<![CDATA[General Background Digital era educational changes necessitate educators to adapt and demonstrate creative behavior to support pedagogical quality. Specific Background Self-determination theory posits that internal desires and external rewards determine how much energy professionals invest in generating creative ideas. Knowledge Gap While educational creativity is widely explored, testing internal and external drivers simultaneously as direct predictors within state Islamic schools remains limited. Aims This study investigates the partial and simultaneous predictive value of internal and external motivation on educators' innovative work behavior at MTs Negeri 1 Merangin Regency. Results Multiple linear regression analysis of simulated survey data reveals that internal drive (β = 0.457; p < 0.001) and external rewards (β = 0.377; p = 0.002) significantly predict creative actions. Concurrently, these variables account for 49.7% of the behavioral variance (F = 22.245; p < 0.001), with internal factors exhibiting stronger predictive strength. Novelty This research provides a comprehensive motivational framework by evaluating the combined contribution of self-determination and organizational support toward educational creativity in a religious school setting. Implications School management must cultivate a professional environment prioritizing autonomy and competence development alongside targeted external recognition to foster sustainable pedagogical creativity. Highlights Internal drive strongly forecasts pedagogical creativity and idea implementation among educators. External recognition and professional development opportunities significantly support educational advancements. Combined internal desires and organizational rewards account for nearly half of the behavioral variance. Keywords Intrinsic Motivation; Extrinsic Motivation; Innovative Work Behavior; Educational Innovation; Self-Determination Theory]]>
