Work

Pedagogical knowledge absorptive capacity and LMX as proactive and strategic approaches to work engagement and teacher creativity: a job demands-resource perspective

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Teacher creativity is widely recognised as a key driver of educational innovation, shaped by work engagement and proactive individual behaviours. Drawing on the extended Job Demands – Resources (JD-R) theoretical framework, this study examines how the quality of leader – member exchange (LMX) and proactive pedagogical knowledge absorptive capacity (PACAP) affect teacher engagement and creativity. Survey data were collected from 3,016 teachers across 151 public schools in Malaysia. Structural Equation Modelling results reveal that high-quality LMX relationships significantly enhance innovation self-efficacy, reduce workplace stress, and strengthen teacher trust, which in turn, contribute to higher levels of work engagement and creativity. Furthermore, PACAP was also found to be significantly associated with innovation self-efficacy and teacher trust, highlighting its role as an essential personal resource in enhancing teachers’ creativity and pedagogical practices. This study highlights the pivotal role of leadership and PACAP in fostering innovative teaching practices and improving teacher performance.

Source: Educational Studies

DOI: 10.1080/03055698.2026.2653769

Authors: Marcus Pietsch, Donnie Adams, Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş, Vasu Muniandy

Institutions: Leuphana University of Lüneburg, The University of Melbourne, Taylor's University, University of Sharjah

Language: English

Topic: Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft