An investigation of the relationship between teachers' innovative characteristics and effective teaching strategies

This study aims to investigate the relationship between teachers' innovative characteristics and their use of effective teaching strategies. Additionally, it seeks to explore whether these innovative traits and teaching practices differ across various demographic factors. A descriptive correlational survey design was employed, with a sample of 373 teachers. Data were collected using the "Effective Teaching Strategies Scale" and the "Innovative Teacher Characteristics Scale." The results indicate that, on the Innovative Teacher Characteristics Scale, teachers rated the sub-dimension "openness to development and collaboration" at an "agree" level, while other sub-dimensions and the overall scale were rated at a "strongly agree" level. Analyses based on demographic variables showed no statistically significant differences in innovative characteristics according to gender, years of experience, or academic title. However, differences emerged according to age in the "openness to development and collaboration" sub-dimension; according to marital status in the "openness to learning" and "openness to development and collaboration" sub-dimensions; and according to teaching level in all sub-dimensions and the overall scale. Regarding the Effective Teaching Strategies Scale, teachers indicated "agree" levels in the sub-dimensions of "goal setting and hypothesis formation," "homework," "collaborative learning," and "summarizing and note-taking," while other sub-dimensions and the overall scale received "strongly agree" ratings. No significant gender differences were found in the sub-dimensions of "rewarding," "summarizing and note-taking," "goal setting and hypothesis formation," and "identifying similarities and differences," although other sub-dimensions and the overall scale showed significant differences. In terms of teaching level and marital status, only the "summarizing and note-taking" sub-dimension showed no significant variation. Age differences were significant across most sub-dimensions and the overall scale, except for "identifying similarities and differences," "non-verbal representations, cues, and questions," "summarizing and note-taking," and "rewarding." Years of experience affected the "collaborative learning" sub-dimension, while academic title did not produce significant differences. Finally, a significant and positive correlation was found between teachers' innovative characteristics and their use of effective teaching strategies. Keywords: Teacher, innovativeness, innovative teacher, effective teaching strategies