Management Skills and Styles of School Principals during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Metadata
Show full item recordEditorial
MDPI
Materia
Principals’ leadership School climate Pandemic challenge (COVID-19) Self-efficacy
Date
2022-11-08Referencia bibliográfica
Taun, K.; Zagalaz-Sánchez, M.L.; Chacón-Cuberos, R. Management Skills and Styles of School Principals during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Educ. Sci. 2022, 12, 794. [https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12110794]
Abstract
The present study investigated a significant issue among a population with unique characteristics.
This research and discussion centered on the challenges of running a school during the
COVID-19 pandemic. The central question in this study was, how do school principals perceive their
abilities and the skills required to run schools during the pandemic? In addition, this study aimed to
assess the awareness of the teachers that were subordinate to these same school principals and the
impact of their leadership style. The current study involved 151 teachers and 18 school principals
from 18 governmental Bedouin schools in Israel. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data
and measure the research variables. To analyze the data, indices and statistical tests were applied
using SPSS software. The main research findings indicated that the teachers perceived the leadership
styles of their school principals as a formative and rewarding part of their personality and not as an
evasive style. The principals reported a high level of availability and accessibility and appropriate
communication levels with all of the relevant parties. Moreover, the principals reported their level of
decision-making ability as high, their judgment calls as sound, and their organizational planning
skills and knowledge-development abilities as excellent. Additionally, cultivating the organizational
structure was a priority for the principals; they believed that they could develop a comfortable and
supportive organizational atmosphere and that this was the core of their work. The school principals
perceived themselves as having the requisite skills, including a high level of ability and efficient team
management. Self-confidence and a high level of competence helped the school principals cope with
the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and traverse them safely.