Pedagogical competence of elementary and junior high school teachers in West Manggarai Regency, Indonesia

Purpose This study aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects of teacher resilience, conflict-management skills and teachers’ innovativeness on pedagogical competence. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative approach. The target population comprised 4,625 elementary and junior high school teachers in West Manggarai Regency, Indonesia; 1,188 valid teacher responses were retained for the final analysis. Instrument validation and reliability were verified through exploratory factor analysis using the principal axis factoring method. The data were found suitable for factor analysis. Data were analysed using path analysis. Findings The average score for teachers’ pedagogical competence was 81.84 (on a scale of 100). However, 53.03% of the teachers scored below average. Hypothesis testing revealed that (1) teacher resilience had a direct effect on pedagogical competence (β=0.194); (2) conflict management skills had a direct effect on teacher pedagogical competence (β=0.203); (3) teacher’s innovativeness had a direct effect on teacher pedagogical competence (β=0.510); (4) teacher resilience had an effect on pedagogical competence through teacher innovativeness (β=0.327) and (5) an indirect effect of conflict management skills on pedagogical competence through teacher innovativeness (β=0.343). Practical implications Pedagogical competence extends beyond technical skills and is linked to personality traits. As technological advancements increasingly replace pedagogical skills, the development of well-being and mindfulness remains irreplaceable. Originality/value Studies on teachers’ pedagogical competence primarily relate to technical abilities, overlooking psychological factors. This study advocates teacher preparation that integrates personality development with pedagogical training.