This study delves into the influential factors shaping students' innovation skills within Shandong Vocational Colleges, China. It focuses on academic self-efficacy, cognitive style, motivation for cooperative playful learning, and their interplay in fostering creativity within vocational education. Employing a quantitative research approach, data from vocational program students were gathered through self-report questionnaires. Path analysis was utilized to examine the direct connections between independent factors (academic self-efficacy, cognitive style, playful learning motivation) and the growth of innovative skills. Additionally, a mediation study explored the impact of encouraging creativity on these associations. Results highlighted the robust positive influence of academic self-efficacy on innovation skill development, indicating that higher self-efficacy correlates with greater innovative abilities. Cognitive style exhibited a nuanced impact: the knowing style hindered while the developing style enhanced innovative skills. Motivation for cooperative playful learning significantly bolstered innovation skill development, showcasing a link between playful learning inclination and heightened innovative talents. Notably, fostering creativity in vocational education significantly mediated these relationships, enhancing the positive effects of self-efficacy, creative style, and playful motivation while exacerbating the negative impact of the knowing style on innovative skills. The study underscores the importance of nurturing self-efficacy, promoting playful learning environments, and accommodating cognitive style preferences to enhance innovative skills in vocational education. It contributes valuable insights tailored to the Chinese educational context, offering practical implications for educational policies aiming to foster innovation in vocational settings. © 2024, Auricle Global Society of Education and Research. All rights reserved.
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