The Effects of Problem-based Learning Program on Chinese Higher Vocational Students’ Creative Self-efficacy

Background and Aim: In the context of the innovation-driven development strategy and the deepening of education reforms, the study aimed to develop a problem-based learning program to improve students' creative self-efficacy in Chinese higher vocational education and explore the effects of the problem-based learning program on improving students' creative self-efficacy in Chinese higher vocational education. Methodology: The methodology of this study is a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design. The sample was divided into two groups: experimental and control groups. The students' creative self-efficacy is examined by comparing the total average scores of the pre-test and post-test. The sample for this study was 108 freshman e-commerce students with the lowest creative self-efficacy out of 326 students who were equally and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups, 54 students in the experimental group, and 54 students in the control group. The experimental group was taught using a problem-based learning program, while the control group was not. The instruments used in this study are as follows: The problem-based learning program to improve creative self-efficacy of Chinese higher vocational students in terms of three components: Ideageneration, Uncertainty, and Focus, and The Test of Creative Self-Efficacy, which was based on Alan Hill’s (2008) test of creative self-efficacy. Before the experiment, the researchers recorded the students' pre-test scores and had the students participate in a two-week problem-oriented learning course. The students took a post-test at the end of the problem-based learning program. Finally, data were collected and analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of the problem-based learning program in improving students' creative self-efficacy in Chinese higher vocational education. Result: The results showed that the experiment group applying the problem-based learning program had a higher level of creative self-efficacy than the control group, and before the experiment in all components at the .01 level. Conclusions: (1) The difference in the scores of creative self-efficacy level of the students in the experimental group before and after the test indicates that the level of creative self-efficacy increased after completing the problem-based learning program. The study's results support the first research hypothesis. (2) Students who participated in the problem-based learning program scored higher on the creative self-efficacy test than those who did not. This indicates that the problem-based learning program effectively enhances students' creative self-efficacy. The findings support the second research hypothesis.