Conclusion

As we introduced at the beginning of this book and as illustrated across the three sections, leadership is an evolving, multi-faceted, and dynamic process. We began by describing the inspiring feminist and literary traditions of women in distance education. Then we identified specific and relevant leadership approaches to situate our thinking. In a collection of stories, the chapter authors share their unconventional journeys to leadership, often noting that they had a responsibility that few wanted or, in some cases, recognized was needed. Threaded throughout this book are post-heroic narratives that illuminate women’s desire for relational and inclusive leadership practices and demonstrate the need for thoughtful communication and collegial support. In these examples, we see an opportunity for future theorists and scholars to consider the nuanced ways that women demonstrate leadership in higher education, potentially to advance a theory of distance education leadership.

We turn now to a summary of the themes emerging from the chapters. The first section is a multi-dimensional representation of the contexts within which distance education leaders work. The voices in “Planning Learning” resonate with some of our own experiences with leadership in higher education. Authors describe their work in course and program development, instructional design, and faculty development. Research supports this pathway to leadership. For example, Pollard and Kumar (2021) recognized the contribution potential of instructional designers. Although they did not use the word leadership for this uniquely positioned group of professionals with deep and wide influences in the academy, they pointed out that “instructional designers are beginning to be recognized for the deeper, more expansive, and more transformative potential they offer to institutions: the potential to support strategic missions and bring change at the organizational level” (p. 8). Other scholars have identified instructional design competencies as unique skills and approaches valuable for leadership functions. However, instructional designers do not always identify themselves as leaders. Schwier et al. (2006) articulated multiple levels of agency among instructional designers with interactions among operational and organizational areas of focus and pointed out that opportunities for transformative agency exist in the very nature of their work and processes of communication. In other words, by creating environments for effective learning, designers influence the performance of others in their communities. The chapter authors describe their contributions as agentic.

The chapters in “Communicating and Collaborating” also include the voices of those who identify as middle-level leaders. These stories confirm that, supported by effective communication and collaborative action, leadership involves strategic, thoughtful design and innovative solutions to ill-structured and often externally imposed problems. Research supports the need for these competencies in the management and leadership of distance education (Ashbaugh & Piña, 2014; Nworie, 2012). The narratives add to the literature of design thinking (Schön, 1987; Zenke, 2014) in which designers address “wicked,” complex problems creatively. Branson and colleagues (2016) contended that, though power and authority are not necessarily features of middle-level leadership, influence and persuasion often are. In these narratives, women report enacting leadership from a multidirectional relational stance. They portray perseverance and innovation in response to challenges. Their stories illustrate that distance education approaches can serve as a continuity model during times of disruption and crisis, often because of weather-related events, emergencies, or pandemics. Abrupt changes in their environments provided leadership opportunities, creating conditions that disrupted the status quo or inspired leadership action.

In “Reflecting on Experiences,” the chapter authors share deeply personal, evocative stories of their leadership journeys. We are inspired by the courage and resilience that these narratives highlight, and we identify with expressed feelings of under-representation and imposter syndrome. For those who identify as members of marginalized or racialized communities—including women—the foundational values of distance education that promote and facilitate access to knowledge and social mobility are evident. This theme lingers in the trust demonstrated by the authors, who with their words advocate for change, especially reconciliation, decolonization, and employment equity. The authors not only write about their experiences but also share insights and learning that emerged from their reflections and meanings negotiated between self and others (Lyle, 2013). These reflective narratives illustrate the importance of safe spaces, both physical and virtual. The experiences lead to an understanding of the power of conversation and grassroots networking, sharing stories of personal and systemic discrimination and injustice, and ultimately offering alternative approaches to leadership. This gives us hope for the future.