Is Creative Thinking Really Teachable? A MetaAnalysis Based on 64 Experimental or QuasiExperimental Studies

Creative thinking has become one of the essential abilities for individuals in the 21 st century. Debate has been ongoing among researchers about whether creative thinking can indeed be taught. This study employs 64 experimental or quasi-experimental studies to explore the teachability of creative thinking through meta-analysis. The results indicate that teaching in all academic fields and at all educational stages can and has enhanced students’ creative thinking. Additionally, this study employs subgroup analysis to investigate the differential impact of moderating variables, such as educational stages, discipline categories, teaching intervention with or without technology, and assessment tools on the effectiveness of teaching creative thinking. The findings reveal: 1) The effectiveness of teaching creative thinking is optimal at the senior high school level. 2) Significant differences exist in the effectiveness of teaching creative thinking across disciplines, with science showing the best results. 3) No significant difference is found in the enhancement of students’ creative thinking with or without technological involvement. 4) Compared to the standardized scale in assessment tools, the improvement in creative thinking ability measured by the self-developed scale is more pronounced.