Understanding leaders’ learning pathways in inclusive leadership: integrating learning logs with guided reflection

In the field of Human Resource Development (HRD), inclusive leadership is emerging as an innovative approach to leadership development, reflecting the growing importance of collaboration in the evolving work landscape. This study examines the development of inclusive leadership in an interprofessional education context. A professional development programme consisting of four sessions was conducted, where participants, as part of the programme, kept learning logs and reflective interviews with each participant were held between the sessions. The research question was as follows: How do school and childcare leaders develop inclusive leadership behaviours in the workplace during a dedicated Professional Development Programme? Analysis of the learning logs revealed that participants primarily engaged in a learning pathway of enactment, indicating direct experimentation in their professional context. The reflective interviews uncovered an extended repertoire of learning pathways that frequently incorporated learning through reflection. Our study shows the effectiveness of integrating learning logs with guided reflection as tools to assess and further encourage professional development. On a theoretical level, the Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (IMPG), which we used for mapping learning pathways, enabled us to effectively analyse learning pathways in attaining perceived professional growth in inclusive leadership.