ISSN (Online): 3108-1584
Research Paper
Volume 2, Issue 2 - September 2026
Creative thinking is widely acknowledged as a critical 21st-century competency necessary for innovation, problem-solving, and effective teaching practice in the visual arts. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) Painting Curriculum in developing creative thinking skills among pre-service teachers in Colleges of Education in Kogi State, Nigeria. Utilizing a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from 200 final-year NCE Painting students and 20 art lecturers across three purposively selected institutions: Federal College of Education, Okene, Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, and Kogi State College of Education Technical, Kabba. Instruments included structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, curriculum document analysis, and student portfolio evaluations. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and Pearson product-moment correlation, while qualitative data underwent rigorous thematic analysis. The findings reveal a moderate conceptual alignment between curriculum objectives and creative outcomes, though practical implementation is severely undermined by resource deficits, traditional teacher-cantered pedagogies, and inadequate studio infrastructure. The study established a statistically significant positive relationship between dynamic, resource-rich teaching strategies and students’ creative thinking capacities ($r = 0.684, p < 0.01$). Furthermore, significant institutional disparities emerged based on learning environments ($t = 6.42, p < 0.01$). The paper recommends comprehensive curriculum restructuring, enhanced TETFund infrastructure allocation, and professional development programs prioritizing studio-based inquiry over rote technical reproduction.
NCE Painting Curriculum, Creative Thinking, Art Education, Teacher Preparation, Kogi State, Mixed-Methods
Ojapah, Desmond Lawrence, "An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) Painting Curriculum in Developing Creative Thinking Skills in Kogi State Colleges of Education, Nigeria", Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 254-260, Sep. 2026.
Ojapah, Desmond Lawrence (2026). An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) Painting Curriculum in Developing Creative Thinking Skills in Kogi State Colleges of Education, Nigeria. Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, 2(2), 254-260.
Ojapah, Desmond Lawrence. "An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) Painting Curriculum in Developing Creative Thinking Skills in Kogi State Colleges of Education, Nigeria." Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, September 2026, pp. 254-260.
@article{CRSIJ26000382,
author = {Ojapah, Desmond Lawrence},
title = {An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) Painting Curriculum in Developing Creative Thinking Skills in Kogi State Colleges of Education, Nigeria},
journal = {Cosmo Research and Science International Journal},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {2},
pages = {254-260},
issn = {3108-1584},
url = {https://cosmorsij.com/published/CRSIJ26000382.pdf},
abstract = {Creative thinking is widely acknowledged as a critical 21st-century competency necessary for innovation, problem-solving, and effective teaching practice in the visual arts. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) Painting Curriculum in developing creative thinking skills among pre-service teachers in Colleges of Education in Kogi State, Nigeria. Utilizing a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from 200 final-year NCE Painting students and 20 art lecturers across three purposively selected institutions: Federal College of Education, Okene, Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, and Kogi State College of Education Technical, Kabba. Instruments included structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, curriculum document analysis, and student portfolio evaluations. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and Pearson product-moment correlation, while qualitative data underwent rigorous thematic analysis. The findings reveal a moderate conceptual alignment between curriculum objectives and creative outcomes, though practical implementation is severely undermined by resource deficits, traditional teacher-cantered pedagogies, and inadequate studio infrastructure. The study established a statistically significant positive relationship between dynamic, resource-rich teaching strategies and students’ creative thinking capacities ($r = 0.684, p < 0.01$). Furthermore, significant institutional disparities emerged based on learning environments ($t = 6.42, p < 0.01$). The paper recommends comprehensive curriculum restructuring, enhanced TETFund infrastructure allocation, and professional development programs prioritizing studio-based inquiry over rote technical reproduction.},
keywords = {NCE Painting Curriculum, Creative Thinking, Art Education, Teacher Preparation, Kogi State, Mixed-Methods},
month = {September}
}