Linking creativity myths and facts to creative teaching behavioral intentions: The role of creative mindsets in pre-service teachers

Promoting creativity in education requires a nuanced understanding of how teachers’ knowledge and beliefs are linked to their teaching practices. This study explored how pre-service teachers’ knowledge about creativity—categorized as myths and facts—relates to their intentions for creative teaching behaviors, with fixed and growth mindsets treated as parallel correlates. Data from 412 pre-service teachers were analyzed with a parallel path model. Results indicated that myths were positively associated with a fixed mindset, which was further linked to lower creative teaching behavioral intentions, while showing no significant association with a growth mindset. By contrast, facts were positively related to both growth and fixed mindsets, which exhibited opposite associations with creative teaching intentions—positive for growth and negative for fixed mindsets. These findings highlight the complex and sometimes contradictory ways in which factual knowledge about creativity may be reflected in beliefs. The study underscores the importance of teacher education programs not only in correcting misconceptions but also in addressing potential conflicts in beliefs, thereby better supporting the cultivation of creative teaching.