Leading from Afar: Navigating the Challenges and Strategies of Distance Management in Education

Abstract

The use of technology to enhance distance learning has become more prevalent in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made distance learning an essential part of education. However, the management of distance learning, where students and trainers are physically separated, has not received as much attention as the practice of distance learning itself. For this reason, the investigation of how management issues and school leadership are carried out at a distance as an alternative in educational management processes has been conducted. It is a fact that teaching and learning practices in different places and times have advantages, but also some disadvantages. Therefore, it is important to consider how these processes are managed at a distance. The research investigates whether behaviours such as effective interpersonal communication, planning and monitoring educational processes, and providing effective leadership change as physical distance increases. The study involved interviews with both teachers and administrators. The findings suggest that principals faced difficulties in establishing good interaction with stakeholders. The school leaders aimed to maintain leadership from within the school, while teachers argued that principals were too controlling in administrative processes and questioned the necessity of an administrator in distance education. In conclusion, I argue that principals should display different characteristics in distance management processes compared to the leadership behaviours they exhibit in school. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.