Pandemic-Informed Principal: Lessons Learned In Urban Schools

Authors

  • Dr. Michael Kuran Northern Illinois University Author
  • Dr. Jason Rhode Northern Illinois University Author
  • Dr. Ximena Burgin Northern Illinois University Author
  • Dr. Niyazi Ekici Western Illinois University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70617/qn3m8z90

Keywords:

COVID-19 pandemic , K-12 Education, Educational Leadership, High School Principal, Online Learning, Equity

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the schooling processes in K-12 systems. Principals navigated many challenges both during remote online learning and after returning to in-person education. This study explored the processes that 11 charter high school principals experienced during the pandemic. Using thematic analysis of interview data from 11 school principals, researchers aimed to understand how urban school principals’ perceptions towards online education practices in underprivileged communities have changed towards both online learning and schooling in general during the covid-19 pandemic. The goal of this examination is to then make recommendations for systemic reform. Five themes emerged: 1) school principals’ differing experiences with online learning during the pandemic, 2) challenges and opportunities in transitioning to online learning during the pandemic, 3) equity problems, 4) perspectives of school principals on online learning during the pandemic, and 5) shifts in school principals’ perceptions of online learning. Findings suggest important implications for principals, district leaders, policymakers, and researchers.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

An, H., Mongillo, G., Sung, W., & Fuentes, D. (2022). Factors affecting online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: The lived experiences of parents, teachers, and administrators in US high-needs K-12 schools. Journal of Online Learning Research, 8(2), 203–234.

Bagwell, J. (2020). Leading through a pandemic: Adaptive leadership and purposeful action. Journal of School Administration Research and Development, 5(S1), 30–34. https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v5iS1.2781

Boin, A., P., Stern, E., & Sundelius, B. (2005). The politics of crisis management: Public leadership under pressure. Cambridge University Press.

Brion, C., & Kiral, B. (2021). COVID-19 crisis challenges and management strategies of educational leaders in America. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 8(4), 170–183. https://doi.org/10.33200/ijcer.943568

Carcary, M. (2020). The research audit trail: Methodological guidance for application in practice. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 18(2), 166–177. https://doi.org/10.34190/JBRM.18.2.008

Chatzipanagiotou, P., & Katsarou, E. (2023). Crisis management, school leadership in disruptive times and the recovery of schools in the post COVID-19 Era: A systematic literature review. Education Sciences, 13(2), 118. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020118

Constantia, C., Christos, P., Glykeria, R., Anastasia, A.-R., & Aikaterini, V. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on the educational process: The role of the school principal. Journal of Education, 203(3), 566–573. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574211032588

Creswell, J. W. (2013, November 14). Steps in conducting a scholarly mixed methods study [PowerPoint slides]. DBER Speaker Series.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage.

Dare P. S., & Saleem A. (2022). Principal leadership role in response to the pandemic impact on school process. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 943442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.943442

DeMatthews, D., Reyes, P., Solis Rodriguez, J., & Knight, D. (2023). Principal perceptions of the distance learning transition during the pandemic. Educational Policy, 37(3), 653–675. https://doi.org/10.1177/08959048211049421

Ercikan, K., & Roth, W. M. (2006). What good is polarizing research in qualitative and quantitative? Educational Researcher, 35(5), 14–23. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X035005014

Fernandez, A. A., & Shaw, G. P. (2020). Academic leadership in a time of crisis: The coronavirus and COVID‐19. Journal of Leadership Studies, 14(1), 39–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21684

Francois, C., & Weiner, J. (2022). Internal, moral, and market accountability: Leading urban schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Urban Education, (April). https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859221097019

Halpern, E. S. (1983). Auditing naturalistic inquiries: The development and application of a model (Publication No. 8317108) [Doctoral dissertation, Indiana University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

Hamilton, L. S., Grant, D., Kaufman, J. H., Diliberti, M., Schwartz, H. L., Hunter, G. P., Setodji, C. M., & Young, C. J. (2020). COVID-19 and the state of K-12 Schools: Results and technical documentation from the spring 2020 American educator panels COVID-19 surveys (Research report RR-A168-1). RAND. https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA100/RRA168-1/RAND_RRA168-1.pdf

Harris, A. (2020). COVID-19–school leadership in crisis? Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 5(3/4), 321–326. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-06-2020-0045

Harris, A., & Jones, M. (2022). Leading during a pandemic—what the evidence tells us. School Leadership and Management, 42(2), 105–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2064626

Heath, R. L., & O'Hair, H. D. (Eds.). (2020). Handbook of risk and crisis communication. Routledge.

