Conceptualizing the Antecedents of Teacher Innovative Behavior in the Digital Age

Authors

Qi Kou

Department of Management, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies South China Business College, Guangzhou (China)

Qiwei Lu

Department of Management, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies South China Business College, Guangzhou (China)

Article Information

DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS.2026.100400291

Subject Category: Management

Volume/Issue: 10/4 | Page No: 3951-3956

Publication Timeline

Submitted: 2026-04-11

Accepted: 2026-04-17

Published: 2026-05-06

Abstract

Based on Social Cognitive Theory, this conceptual paper proposes a comprehensive framework to unpack the psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions that translate human-AI collaboration into teacher innovative behavior. Specifically, the model identifies AI self-efficacy as the central cognitive mediator that bridges teachers' collaborative experiences with AI to their proactive innovations. Furthermore, the framework positions organizational innovative climate as a crucial contextual moderator, highlighting that a supportive, resource-rich school environment is essential to amplify the positive effects of teachers' AI self-efficacy on innovative actions. Ultimately, this study provides educational policymakers and administrators with a theoretical roadmap to mitigate technology-induced burnout by actively cultivating teachers' psychological capital and fostering an innovation-oriented school culture.

Keywords

Human-AI Collaboration,Teacher Innovative Behavior,AI Self-Efficacy

Downloads

References

1. Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual review of psychology, 52(1), 1-26. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Chu, T. S., & Ashraf, M. (2025). Artificial intelligence in curriculum design: A data-driven approach to higher education innovation. Knowledge, 5(3), 14. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Ding, L. J., Li, J. M., & Hui, B. H. (2025). Will teacher-AI collaboration enhance teaching engagement?. Behavioral Sciences, 15(7), 866. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Elsayed, A. M., Zhao, B., Goda, A. E. M., & Elsetouhi, A. M. (2023). The role of error risk taking and perceived organizational innovation climate in the relationship between perceived psychological safety and innovative work behavior: A moderated mediation model. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1042911. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Gao, X., Ding, Y., Zhang, H., Liang, W., & Zuo, R. (2026). The impact of AI usage, literacy and proactive innovation behavior on scholars' mental health. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 1-20. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Gupta, T. (2024). Adaptive Learning Systems: Harnessing AI to Personalize Educational Outcomes. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology, 12(11), 458–464. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Huang, M., Mansor, A. N., Kamaruzaman, F. M., & Xue, Y. (2026). The role of innovative work behavior and teacher self-efficacy in shaping educational innovation: a systematic literature review. Discover Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Jooss, S., Solnet, D., Knight, C., Worsteling, A., Rinta-Kahila, T., & Hansen, A. (2025). Artificial intelligence and work design: implications for frontline service employees and future research. Journal of Service Management, 1-22. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Kong, L., Hu, C., Huang, L., Zhang, Y., Huang, W., & Huang, S. (2025). The Double-Edged Effect of AI Use on Innovation Teaching Behavior among Primary and Secondary School Teachers in China: A Job Demands–Resources Perspective. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Kundu, A., & Roy, D. D. (2023). How do teachers innovate? Role of efficacy for innovation and school climate perception. Psychology in the Schools, 60(12), 4885-4903. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Kuril, S., Maun, D., & Chand, V. S. (2023). Measuring teacher innovative behavior: a validated multidimensional inventory for use with public school teachers. International Journal of Educational Management, 37(2), 393-416. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Lambriex‐Schmitz, P., Van der Klink, M. R., Beausaert, S., Bijker, M., & Segers, M. (2020). When innovation in education works: stimulating teachers' innovative work behaviour. International Journal of Training and Development, 24(2), 118-134. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Lee, D., Arnold, M., Srivastava, A., Plastow, K., Strelan, P., Ploeckl, F., ... & Palmer, E. (2024). The impact of generative AI on higher education learning and teaching: A study of educators’ perspectives. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 100221. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Liu, S., Lu, J., & Yin, H. (2022). Can professional learning communities promote teacher innovation? A multilevel moderated mediation analysis. Teaching and Teacher Education, 109, 103571. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Maun, D., Chand, V. S., & Shukla, K. D. (2023). Influence of teacher innovative behaviour on students’ academic self-efficacy and intrinsic goal orientation. Educational Psychology, 43(6), 679-697. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Mousa, M. (2025). AI-supported formative assessments: Enhancing student-centered learning and teacher perceptions. Journal of Pedagogy and Education Science, 4(02), 127-141. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Nemani, S. (2025). Evaluating the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Reducing Administrative Burden and Enhancing Instructional Efficiency in Middle Schools. Current Perspectives in Educational Research, 8(1), 1–16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Newman, A., Round, H., Wang, S., & Mount, M. (2020). Innovation climate: A systematic review of the literature and agenda for future research. Journal of Occupational and organizational psychology, 93(1), 73-109. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. OECD (2026), OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026: Exploring Effective Uses of Generative AI in Education, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/062a7394-en. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Palmquist, A., Sigurdardottir, H. D. I., & Myhre, H. (2025). Exploring interfaces and implications for integrating social-emotional competencies into AI literacy for education: a narrative review. Journal of Computers in Education, 1-37. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Sethi, S. S., & Jain, K. (2024). AI technologies for social emotional learning: recent research and future directions. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 17(2), 213-225. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Su, D.Y., Gai, M., & Simayilijiang, A. (2026). Cognitive load and teachers’ innovative behavior in AI-enhanced English language instruction: A mediation analysis of technological adaptability. PLoS One, 21(3), e0343002. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Sun, L., Hu, R., & Su, H. (2026). Unlocking human potential in the AI Age: how employee-AI collaboration transforms work engagement through dual psychological pathways. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1705671. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Suyudi, M., Rahmatullah, A. S., Rachmawati, Y., & Hariyati, N. (2022). The effect of instructional leadership and creative teaching on student actualization: Student satisfaction as a mediator variable. International Journal of Instruction, 15(1), 113-134. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Tan, S. (2023). Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for innovation in education. In Learning intelligence: Innovative and digital transformative learning strategies: Cultural and social engineering perspectives (pp. 335-363). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Thurlings, M., Evers, A. T., & Vermeulen, M. (2015). Toward a model of explaining teachers’ innovative behavior: A literature review. Review of educational research, 85(3), 430-471. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Yin, M., Jiang, S., & Niu, X. (2024). Can AI really help? The double-edged sword effect of AI assistant on employees’ innovation behavior. Computers in Human Behavior, 150, 107987. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Usmanova, K., Wang, D., Sumarliah, E., Khan, S. Z., Khan, S. U., & Younas, A. (2023). Spiritual leadership as a pathway toward innovative work behavior via knowledge sharing self-efficacy: moderating role of innovation climate. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, 53(6), 1250-1270. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Wang, X., Gao, Q., Lu, J., Shang, J., & Zhou, Y. (2021). The construction and practical cases of humanmachine collaboration teaching mode in the era of artificial intelligence. Journal of Distance Education, 39(04), 24–33. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Wu, T. J., Liang, Y., & Wang, Y. (2024). The Buffering Role of Workplace Mindfulness: How Job Insecurity of Human-Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Impacts Employees’ Work–Life-Related Outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 39(6), 1395–1411. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

Metrics

Views & Downloads

Similar Articles