Instructional Leadership During Modern Crises: A Phenomenological Study of a Pandemic in the Modern Age

Abstract

Significant research exists concerning crisis management in schools; however, educational leaders were unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic (Bratianu & Bejinaru, 2021; Diliberti et al., 2020; Tomasik et al., 2020). This crisis was different from any experienced in modern times. It impacted the entire world in terms of politics, economics, education, and way of life. New issues emerged due to the necessity for schools to implement remote learning. Among those issues were online learning, the disparity of the haves and have nots among students, social and emotional well-being of students, learning loss, and the role of the educator (Martinez & Broemmel, 2021; Vie, 2008; Warschauer et al., 2004; Wilson et al., 2003). Although the long-term effect on education may not be known, it is apparent that schools were affected by the pandemic. This phenomenological study explores the crisis through the experiences of administrators from the same central Alabama school district in three diverse schools. The purpose of this study is to explore school leaders’ level of preparedness for the pandemic by focusing on their commonalities through phenomenological research. The study will focus on the shortcomings of preparation, the evident and possible breakdowns in public education, and how instructional leaders should better prepare for future crises.