Remote Leadership: A (Re)qualification of School Leaders in Portugal

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about new challenges to schools' organization leaderships and to school leaders. This study, of qualitative nature, aims at understanding the impact occurred in the area of school management, in pandemic times, from the leaders' perspective, in Portugal. The investigation question is: what prevailed during the remote school management of the leader's team amidst the COVID-19 pandemic time? The sample is a video, with 2 min and 47 s, done by the Leader of a Cluster of Schools, in the North of Portugal, within the context of activities related to affection, promoted by the group of Schools' Libraries, entitled "Month of Affections”, when COVID-19 lockdown was mandatory. The content analysis was done using the webQDA® software. All ethical rules were accounted for. The main results are: (i) adaptation and remote management;(ii) challenges to leadership and (iii) vision for the future. It was concluded that, due to the mandatory social distance, the Leader chose for an active and creative virtual presence (re)qualifying his leadership. The concept of this remote leadership kept the organizational balance, leading his co-workers to achieve the defined objectives. The remote leadership will have to be a dialogical field in the Public Policies of the Ministry of Education and Science in Portugal. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

From the Classroom to Digital Platforms—A Study with Teachers and Families

With the Covid-19 pandemic, classroom teaching activities were suspended and distance learning was seen as an alternative for students at all levels of education, to continue their learning. This study aims to know the perceptions of teachers and families regarding distance learning. The study had the participation of two teachers and two families, from two primary schools in the north of Portugal. Through a qualitative methodology using the interview, as an instrument of data collection, an attempt was made to emphasize the participants’ points of view and the meaning they have on the subject. The main results demonstrate that although distance learning allows flexible management of the timetable and greater autonomy for students, it can be unfavorable in terms of the development of socio-emotional skills. The difficulties felt point to the lack of monitoring by students, time management and the lack of technological skills. The investment in teacher training in this area was considered as a suggestion for improvement. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.