Pedagogical knowledge absorptive capacity and LMX as proactive and strategic approaches to work engagement and teacher creativity: a job demands-resource perspective

Teacher creativity is widely recognised as a key driver of educational innovation, shaped by work engagement and proactive individual behaviours. Drawing on the extended Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theoretical framework, this study examines how the quality of leader–member exchange (LMX) and proactive pedagogical knowledge absorptive capacity (PACAP) affect teacher engagement and creativity. Survey data were collected from 3,016 teachers across 151 public schools in Malaysia. Structural Equation Modelling results reveal that high-quality LMX relationships significantly enhance innovation self-efficacy, reduce workplace stress, and strengthen teacher trust, which in turn, contribute to higher levels of work engagement and creativity. Furthermore, PACAP was also found to be significantly associated with innovation self-efficacy and teacher trust, highlighting its role as an essential personal resource in enhancing teachers’ creativity and pedagogical practices. This study highlights the pivotal role of leadership and PACAP in fostering innovative teaching practices and improving teacher performance.