Unboxing the Black Box: How Principal's Regulatory Focus Shapes Teacher Innovative Pedagogies

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of principals' regulatory focus on teachers’ innovative teaching pedagogies. A survey of 294 teachers from 17 primary schools in China revealed through multivariate analysis that principals' promotion focus significantly enhanced teachers' innovation through exploratory learning and knowledge sharing, while a prevention focus supported innovation through exploitative learning. The findings suggest that educational leaders can foster innovative teaching by aligning professional development programs with principals' regulatory focus, offering practical implications for designing effective teaching practices.