Developing Joyful Learning Pedagogy to Cultivate Students’ Leadership Skills

The purpose of this study is to highlight the importance of joyful learning pedagogy in fostering leadership skills in teaching and learning environment. Over the last years, joyful learning has increasingly attracted scholarly attention from academic researchers and educators. However, case studies and investigations on joyful learning applied to tertiary educational contexts are rather more limited and scarcer than the aforementioned educational settings. This fact highlights a potential research gap that the present study aims to address. The underpinning theory for this study is the experiential learning theory (ELT). ELT is a holistic model of the learning process that focuses attention on the unique role of experience in learning and development. This study adopts a quantitative research design. A cross-sectional survey was employed, as it allows for the collection of data at a single point in time, making it suitable for assessing the perspectives of students regarding joyful learning experiences and their leadership development. The findings from this study reveal insightful patterns regarding the role of joyful learning pedagogy in enhancing leadership skills among students at the higher institutions of learning. Through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis, we observe several key points regarding students' experiences and their relationship with leadership skill development. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on leadership education by highlighting the importance of joyful learning as a foundational element in leadership skill development. The results demonstrate that students who experience joy, engagement, and positive behavioral influences in their learning environment are more likely to develop leadership skills. The practical implications are valuable for institutions of higher learning in terms of enhancing its pedagogical strategies, creating an educational environment that not only fosters leadership skills but also supports students’ overall motivation and well-being. Recommendations for future studies suggest longitudinal research would be valuable in assessing the long-term effects of joyful learning on leadership development and career outcomes. Comparative analyses between joyful learning pedagogy and traditional methods could help identify the most effective practices for fostering leadership skills.