Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Rhode, Jason

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment (ETRA)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional K-12 education worldwide, forcing a rapid shift to emergency remote teaching and learning. This dissertation utilizes a three-article approach and investigates the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on urban charter high school students and their principals in under-resourced communities. The first article employs the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to explore the relationships between social presence, engagement, and achievement of students in asynchronous online classes during the pandemic. The second article, framed by Transactional Distance Theory (TDT), delves into factors influencing students' online learning experiences by using quantitative and qualitative methods to capture the nuances of their perspectives. The third article employs an equity-oriented crisis leadership framework to examine how urban school principals in underprivileged communities perceived and navigated online education practices during the pandemic.Data for the first and second articles are drawn from 395 high school students in a nonprofit charter school network (CSN) in the Midwestern United States, utilizing de-identified secondary data. The third article relies on qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews with 11 high school principals in the CSN's high schools. The research contributes to the literature by providing empirical insights into the impact of the pandemic on student learning outcomes, social presence, and engagement in online education as well as the challenges faced by school principals. The study's contextualization within under-resourced urban communities in the Midwest enhances the understanding of the experiences of students and principals in high-needs areas. The findings offer practical implications for educators and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of social presence, student engagement, and effective leadership in mitigating the challenges posed by emergency remote teaching. As K-12 schools face ongoing uncertainties, this research provides valuable insights for better preparedness and resilience in high-needs communities.

Extent

157 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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