Effects of Early Childhood Teachers’ Goal Orientation on Teaching Creativity Through Intrinsic Motivation and Informal Learning Experience

This study examined the effects of early childhood teachers’ goal orientation on teaching creativity through intrinsic motivation and informal learning experience to investigate the roles of goal-related, motivational, and experiential factors that explain their teaching creativity. Participants were 257 early childhood teachers in early childhood education centers located in Incheon and Gyeonggi-do. This study measured the teachers’ goal orientation (mastery goal orientation, performance goal orientation), intrinsic motivation, informal learning experience, and teaching creativity. Collected data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling. Results showed that early childhood teachers’ mastery goal orientation, intrinsic motivation, and informal learning experience significantly influenced teaching creativity. However, the effects of performance goal orientation on teaching creativity were not significant. Mastery goal orientation significantly influenced intrinsic motivation and informal learning experience, and performance goal orientation significantly influenced informal learning experience. The effects of intrinsic motivation on informal learning experience were significant. Regarding indirect effects, mastery goal orientation significantly influenced teaching creativity through intrinsic motivation and informal learning experience. Also, mastery goal orientation significantly influenced teaching creativity sequentially mediated by intrinsic motivation and informal learning. The results provide academic implications for examining the goal-related, motivational, and experiential factors that affect early childhood teachers’ teaching creativity. They have practical implications for suggesting specific strategies for the teaching creativity of early childhood teachers.