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The study investigated whether students perceive their university instructors in a virtual learning environment as leaders. Referring to the full range leadership theory (FRLT), we examined the effects of transformational and passive leadership styles of university instructors on students' satisfaction and learning outcomes. Completed web-based questionnaires were obtained from 1270 students who enrolled in large academic courses led by instructors in web-based instructional environments. Data analyses confirmed the validity of the multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) in the virtual asynchronous communication setting with three second-order factors model composed of transformational, active management-by-exception and passive leadership. Leadership styles correlated with student satisfaction: the more the students attributed transformational leadership style to the instructor and the less they attributed …