Crisis Management, School Leadership in Disruptive Times and the Recovery of Schools in the Post COVID-19 Era: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Contemporary school leadership has always been considered to be one of the most pivotal factors conducive to school effectiveness as well as a driver of change and strategic innovation involving the development of a strong vision, attendant goals and a relevant plan for implementation, monitoring and review. However, the disruption in the provision of educational services caused by the recent COVID-19 pandemic global outbreak revealed deficits in school leadership theory that were largely associated with the adoption of proper crisis management skills by the vast majority of schools’ principals to readily adapt to a new reality and effectively confront upcoming challenges, at both instructional and organizational levels. Interestingly, although crisis management as a notion has been substantially elaborated on a theoretical level and successfully applied in different types of crises, it still has not gained a sustained focus within the field of educational leadership, as evidenced by the notable scarcity of related empirical research. This study addresses this gap in the research via a systematic review of scientific papers, published within the 2019–2022 timespan and compiled under the PRISMA framework, reporting on the challenges faced, the crisis management strategies employed and the personality traits that were most commonly associated with effective crisis leadership throughout the turbulent COVID-19 era.

Jewish and Arab teachers' views on school communications, innovation and commitment after COVID-19: sector of education as a moderator

“…These findings align with previous studies showing that employees' affective commitment mediates their willingness to embrace organizational changes and engage in creative and innovative behavior (Soumyaja et al ., 2015). High organizational commitment is associated with positive emotions, intrinsic motivation and increased personal creativity, all of which are crucial for implementing innovative pedagogy, exploring new ideas and fostering collaboration among staff in online teaching (Chatzipanagiotou and Katsarou, 2023; Panisoara et al ., 2020).…”

“…Schools that are characterized be a clear and empathetic communication towards their employees (Harris and Jones, 2020;Pashiardis and Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, 2022) are likely to foster a positive organizational climate, encourage innovation and promote high productivity (Chatzipanagiotou and Katsarou, 2023;Da'as et al, 2022). Based on this premise, the current study posits the following hypotheses: H1.…”

“…Communication characterized by high employee participation, involvement and social connections fosters trust and facilitates change acceptance (Adams et al ., 2021; Alanezi, 2021; Harris and Jones, 2020; Pashiardis and Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, 2022; Schechter et al ., 2022). Additionally, employee involvement enhances their sense of control and motivation in the work environment (Chatzipanagiotou and Katsarou, 2023; Panisoara et al ., 2020).…”

Relationships between COVID-related health literacy, mental health and workload of school leaders

“…Harris and Jones, 2020). In a recent systematic literature review, Chatzipanagiotou and Katsarou (2023) identified three key types of challenge for school leaders that became evident during the pandemic: (1) logistic challenges posed by the lack of infrastructure, resources and efficient planning in schools; (2) academic challenges (e.g. a transition to remote learning, guidance in online teaching practice); and (3) organisational challenges (e.g.…”

Sur les traces de Richard Kern: Acknowledging the pivotal role of technologies in language education

“…Richard Kern's (2024, this issue) text serves as a timely contribution to put into perspective recent developments in the field of technology‐mediated language teaching and learning. It also provides a relevant framework to reflect on both teachers’ and learners’ digital literacy that can be defined as “a range of abilities of a person, such as searching, evaluating, creating, and sharing digital content through digital technology, and represents the person's ability to apply technology critically [emphasis added]” (Pathiranage & Karunaratne, 2023, p. 2).…”