Framing and enhancing distributed leadership in the quality management of online learning environments in higher education

This article reports on the findings of senior leadership interviews in a nationally funded project on distributed leadership in the quality management of online learning environments (OLEs) in higher education. Questions were framed around the development of an OLE quality management framework and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Distance education 2014-09, Vol.35 (3), p.382-399
Main Authors: Holt, Dale, Palmer, Stuart, Gosper, Maree, Sankey, Michael, Allan, Garry
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administrator attitudes
Australia
Distance Education
Distance learning
Distributed leadership
Education
Educational leadership
Educational Quality
Electronic Learning
Foreign Countries
Higher Education
Interviews
Leaders
Leadership
Nontraditional Education
Online learning
online learning environments
Quality Assurance
Quality management
School principals
Semi Structured Interviews
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Summary:This article reports on the findings of senior leadership interviews in a nationally funded project on distributed leadership in the quality management of online learning environments (OLEs) in higher education. Questions were framed around the development of an OLE quality management framework and the situation of the characteristics of distributed leadership at the core of the framework. The project's premise is that distributed leadership is a descriptive reality of managing OLEs given the various leadership parties involved and the complexities of the contemporary technological landscape. Leaders' understandings of distributed leadership were examined-its nature, value and potential for advancing the quality management of OLEs. There was confirmatory evidence of its reality, but its meaning and value were not uncritically accepted. It can be concluded that building distributed leadership must start through deliberative formal leadership commitment and action starting at the highest levels of the institution.
ISSN:0158-7919
1475-0198
DOI:10.1080/01587919.2015.955261