The creative dimension of the New High School: a systematic review of the literature

This study investigated the literature on creativity and innovation in the context of Brazil’s New High School. To achieve this aim, a systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol, utilizing the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) and the SciELO platform, covering the period 2019 – 2024. We organized the results into three categories: (1) creativity and innovation as competencies; (2) teaching, creativity, and innovation; and (3) creativity, innovation, and educational policy. The review identified a significant number of studies addressing innovative practices in upper secondary education; however, many provided creativity with insufficient theoretical treatment, consequently overlooking the multidimensional nature of creative processes. The analysis suggests that creativity functions as a critical lens for understanding how upper secondary education aligns with neoliberal imperatives, raising concerns about the tendency to shape the “creative student” into a utilitarian subject oriented toward market demands. https://doi.org/10.21723/riaee.v20i00.2004102