Designing a Model of Physical Aesthetics in Educational Spaces and Explaining the Creativity Model of Elementary Students: A Mix Method Approach

The purpose of this study is to understand the physical components of aesthetics in educational spaces from the perspective of students and to explain the creativity model of elementary school students based on the physical components of aesthetics. The research design was a sequential exploratory combination with the aim of making tools. The research method in the qualitative part was Husserl descriptive phenomenology. The potential participants of this part were fifth and sixth grade students in elementary schools(15 student) of Shiraz. The participants were selected by purposive sampling approach with criteria technique and theoretical saturation. By in-depth semi-structured interviews and aesthetic perception from the educational environments. ; themes relating to the exemplary educational leader were extracted included 14 basic themes, 4 organizer themes and in the physical aesthetic perception of educational space was designed. The basic themes were color, light, window and curtain, size, shape, wall, floor and layout, green space, walls and yard, tuck-shop, drinking place and W.C. The 4 organizer themes included visual stimuli, physical features of the class, open court and equipment. In the strategy section, the network of exemplary physical aesthetic perception of educational space was prepared as an instrument for the quantitative part.To select the sample In quantitative section, a multi-stage cluster random sampling method was implemented. Participants of this research were 191 individuals students. To gather data in this section, two questionnaires were used including a researcher made 30 item the physical aesthetic perception of educational space and Torrance A-form visual creativity test. The evidences affirmed the desired validity and reliability of the researcher made questionnaire and creativity test. The findings of statistical analysis demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between creativity and dimensions of visual stimuli and open court. The comparison of Beta coefficients indicated that among the visual stimuli, physical features of the class, open court and equipment dimensions, only visual stimuli was significant and positive predictor of the creativity and other dimensions didn't act out a significant predictive role. Based on the research, paying attention to create a basement for creativity among the elementary students by the terms of considering the physical components of aesthetics in the spaces of education is of focal importance and in line to this some practical suggestions have been mentioned at the end of research.