Date
12-7-2023
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Cristie McClendon
Keywords
leadership practices, COVID-19 in schools, crisis management, school leadership
Disciplines
Education | Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Margaret H., "A Phenomenological Exploration of the Leadership Experiences of School Leaders During COVID-19 Changes" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4987.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4987
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the leadership experiences of school leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory guiding this study was Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory as it focuses on the idea that leadership is contingent and can be adjusted based upon the factors of a situation. The situational leadership theory can help to explain the adjustments in leadership practices that could be made when the employee’s task changes, or their relationship needs change. The relationship between the situational leadership theory and this study was the change in faculty task and setting situations during the COVID-19 pandemic and the leader’s experience with those changes. The central research question guiding this study was: What are the experiences of school leaders while leading their faculty and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic? This transcendental, phenomenological study included ten school leaders in Georgia who were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Through individual interviews, a focus group, and writing a hypothetical letter, participants offered insight into their leadership experiences while leading schools through COVID-19. Data coding and analysis followed the process of epoché, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis. The five primary themes that were reflected in the data were: (a) decision-making; (b) communication; (c) educational shifts; (d) health and well-being; and (e) leadership. The findings showed that leadership adjustments were made as school leaders had to increase intentionality and connection with constituents, while struggling with the limitations that came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
