Region XI, Philippines—
Transformational School Leadership, Psychological Empowerment, Organizational
Climate, and Work Attachment: A Model of Structural Equations to Organizational
Innovation in Public School Teachers. This research was conducted by Cristoper
L. Bodiongan and Eugenio S. Guhao, Jr. from the University of
Mindanao, published in the East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary
Research (EAJMR) in 2026.
The research was conducted by
Cristoper L. Bodiongan and Eugenio S. Guhao, Jr. revealed that psychological
factors and the work environment in schools affect teachers' ability to
innovate, especially in the midst of the demands of faster changes in the
education system.
Educational
innovation as a strategic need
The
researchers highlight that innovation in the school environment has become
increasingly important since the pandemic, when many teachers had to adapt to
remote learning. However, not all teachers are able to innovate optimally due
to limited organizational support, resources, and leadership styles.
Lack of
innovation has the potential to make learning practices stagnant and hinder the
achievement of education targets. On the contrary, innovation can improve the
quality of learning, student engagement, and readiness to face the global world
of work. Therefore, understanding the factors that affect teacher innovation is
an important step in the development of education policy.
Research
methods and analytical approaches
This study
involved 400 public elementary school teachers in Region XI of the Philippines.
The respondents were selected from more than 26 thousand teachers through the
stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using questionnaires
that measured four key variables: transformational leadership, psychological
empowerment, organizational climate, and work engagement.
The
research team used the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach to analyze
the relationships between variables and find the best model that explains
organizational innovation. Statistical analysis also includes correlation,
linear regression, and model fit index testing.
Key
findings of the study
The
results of the study showed that all variables were in the high category,
including the level of innovation of teachers' organizations.
Some of
the key findings include:
- Transformational leadership has a strong relationship with
organizational innovation (r = 0.758), demonstrating the importance of
principals in providing direction and vision.
- Organizational climate had the strongest correlation with innovation
(r = 0.767), mainly through collegial relationships and a supportive work
culture.
- Teachers' psychological empowerment contributed significantly
(r = 0.632), especially when teachers felt their work was meaningful and
impactful.
- Work engagement was also positively related to innovation (r
= 0.689), especially in the aspect of work energy and focus on tasks.
The best
structural models show that organizational climate and psychological
empowerment are the most dominant factors in driving innovation. Meanwhile,
transformational leadership and work attachment did not show a strong direct
influence on the final model, although they remained indirectly played out
through other variables.
According
to Bodiongan and Guhao from the University of Mindanao, these results confirm
that innovation in schools is more influenced by a supportive work environment
and a sense of teacher empowerment than by individual factors alone.
Organizational
climate as the key to change
The study
emphasizes that a positive organizational climate—characterized by open
communication, collegial relationships, and professional support—encourages
teachers to try new learning methods. Teachers feel safer taking innovative
risks when the school environment provides social and structural support.
Conversely,
a climate that is too rigid or lacks collaboration can stifle creativity. These
findings show that organizational culture change is one of the most effective
strategies in increasing educational innovation.
The role
of teachers' psychological empowerment
Psychological
empowerment is another important factor. Teachers who feel their work is
meaningful tend to be more committed to innovation. The sense of autonomy and
impact on the organization makes teachers more courageous to try new approaches
in learning.
This study
also found that the "meaning" indicator or the meaning of work has
the highest value compared to other indicators. This shows that intrinsic
motivation plays a big role in driving innovation.
Implications
for education and policy
The
findings of this study provide several strategic recommendations for the world
of education:
- Principals need to create a collaborative work
environment that supports teachers' creativity.
- Professional development programs should focus
on psychological empowerment, not just technical training.
- Education policy should pay attention to
organizational culture factors in encouraging innovation.
- Education departments can use this structural
model as the basis for data-driven decision-making.
In
addition, this research supports the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 4
(SDG 4), which is to improve the quality of education through innovation and
continuous learning.
Author
profile
• Cristoper
L. Bodiongan – University of Mindanao.
• Eugenio
S. Guhao, Jr. – University of Mindanao.
Research
source
Bodiongan, C. L., & Guhao, E. S.,
Jr. (2026). Transformational School Leadership, Psychological Empowerment,
Organizational Climate, and Work Engagement: A Structural Equation Model on
Organizational Innovation among Public School Teachers.
East Asian
Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR), Vol. 5
No. 2, pp. 497–516.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v5i2.37
Official URL: https://journaleajmr.my.id/index.php/eajmr
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