Explanatory variables of educational innovation: A model based on personality traits

Introduction. Innovation is a relevant concept in the field of education inasmuch as it refers to planned processes aimed at improving school organization, teachers’ professional development, student learning, and more. However, it is an element that is influenced by a wide variety of variables. Teachers’ personality traits are those elements that are capable of describing, explaining, and predicting their behaviour. Method. The objective of this study is to offer a statistical model that explains teaching innovation factors based on teachers’ personality factors. A survey was carried out with 1,040 Spanish teachers in basic education. They were given the Teaching Innovation Factors Questionnaire and the 16 Personality Factors Questionnaire. Results. The multiple linear regression analysis resulted in significant models to predict Institutional Participation (R² =.16), Psychopedagogical Openness (R² =.18), and Didactic Planning (R² =.11). The first of these factors can be predicted based on the following personality traits: self-reliance, liveliness, openness to change, affability, social boldness, and perfectionism. The regression model for the second factor consists of openness to change, affability, dominance, liveliness, self-reliance, and stability. The third factor can be predicted based on openness to change, sensitivity, perfectionism, rule-consciousness, dominance, social daring, liveliness, and vigilance. Discussion and Conclusion. In conclusion, some personality factors are part of models that can predict teaching innovation, especially the opening.