Jackson, M. (2023). Backtalk: What principals need to know to respond to a crisis. Phi Delta Kappan, 104(5), 66–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/00317217231156245

Kafle, N. P. (2013). Hermeneutic phenomenological research method simplified. Bodhi: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 5(1), 181–200

Kaufman, J. H., Diliberti, M. K., Hunter, G. P., Snoke, J., Grant, D., Setodji, C. K., & Young, C. J. (2021). COVID-19 and the state of K–12 schools: Results and technical documentation from the Spring 2021 American Educator Panels COVID-19 Surveys. (Research Report A168-7). RAND. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA168-7.html

Kaul, M., VanGronigen, B. A., & Simon, N. S. (2020). Calm during crisis: School principal approaches crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic. CPRE Research Briefs. (ED614234). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED614234.pdf

King N. (2004). Using templates in the thematic analysis of text. In Cassell C., Symon G. (Eds.), Essential guide to qualitative methods in organizational research (pp. 257–270). Sage.

Koch, T. (1994). Establishing rigor in qualitative research: The decision trail. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 19(5), 976–986. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1994.tb01177.x

Kraft, M., Simon, N., & Lyon, M. A. (2020). Sustaining a sense of success: The importance of teacher working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic (Ed Working Paper 20-279). Annenberg Institute at Brown University. (ED610252). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED610252.pdf

Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077

Lincoln Y. S., Guba E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.

McLeod, S., & Dulsky, S. (2021). Resilience, reorientation, and reinvention: School leadership during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Education, 6, Article 637075. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.637075

Netolicky, D. M. (2020). School leadership during a pandemic: Navigating tensions. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 5(3/4), 391–395. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-05-2020-0017

Noor, S., Isa, F. Md., & Mazhar, F. F. (2020). Online teaching practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational Process: International Journal, 9(3), 169–184. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2020.93.4

Perera, R. M., & Diliberti, M. K. (2023, June 8). Survey: Principals say they need better-trained teachers and more resources to address student misbehavior. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/survey-principals-say-they-need-better-trained-teachers-and-more-resources-to-address-student-misbehavior/

RAND. (2020). RAND American educator panels, American school leader panel, 2020 COVID-19 distance learning survey.

Reardon, S. F., Weathers, E. S., Fahle, E. M., Jang, H., & Kalogrides, D. (2019). Is separate still unequal? New evidence on school segregation and racial academic achievement gaps. (CEPA Working Paper No. 19-06). Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis.

Rigby, J., Forman, S., Foster, L., Kazemi, E., & Clancey, S. (2020). Promising district leadership practices for transformative change in the context of COVID-19 [Policy brief]. University of Washington College of Education. https://education.uw.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/Promising-Leadership-Practices-Brief.pdf

Saldaña, J. (2009). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Sage.

Smith, L., & Riley, D. (2012) School leadership in times of crisis. School Leadership and Management, 32(1), 57–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2011.614941

Superville, D. (2022, January 26). New survey: How the pandemic has made school leadership more stressful. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/new-survey-how-thepandemic-has-made-school-leadership-more-stressful/2022/01

Thurston, T. (2024). Humanizing Online Discussions by remixing AI and #DigitalPowerups. Journal of Educational Impact, 1(1), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.70617/pjesgb87

Varela, D. G., & Fedynich, L. (2020). Leading schools from a social distance: Surveying south Texas school district leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 38(4), 1–10.

Virella, P. M. (2023). Introducing the pillars of equity-oriented crisis leadership: A conceptual framework. School Leadership and Management, 43(4), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2023.2186848

Published

2024-12-30

Data Availability Statement

N/A

How to Cite

Kuran, M., Rhode, J., Burgin , X., & Ekici, N. (2024). Pandemic-Informed Principal: Lessons Learned In Urban Schools. Journal of Educational Impact, 1(2), 5-31. https://doi.org/10.70617/qn3m8z90