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Power distance within online and face‐to‐face medical education in Sri Lanka and the UK.

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Title: Power distance within online and face‐to‐face medical education in Sri Lanka and the UK.
Authors: Ellawala, Amaya (AUTHOR), Ledger, Alison (AUTHOR), Wickramasekara, Harith (AUTHOR)
Source: Medical Education. Feb2026, Vol. 60 Issue 2, p127-137. 11p.
Subjects: Power (Social sciences), Clinical medicine, School environment, Medical school faculty, Professional autonomy, Instant messaging, Medical education, Qualitative research, Philosophy of education, Focus groups, Interviewing, Cultural competence, Undergraduate programs, Statistical sampling, Educational technology, Learning, Judgment sampling, Teaching methods, Descriptive statistics, Thematic analysis, Professions, Online education, College teacher attitudes, Research, Research methodology, Communication, Body language, Trust, Alternative education, Teacher-student relationships, Psychology of medical students, Student attitudes, Posture, Psychosocial factors, Authority
Geographic Terms: Sri Lanka, United Kingdom
Abstract: Introduction: The student‐teacher relationship can impact learning ‐ power distance is an integral component of this relationship. This study drew on Hofstede's Model of National Culture to compare UK and Sri Lankan students' and teachers' experiences of power in online and face‐to‐face learning environments. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory approach was employed. Fourteen interviews and two focus groups were undertaken with undergraduate medical students and teachers in the two settings, during which participants drew their perceptions of power in both learning environments (online and face‐to‐face). These rich pictures were analysed using aesthetic analysis alongside participants' interview responses, to explore patterns and construct themes for reporting. Results: Though differences between cultures and learning environments were expected, teachers and students in both countries shared understandings of power distance in the teacher‐student relationship and expected the teacher to hold power in both online and face‐to‐face environments. Teachers expressed a desire to lessen hierarchical relationships and attempted to minimise power differentials when online or face‐to‐face. Strategies for reducing power distance included addressing students by name, using informal and respectful communication, establishing common ground and showing their 'humane' side. Discussion: To achieve greater partnership with students, it is recommended that educators recognise students' strengths and leverage possibilities within their chosen learning environment to modulate the degree of power distance, promote participation and optimise learning. Mind the gap! This study based in Sri Lanka and the UK explores how student‐teacher power distance is perceived in remote and face‐to‐face educational settings along with how it influences learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Medical Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
FullText Text:
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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Power distance within online and face‐to‐face medical education in Sri Lanka and the UK.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ellawala%2C+Amaya%22">Ellawala, Amaya</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ledger%2C+Alison%22">Ledger, Alison</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wickramasekara%2C+Harith%22">Wickramasekara, Harith</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Medical+Education%22">Medical Education</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 60 Issue 2, p127-137. 11p.
– Name: Subject
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  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Power+%28Social+sciences%29%22">Power (Social sciences)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+medicine%22">Clinical medicine</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+environment%22">School environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+school+faculty%22">Medical school faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+autonomy%22">Professional autonomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instant+messaging%22">Instant messaging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+education%22">Medical education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Philosophy+of+education%22">Philosophy of education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Focus+groups%22">Focus groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+competence%22">Cultural competence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+programs%22">Undergraduate programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+sampling%22">Statistical sampling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+technology%22">Educational technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning%22">Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Judgment+sampling%22">Judgment sampling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+methods%22">Teaching methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thematic+analysis%22">Thematic analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professions%22">Professions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+education%22">Online education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+teacher+attitudes%22">College teacher attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research%22">Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication%22">Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Body+language%22">Body language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Trust%22">Trust</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alternative+education%22">Alternative education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher-student+relationships%22">Teacher-student relationships</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+medical+students%22">Psychology of medical students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+attitudes%22">Student attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Posture%22">Posture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychosocial+factors%22">Psychosocial factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Authority%22">Authority</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sri+Lanka%22">Sri Lanka</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Introduction: The student‐teacher relationship can impact learning ‐ power distance is an integral component of this relationship. This study drew on Hofstede's Model of National Culture to compare UK and Sri Lankan students' and teachers' experiences of power in online and face‐to‐face learning environments. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory approach was employed. Fourteen interviews and two focus groups were undertaken with undergraduate medical students and teachers in the two settings, during which participants drew their perceptions of power in both learning environments (online and face‐to‐face). These rich pictures were analysed using aesthetic analysis alongside participants' interview responses, to explore patterns and construct themes for reporting. Results: Though differences between cultures and learning environments were expected, teachers and students in both countries shared understandings of power distance in the teacher‐student relationship and expected the teacher to hold power in both online and face‐to‐face environments. Teachers expressed a desire to lessen hierarchical relationships and attempted to minimise power differentials when online or face‐to‐face. Strategies for reducing power distance included addressing students by name, using informal and respectful communication, establishing common ground and showing their 'humane' side. Discussion: To achieve greater partnership with students, it is recommended that educators recognise students' strengths and leverage possibilities within their chosen learning environment to modulate the degree of power distance, promote participation and optimise learning. Mind the gap! This study based in Sri Lanka and the UK explores how student‐teacher power distance is perceived in remote and face‐to‐face educational settings along with how it influences learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Medical Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=190912033
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/medu.70025
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 127
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Power (Social sciences)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clinical medicine
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical school faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional autonomy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instant messaging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Philosophy of education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Focus groups
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cultural competence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Judgment sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Online education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College teacher attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Body language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Trust
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Alternative education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher-student relationships
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of medical students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Posture
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Authority
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sri Lanka
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Power distance within online and face‐to‐face medical education in Sri Lanka and the UK.
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            NameFull: Ellawala, Amaya
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            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Text: Feb2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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