Qualitative Research on Transition into Distance Learning: The Perspective of Higher Education Leaders

Abstract

The paper presents the successful transition into distance learning and shows the leaders’ role in higher education organisations. The authors discuss qualitative research carried out in 2021 on the perspective of the education leaders, their role and their significant impact on the educational process’s success and effectiveness. The pandemic period showed the weakness of educational organisations. That was a good chance to review existing situations and organisations’ preparation for the transition into distance learning. The research shows the weak points of the organisations and the impact of the higher education organisations’ leaders in managing the transition period by assuring high-quality education. The findings/conclusions obtained from the research focus/emphasise the importance of communication between university management and departments, the evaluation provided by students, the balance of traditional things and virtual tools, variety in teaching and learning, opportunities of the didactics and proactive communication. The article will be interesting both to researchers of higher education development problems in the direction of digitalisation (in particular, distance learning organisations) and to practitioners who are directly involved in modernising the educational process utilising online technologies.