Table 4 Results: Opinion pieces

Beaudoin (2016). Issues in Distance Education: A Primer for Higher Education Decision Makers. New Directions for Higher Education, (173), 9–19.

Opinion piece, exploring distance education issues in HE from a leadership point of view

Presents an overview of current issues related to distance learning in HE. Identifies central questions, issues, challenges and opportunities to be addressed by decision makers, as well as 15 key attributes of effective leaders.

Brown (2014). Reenvisioning Teaching and Learning: Opportunities for Campus IT. Libraries and the Academy, 14(3), 383–391.

Opinion piece, IT et educational technology

Explores the role of IT departments in relation to educational technology and argues for IT to play a strategic role in the development of teaching and learning innovation, implying rethinking the roles of the chief information officer (CIO) and the academic technologist.

Chow (2013). One Educational Technology Colleague’s Journey from Dotcom Leadership to University E-Learning Systems Leadership: Merging Design Principles, Systemic Change and Leadership Thinking. TechTrends, 57(5), 64–75.

Opinion piece, personal reflexion on attempts to bring about change as a learning technology leader

Concludes the need to develop systems thinking and to focus on the human aspects, bringing stakeholders together to discuss issues and find solutions. Proposes an e-learning systems change model around ends, means and processes. Main issues: define the vision and assess whether support unit has the appropriate competences.

Moccia (2016). Managing Educational Reforms during Times of Transition: The Role of Leadership. Higher Education for the Future, 3(1), 26–37.

Opinion piece based on personal experience as HE leader

Presents a strategy summarised in six points to help HE leaders reinvent their industry: be global, financially sustainable, value-added, technological-oriented, a strategic local partner, substance more important than form.

Persichitte (2013). Leadership for Educational Technology Contexts in Tumultuous Higher Education Seas. TechTrends, 57(5), 14–17.

Opinion piece based on personal experience and some theoretical references. Guiding principles for educational technology leadership

Importance of history and legacy, knowing when to lead from the front and from behind, using iterative data collection for shared problem-solving, awareness of policy and politics, horizon scanning, taking calculated risks, being prepared to take the hard decisions.

Watson and Watson (2013). Exploding the Ivory Tower: Systemic Change for Higher Education. Tech Trends, 57(5), 42–46.

Opinion piece, educational technologists as change agents

Argues for the need for the systemic change of higher education and presents educational technologists as particularly well placed to lead this change.