Distributed Leadership as an Enhancer of Quality Doctoral Training in Open and Distance Electronic Learning (ODeL) Institutions in Zimbabwe

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Page: 1492-1499

Tichaona Mapolisa¹, Sophie Hlatywayo², and Lincoln Hlatywayo³ (Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer Directorate, Zimbabwe Open University, Zimbabwe¹, Faculty of Education, Zimbabwe Open University, Zimbabwe², School of Education, National University of Vanuatu, Vanuatu³)

The quality of doctoral training programmes could improve with the use of distributed leadership. This study focused specifically on how distributed leadership can enhance the quality of doctoral training in Open and Distance electronic Learning (ODeL) institutions in Zimbabwe. It was guided by a pragmatism research philosophy and a pragmatist research paradigm. The methodology used was a mixed methods approach, specifically an exploratory sequential mixed method. The researchers randomly selected sixteen doctoral training supervisors from a pool of 32, twenty internal examiners from 60, and twenty-four external examiners from 72 at an ODeL university in Zimbabwe. Additionally, six doctoral coordinators were included as a complete sample to gather qualitative data. The key informants and respondents were coded through open coding. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, while the quantitative data were presented in tables based on insights from the qualitative findings. The study revealed that university management that embraces distributed leadership significantly enhances the quality of doctoral training in ODeL environments. Another important finding was that distributed leadership is closely linked to professional and academic guidance that benefits doctoral training. Furthermore, it empowers all stakeholders involved in doctoral training with valuable decision-making skills that contribute to quality outcomes. Distributed leadership also plays a crucial role in promoting high standards in doctoral training within ODeL settings. It fosters collaboration among stakeholders, allowing them to work together harmoniously in pursuit of quality doctoral training, as it incorporates shared leadership practices. The study suggests that those in charge of doctoral training like coordinators, supervisors, and examiners should mix distributed leadership with other leadership styles to improve the quality of doctoral training. It’s important to conduct further research in this area using both quantitative and qualitative methods. This way, we can achieve results that are both broadly applicable and deeply insightful.