Effects of Educational Technology on Creative Thinking in Educational Settings

Strategic Insights -

Recent research has investigated the impact of interactive technology on creative thinking in educational settings. A study conducted by University Putra Malaysia aimed to meta-analytically investigate the effect of educational technology interventions on the development of creative thinking. The researchers analyzed 35 empirical studies with 2,776 participants, using the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) to assess creative thinking. The results showed a moderate level of influence of educational technology on overall TTCT scores, with high heterogeneity attributed to the adopted instruments, mixed methods, and target outcomes. The study also found that only three TTCT subscales (fluency, flexibility, and originality) were influenced by educational technologies, with interactive learning environments yielding the largest mean effect size.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aimed to investigate the impact of educational technology interventions on the development of creative thinking in educational settings, synthesizing 35 relevant empirical studies with 2,776 participants.
  • The researchers used the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) to assess creative thinking and found a moderate level of influence of educational technology on overall TTCT scores.
  • Only three TTCT subscales (fluency, flexibility, and originality) were influenced by educational technologies, with interactive learning environments yielding the largest mean effect size.
  • Moderator analyses suggest that the effects of interventions on two subscales of TTCT (flexibility and originality) are moderated by school types, research design, and the duration of intervention.
  • The study concluded that interventions promoting students' creative thinking in different educational settings are efficacious.
  • The study examined potential causes of heterogeneity and emphasized the importance of further research in this area.

Statistics:

  • 35 empirical studies with 2,776 participants were analyzed in the study.
  • The results demonstrate a moderate level of influence of educational technology on overall TTCT scores.
  • Interactive learning environments yielded the largest mean effect size among the interventions.
  • 3 of the 4 TTCT subscales (fluency, flexibility, and originality) were influenced by educational technologies.
  • The study found that school types, research design, and the duration of intervention moderated the effects of interventions on two subscales of TTCT (flexibility and originality).

Sources:

  • Effects of educational technology intervention on creative thinking in educational settings: a meta-analysis. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 2024,22(2). Emerald.

Free version available at https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.1108/itse-11-2023-0224

  • NewsRx. University Putra Malaysia Researcher Has Published New Study Findings on Interactive Technology and Smart Education (Effects of educational technology intervention on creative thinking in educational settings: a meta-analysis). Education Letter. September 3, 2025; p 640.