THINKING OUT OF THE BOX, ENHANCING CREATIVITY AND DIVERGENT THINKING THROUGH CHESS TRAINING

Abstract

Creativity is the tendency to create or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems. It is the ability to produce work that is both novel (i.e., original, unexpected) and appropriate (i.e., adaptive concerning task constraints). This study analyzed the effect of 2-year chess training program on the creativity of school-going children. A pretest–posttest with control group design was used. The training methodology comprised Winning Moves Chess Learning Program with the demonstration board, on-the-board playing and training, chess exercise through workbooks, and working with chess software, which was carried out by trained chess coaches. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that there was a statistically significant increase in Total Creativity observed in the experimental group compared to the control group after 2-year chess intervention and the effect size was small as assessed by Cohen’s d. It is clear that the outcome of this rigorous, yet enjoyable, training methodology was the enhanced cognitive abilities that were reflected in increased creativity scores. Improving creativity through chess intervention could lead to enhanced functioning. These increases have far-reaching benefits for academic performance and generally for life skills. Therefore, the potential educational gains of interventions are valuable and should be explored.