RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIGURAL CREATIVITY AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: A SURVEY AMONG FORM FOUR STUDENTS (GRED 10) IN FEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RURAL AREA SABAH

The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between figural creativity and academic achievement among form four students in rural area in Sabah. Survey method was used in this research. The research was carried out from June 2009 until April 2010. Data was collected through Figural (Form A) of Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (1990) Bahasa Malaysia Version. The Respondents for this study comprised 300 form four students from few secondary school selected randomly from four zone administered by Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Education Department. 60 respondents were selected from each school. Their mean age of these 300 students who finally took part in this study is 16.2 (SD = 0.52). The result of the study shows that form four students in rural area in Sabah are more creative in Figural Fluency followed by Figural Flexibility, Figural Originality and Figural Elaboration. They are a significant gender differences in Figural Creativity ( t = 2.009, df = 298, p < .05 ) . Male students are more creative in Figural Fluency (M = 19.41, SD = 6.02), Figural Elaboratio (M = 10.55, SD = 2.97) and female student are more creative in Figural Originality (M = 15.69, SD = 5.34) and Figural Flexibility (M = 15.69, SD = 5.34) . Finally this study also shows there is strong correlation between Figural Creativity and academic achievement ( r = .81 ; p < . 05).