Students’ Creative Thinking in Solving Problems on the National Assessment

Students face various obstacles when attempting to solve problems on the National Assessment, one of which is a deficiency in their ability to think creatively. Still, however, there is a paucity of researchers who investigate the relationship between creative thinking and National Assessment problem-solving. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate students’ creative-thinking ability to solve problems on the National Assessment and to explore how the structure of the assessment itself shapes opportunities for creativity. Qualitative methods employing a descriptive approach were utilized to address the research problem. Three students were selected in a rigorous manner to represent three distinct categories of creative thinking. As the instruments, we utilized interview guidelines, National Assessment questions, and creative-thinking tests. Data analysis consisted of data condensation, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Given the small sample size, the study emphasizes analytical depth rather than generalizability, focusing on how assessment conditions interact with students’ creative processes. We identified three distinct images of creative thinking for each category, which are elaborated upon in the research findings. Apart from that, the implications and recommendations of this research provide insight into the importance of stimulating creative thinking both in classroom instruction and in assessment design.