Influence of School Administrators' Transformational Leadership on the Innovation Ability of University Teachers

Abstract

While some research has highlighted the potential positive impact of transformational leadership on various aspects of academic performance, including job satisfaction and engagement, a comprehensive understanding of how transformational leadership practices contribute to fostering a culture of innovation among university faculty is lacking. In addition, the unique characteristics of the academic environment, such as the emphasis on research, teaching, and institutional goals, introduce complexities that require exploring the relationship between transformational leadership and innovation capacity on a case-by-case basis. Traditional academic hierarchies, the diversity of university departments, and the need to balance individual research pursuits with collaborative endeavors all contribute to the complexity of this relationship. Therefore, this study will evaluate the teacher-respondents’ on school administrators’ transformational leadership, and the impact of school administrators’ transformational leadership on their innovation self-efficacy. The research will further develop measures that should be taken to respond to the problems found by this study and improve the existing program regarding the benefits of school administrators’ transformational leadership to teachers’ innovation self-efficacy and its development. The quantitative descriptive-correlational research methodology was used in this study. In implementing stratified proportionate random sampling for this study, the population was categorized into distinct strata based on relevant characteristics, such as academic rank and discipline. Findings show effective inspirational motivation by administrators in creating an engaging community, while improvements in task communication are suggested. Individual consideration is generally prioritized, but mentorship opportunities need enhancement. Differences in perceptions based on sex, age, education level, and teaching experience were observed in various aspects of transformational leadership, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches. Teacher-respondents demonstrate significant critical thinking and creativity fostered by administrators' leadership, with room for improvement in research and risk-taking encouragement. Differences in critical thinking and creativity were noted based on sex, while no significant differences were observed in collaboration and problem-solving. Across age, education level, and teaching experience, consistency was found in perceptions of innovation self-efficacy under administrators' leadership. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between school administrators' transformational leadership and its impact on nurturing teachers' innovation self-efficacy, indicating the importance of effective leadership in promoting innovation within educational settings.