The Effect of Transformational Leadership and Teacher Motivation on Teacher Innovation in Secondary Schools

This study aims to examine the influence of transformational leadership and teacher motivation on teacher innovativeness in secondary schools. In the face of the rapid transformation in education during the Industrial Revolution 4.0 era, teacher innovativeness has become a crucial factor for improving the quality of education and meeting the demands of 21st-century learning. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research began with qualitative exploration through interviews with school principals in 11 schools to identify factors affecting teacher innovativeness. The findings were validated by experts and used to construct a research model, which was then tested quantitatively with 205 teachers in private high schools in Bogor using PLS-SEM analysis. The results demonstrate that both transformational leadership and teacher motivation have a significant and positive effect on teacher innovativeness. The dimension of intellectual stimulation in leadership and intrinsic motivation—particularly intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm—were found to be the strongest contributors. Discriminant validity tests using Fornell-Larcker and HTMT ratios confirmed the reliability of the constructs. Despite the high level of awareness and willingness to innovate among teachers, challenges remain in the implementation of innovative practices due to time constraints, administrative burdens, and limited flexibility within school systems. This study concludes that the synergy between transformational leadership and teacher motivation fosters a conducive environment for innovation. Recommendations include strengthening transformational leadership practices, nurturing intrinsic teacher motivation, and developing supportive policies for school innovation. Future research is suggested to incorporate additional variables such as organizational climate and teacher self-efficacy using longitudinal methods to better understand the dynamics of teacher innovativeness over time.