Online but Not Alone: Teacher Perceptions of Effective Online School Leadership

• In Event: Not Alone: Educational Leaders Uniting to Address Pressing and Emerging Challenges

Abstract

As school districts develop online learning programs, the need to examine leadership in these programs is paramount. The literature suggests that while many studies focus on effective leadership in brick-and-mortar schools, research on leadership in online programs is limited. We aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions of what makes for effective leadership in online secondary schools in two districts. Using phenomenology, we interviewed six teachers, and qualitatively analyzed the transcripts to name teachers' perceptions of effective OSL as sense of community, organizational learning, and empowerment. This research has implications for educational leadership broadly, but specifically for leadership in online and virtual schools.

Authors

• Joanne Robertson, University of the Fraser Valley
  Presenting Author

• Awneet Sivia, University of the Fraser Valley
  Presenting Author