Preparedness for Leading Online in a Polycrisis, a Call to Action Framework

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Leading in a Rapidly Advancing Digital Landscape: Technology, Crisis, and the Future of Educational Leadership

Abstract

Online public education is widely privatized amid global democratic backsliding reported for 82 countries, yet virtual school leadership (VSL) remains underexplored in research. Despite the demand for cyber schooling, some U.S. preservice programs likely lack training on leading equitably and collaboratively in virtual environments. To understand virtual leaders’ work, I examined VSL with relevance to leadership preparation and research. Professional standards and virtual learning theories informed this literature review. Select U.S. studies were qualitatively coded using document analysis. An integrative review approach was applied to online learning and virtual leadership linked to community and equity concepts. Out of 113 sources, 33 underwent refined analysis. Findings indicate that community and equity were primary leadership orientations and concerns discerned in virtual programming.

Author

• Carol A. Mullen, Virginia Tech