Thinking, defined by Merriam-Webster, is the mental process of considering or reasoning. Creative thinking is further defined by three key elements: a broad cognitive construct covering diverse topics, cognitive flexibility for seamless perspective-shifting, and an acute cognizance of novel ideas(Munir & Awan, 2021). Furthermore, creative thinking has applicability beyond imaginative expression. It extends to multiple fields, serving as a tool for probing problems and socially-relevant issues through idea-generation (OECD, 2024). 

In education, creative thinking holds profound significance for students' growth. It not only equips them to thrive in the classroom but also helps them adapt to the rapidly changing world outside. By fostering this ability, students can contribute to society, as global organizations increasingly rely on innovation to tackle complex challenges(OECD, 2024). Therefore, nurturing students' creative thinking is receiving increasing attention. The General High School Chinese Curriculum Standards(2020)propose the core literacy of "the development and improvement of thinking" with particular emphasis on the cultivation of flexible and original thinking qualities, and require curriculum design of different situational teaching and practical activities to promote the development of students' creative thinking.

It is necessary to explore teaching strategies for promoting students' creative thinking(Wu, 2022). However, previous studies have mostly focused on proposing creative thinking teaching strategies (Moeller, M., & Cutler, K., 2013), lacking corresponding integration and systematic analysis to screen out effective teaching strategies for practical reference. This study systematically identifies and analyzes teaching strategies proven to enhance students' creative thinking and evaluates the effectiveness of these strategies in different educational contexts and grade levels. Finally, the research results are synthesized into feasible recommendations for educational practitioners and policy - makers. The research questions are as follows:

-What teaching strategies have been empirically proven to foster students' creative thinking?

-What are the barriers and enablers to implementing these strategies in practice?

This study adopts the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method(PRISMA; Moher et al., 2009),which is widely recognized for ensuring transparency, replicability, and rigor in research, to systematically review the effective teaching strategies for promoting students' creative thinking from 2014 to 2024. The process of the review encompasses four stages: identification, screening, eligibility determination and inclusion(Tetzlaff, J., Page, M., & Moher, D.,2021). 1.Identification: In this initial phase, the comprehensive search mainly focuses on the following databases: Scopus, EBSCO and Web of Science. The search terms are carefully selected to capture relevant studies related to teaching strategies for creative thinking. These terms encompass variations of "creative thinking","teaching strategies","student creativity,"and related synonyms. 2. Screening: In the first step, titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles are scanned to remove those that are clearly irrelevant. Articles that do not mention creative thinking or teaching strategies in the title or abstract are excluded. In the second step, the full texts of the remaining articles will be examined in detail. Articles that do not meet the inclusion criteria are further excluded. 3. Eligibility: The inclusion criteria for the studies are as follows: -The writing language of the articles must be English. -The articles must have been peer-reviewed. -The articles should be published from 2014 to 2024. -The articles must center on students' creative thinking and teaching strategies and these strategies need to be validated by proper research like experiments or quasi-experiments. The exclusion criteria are: -Studies on non-secondary level (ISCED 0,1,5,6). -Studies on irrelevant subject areas, not directly addressing creative thinking or teaching strategies. 4.Inclusion: The results are presented using the PRISMA flow chart (PRISMA Flow Diagram, 2020). The data analysis is qualitative and also a thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is used to identify common themes and patterns among the included studies(Clarke, V., & Braun, V., 2016). This helps to categorize the teaching strategies and understand how they are implemented and their associated outcomes. (Braun, V., & Clarke, V. ,2006). After screening, a total of 43 articles meet the requirements. The data extraction process then commences, focusing on key information such as the specific teaching strategies employed and the impact on students’ creative thinking, the educational context (including grade levels and disciplines), types of the strategies, and challenges in implementing teaching strategies.

We expect to clarify the specific educational context in the secondary level. At the grade-level aspect, we will explore the differences in the receptivity of junior and senior high school students to creative-thinking-promoting strategies. In terms of disciplines, we will determine whether STEM subjects and liberal arts require different methods to stimulate creativity. For example, STEM subjects may benefit more from hands-on projects, while liberal arts may rely more on discussion-based activities. Based on the available data, we anticipate identifying some effective strategies, such as the STEM Productive Learning initiative in junior high schools. Strategies that combine new technologies and innovative teaching methods, like the use of emerging educational tools, are expected to be emphasized as effective ways to enhance middle school students' creative thinking. Through screening 43 eligible papers and analyzing the effective teaching strategies, four categories are identified: 1. Situational strategies: including creating a classroom atmosphere that encourages risk-taking. 2. Methodological strategies: covering flipped-classroom learning models. 3. Activity-based strategies: exemplified by group projects. 4. Evaluative strategies: conducting multiple and process-based evaluations of students. Most of the research falls into the first three categories, and the number of studies in the fourth category is the least. Therefore, evaluative strategies await further exploration. Teachers may resist change due to established habits and lack of training on new strategies. Limited resources, time constraints for planning and guiding, and resistance from the traditional education system can impede change. Ultimately, we hope to confirm that the identified teaching strategies can have a positive impact on middle school students' creative thinking, such as improving problem-solving abilities, enhancing imagination, generating more innovative ideas, and enabling more flexible cross-disciplinary thinking. This will improve academic performance and future career potential.

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