BECE. Newsletter 

Vol.19, No.2, 2025, BECE 1962 

 

 

 

 

How the Classroom Environment Affects Student 

Creativity 

By Zhang, Y., Liu, W., & Zhou, J. 
Correspondence to: Jinyan Zhou, Beijing Normal University, China. E-mail: 

zhoujinyan@bnu.edu.cn  

REATIVITY is counted as “the central among core competences” by 

the education research community. According to the investment theory 

of creativity, a favorable environment is a vital factor in human creativity 

development. In the educational setting, the classroom environment plays a 

pivotal role in fostering the students’ creativity. Based on data from a survey 

of creative behavior of primary school students in Beijing City, this study 

seeks to explore the relationships between the classroom environment and 

student creativity development, as well as influencing factors for and hetero-

geneity in the relationships, using a regression model and a moderated medi-

ation model. 

Research Findings: 

 Positive teacher-student relationships, healthy peer relationships, moti-

vational classroom instruction, active classroom engagement, teacher 

equal attention, and cooperative learning are the six core elements in the 

classroom environment that have significantly positive effects on stu-

dent creative mentalities and creative qualities. 

 Creative self-efficacy mediates the relationships between the classroom 

environment and student creative mentalities and creative qualities. 

 There is heterogeneity in the relationship between the classroom envi-

ronment and creativity among students from distinct socioeconomic 

backgrounds. A classroom environment with healthy peer relationships, 

active student engagement, and cooperative learning has a greater posi-

tive impact on creativity development of high -socioeconomic-status 

(SES) students. Creative self-efficacy exhibits a significantly greater 

mediating effect among high-SES students than low-SES ones. 

 Suggestions: 

 Enhance the teachers’ creative instruction skills and interpersonal com-

munication ability to develop a student-centered, active classroom envi-

ronment for assisting student creativity development. 

 Create a climate of active learning in the classroom to boost students’ 

creative self-efficacy. 

C 

mailto:zhoujinyan@bnu.edu.cn


 

Vol.19, No.2, 2025, BECE 1963 

 Develop thorough knowledge of the psychology and learning states of 

low-SES students as well as their interests and strengths so as to provide 

them with tailored assistance in creativity development. 

 

 
Source: Journal of Educational Studies, 2024; 20(05):151-166.