Abstract:
The purposes of this research were 1) to study a level of creative thinking of lower secondary school students, 2) to study a cause of creative thinking, 3) to study a consequences of creative thinking, and 4) to develop and validate the cause and effect model of creative thinking of lower secondary school students. The research sample was 532 students at Mathayomsuksa 1 level in archdiocese schools in Bangkok. The research variables consisted of 4 latent variables: creative thinking, consequences of creative thinking, internal learner factor, and external learner factor. All latent variables were measured by 17 observed variables.Data were collected by questionnaires, creative thinking test, intelligent quotient test, and art-performance test. The analytical methods of this research consisted of descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, MANOVA, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient were analyzed by SPSS, and structural equation model through LISREL.
The research findings were as follows:
1. The lower secondary school students had fluency and originality in low level. They had elaboration in moderate level. And flexibility was in the highest level.
2. The cause of creative thinking was internal learner factor and external learner factor. Creative thinking had been affected direct effect by internal learner factor more than external learner factor.
3. The consequences of creative thinking was performance in science, art, and mathematics.
4. The cause and effect model of creative thinking of secondary school students was valid and fit to the empirical data with Chi-square = 56.323, df = 55, p = 0.425, GFI = 0.988, AGFI = 0.966 and RMR = 0.485. The variables in this model could explain 44.5 and 32.4 percent of variance of creative thinking and consequences of creative thinking respectively.