Professional Commitment Drives Innovative Work Behavior Among Public High School Teachers in Padang Pariaman

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FORMOSA NEWS

PADANG PARIAMAN – Innovative work behavior among public high school teachers has become a decisive factor in driving educational transformation and implementing modern curricula. A 2026 scientific study conducted by Widyamunasril and Rino from Universitas Negeri Padang reveals that creative self-efficacy and emotional intelligence do not directly generate innovative classroom practices among teachers in Padang Pariaman Regency, but rather depend on strong professional commitment as an essential mediating link. These findings provide crucial insights for educational policymakers, emphasizing that fostering innovative teaching requires strengthening educators' dedication and moral attachment to their profession.

The demands of digital transformation and current educational reforms require educators to continuously update instructional methods and integrate new technologies. However, empirical observations indicate that many public school teachers remain hesitant to abandon conventional teaching routines and lack confidence when navigating challenges associated with innovation. Bureaucratic school environments and rigid administrative routines often impede the spontaneous development and implementation of new pedagogical ideas.

To investigate these underlying factors, the researchers conducted a quantitative survey study utilizing a descriptive-causal research design involving 260 public senior high school teachers across Padang Pariaman Regency. Participants were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling from a total population of 835 teachers across 21 schools. Data were gathered via online and paper-based surveys using a 5-point Likert scale and analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to evaluate both direct and indirect structural pathways.

The research findings indicate that creative self-efficacy and emotional intelligence exert a positive and significant direct influence on teachers' professional commitment. Educators who possess firm confidence in their creative capabilities and effectively manage workplace stress demonstrate higher levels of professional dedication and institutional loyalty. In turn, professional commitment exhibits a strong direct impact on driving teachers' innovative work behavior in classroom instruction and organizational activities.

Crucially, the study revealed that neither creative self-efficacy nor emotional intelligence has a direct significant effect on teachers' innovative behavior. Personal cognitive confidence and emotional regulation alone are insufficient to produce tangible creative outputs without an underlying professional dedication. Professional commitment serves as a full mediating variable that transforms teachers' psychological resources into sustained innovative actions, such as developing novel learning media and implementing interactive teaching methodologies.

These findings carry important implications for public school administration, teacher professional development, and educational governance. School leaders and education authorities are encouraged to create supportive organizational environments that enhance professional pride, streamline administrative burdens, and recognize pedagogical innovations. Fostering strong professional commitment ensures that psychological training translates into long-term educational improvements.

This study was authored by Widyamunasril and Rino from the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Negeri Padang.

Author Profile: Widyamunasril, Rino (Universitas Negeri Padang)

Research Source: Article Title: The Influence of Creative Self-Efficacy and Emotional Intelligence on Teachers' Innovative Behavior with Professional Commitment as a Mediating Variable among Teachers of Public Senior High Schools in Padang Pariaman Regency Journal: East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR), Vol. 5, No. 9, 2026, pp. 3653-3670 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v5i9.297 Journal Link: https://journaleajmr.my.id/index.php/eajmr