Community Leaders' Sensemaking of Environmental Jolts: A Case Study of Pandemic Response

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Educational Leaders Engaging in Decision-Making and Sensemaking of Policy and Practice

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a defining catastrophe. This study focuses on an urban community in New England at the epicenter of the pandemic, with high rates of illness, death, financial hardships, and a halt to in-person school and services that lasted over a year. Drawing on organizational change and sensemaking theory, we conduct a thematic analysis of 20 interviews with cross-sector community leaders (e.g., government officials, school district administrators, non-profit directors, church leaders) to evaluate how leaders made sense of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also explore how sensemaking led to responses to providing basic needs and establishing collaborative networks to address child wellbeing. We explore the implications of these findings for ongoing and future environmental jolts and crises.

Authors

• Rebecca J. Lowenhaupt, Boston College

• Betty Lai, Boston College

• Gabrielle Oliveira, Harvard University

• Almi Abeyta

• Aaron T Jennings, Chelsea Public Schools