Do different learning styles make a difference when it comes to creativity? An empirical study

This study investigates the effectiveness of different types of Remote Associates Test (RAT) materials and examines whether the pairing of learning style and creative learning materials influence the outcome. This study developed an online RAT training system (ORTS) that can present RAT questions via text and images. Participants' creativity and learning styles were assessed using the Problem Solving Creativity Test and the Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic (VARK) learning style scale, respectively. The four-group experiment design was conducted with 117 college students. Firstly, the study developed a universally accessible training system and creativity instruction model. Secondly, all participant groups' creativity performance and RAT scores improved significantly after 10 days of intensive RAT training. Thirdly, the results partly agree with the viewpoint of the "learning styles myth," as the learning-style-material matching group did not perform differently than the learning-style-alternated group. This study suggests several interesting possibilities and implications for cultivating creativity among college students.