Indonesian EFL Students’ Perceptions of the Cognitive, Affective, and Pedagogical Advantages and Challenges of Creative Writing

Abstract

Research has shown the significant role of students' perceptions in learning as it correlates with their learning motivation, engagement, and achievement. Yet, research addressing students' perceptions of creative writing (CW) is still meager. This study aims at investigating English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ perceptions of cognitive, affective, and pedagogical advantages and challenges of CW. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, data were collected from 34 students of an Indonesian university through a survey and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The questionnaire for the survey was designed based on a framework incorporating established cognitive, affective, and pedagogical theories relevant to writing instruction. The quantitative data was analyzed using the descriptive and Spearman’s rho statistical operations in JASP 0.19.3 version. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically to elaborate and triangulate the quantitative data for in-depth analysis. The results show that the students have a positive perception, with various strength, of the cognitive, pedagogical, and affective advantages and challenges of CW and there is a moderate significant negative correlation between the students’ perceived advantages and challenges. This article ends with some pedagogical suggestions.