showed that applicability of the e-learning module ranked first according to the students while
learning & support, content, visual design, motivation to learn, perceived utility and navigation,
accessibility, interactivity etc. ranked second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.
The overall mean of 2.75 indicated moderately high liking of the e-learning module by the
students. Study underlines the importance of making differentiated strategies for enhancing
creativity and critical thinking abilities among students in higher education in agriculture. The
developed e-module on creativity and critical thinking abilities can be used for all Agricultural
Universities
Description
T-10393