Teaching Creative Writing in Vocational College: Basis for Proposed Writing Program

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of a creative writing workshop model in improving the writing performance of students in higher vocational education. The participants were 45 second-year students (14 males and 31 females) majoring in Cultural Creativity and Planning at a vocational college in Yuncheng, Shanxi, China. A pretest–posttest non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design was employed over a 14-week semester. The experimental group participated in a creative writing workshop model emphasizing peer feedback, collaborative discussion, and multiple revisions, while the control group received traditional lecture-based instruction. Quantitative analysis using the Mann-Whitney U test indicated that the overall difference between the experimental and control groups was not statistically significant (U = 209, p = .317). However, effect size analysis revealed differentiated outcomes across proficiency levels. Students in the “Pass” group showed substantial improvement under the workshop model (d = 1.69), whereas the “Excellent” and “Good” groups demonstrated limited short-term change. The findings suggest that workshop-based instruction may be particularly beneficial for students with weaker writing foundations in vocational education contexts. These findings suggest that workshop-based instruction may be particularly beneficial for students with weaker writing foundations in vocational education contexts. The results also raise questions about whether exam-oriented evaluation systems may overlook certain forms of creative potential. Based on these findings, the study proposes a creative writing training model integrating self-media practice, focusing on three core dimensions: writing style development, reader resonance, and disciplinary integration. The study provides practical insights for improving creative writing pedagogy in higher vocational colleges.