Evaluating Crisis Management Performance of Turkish School Administrations: Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In this study, the crisis management performance of the Turkish Education System and School Administration in the case of the Covid-19 Pandemic was evaluated by considering the importance of post-crisis evaluation and research gap. For this purpose, qualitative (N=17) and quantitative (N=444) data of the experiences and opinions of school administrators working in formal compulsory schools selected by purposeful, random and available sampling techniques from different provinces representing first-level statistical regions were evaluated. Crisis management performance evaluation criteria, which were created by a literature review, were utilized in the evaluation. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data. We implemented both content analysis and descriptive statistics in line with the mixed method exploratory sequential research design. We first carried out the content analysis then, we investigated the prevalence of the matter by surveying. At the last phase of the analysis, we synthesized the qualitative and quantitative results. At the end of the study, it was observed that the crisis management practices of the Turkish Education System were not based on a long-term foresight, no preliminary preparation was made, and the problems in performing the basic functions during the crisis could not be completely resolved. For this reason, it has been concluded that the performance of the Turkish Education System and school administrations in managing the crisis is low.

Keywords

• crisis management
• school administrations
• exploratory sequential mixed method

References

1. Aksoy, H.H. & Aksoy, N. (2003). Okullarda krize müdahale planlaması [Crisis intervention planning in schools]. Ankara University Journal of Faculty of Educational Sciences, 36(1-2) 37-49. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/auebfd
2. Bailey, J. (2020). Covid-19 closed schools. When they should reopen? Retrieved from https://www.educationnext.org/covid-19-closed-schools-when-should-they-reopen coronavirus/
3. Baysal, E.A. & Ocak, G. (2020). Teachers’ views on the school paradigm shaped after the Covid-19 outbreak and the reopening of schools. Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences, 18 (2), 172-201. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/tebd
4. Bıyıkoğlu, C. (2020). Investigation of primary school administrators’ views on crisis management skills (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). İstanbul Kültür Üniversitesi, İstanbul. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/giris.jsp
5. Bozkuş, K. & Karacabey, M.F. (2019). Information technology use in education through the FATIH project: How far has it gone? Journal of Education for Life, 33(1), 17-32. DOI: 10.33308/26674874.201933191
6. Cemaloğlu, N. (2005). Türkiye de okul yöneticisi yetiştirme ve istihdamı varolan durum, gelecekteki olası gelişmeler ve sorunlar [The training of school principals and their employment in Turkey: Current situation, possible developments in the future and problems]. Gazi Üniversitesi Gazi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 25(2), 249-274. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/gefad
7. Cohen, J. (1960). A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educational and psychological measurement, 20(1), 37-46. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/home/epm
8. Creswell, J.H. & Clark, V.L.P. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Los Angeles: Sage. Çakın, M. & Külekçi Akyavuz, E. (2020). The Covid-19 process and its reflection on education: An analysis on teachers’ opinions. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 6(2), 165-186. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.24289/ijsser. 747901

9. Çalışkan, A. (2020). Crisis management: A scale development study. Journal of Turkish Social Sciences Research, 5(2), 106-120. Retrieved from http://tursbad.hku.edu.tr/tr/pub/issue/57516
10. Drucker, P.F. (2008). Management. CA: HarperCollins
11. Erdinç, F. (2018). Kriz yönetiminde etkin liderlik [Efficient leadership in crisis management] (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Okan Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/giris.jsp
12. Fraenkel, J.R., Wallen, N.E., & Hyun, H.H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in education. NY: McGraw-Hill.
13. Gök, R. (2019). Merit based education management (meritocracy) in Turkish Education System. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 52, 39-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.21764/maeuefd.543883
14. Kara, M. (2020). The problems of Turkish Education System according to the opinions of stakeholders in education. Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 21(3), 1650-1694. http://dx.doi.org/10.29299/kefad.853999
15. Karakaya, F., Adıgüzel, M., Üçüncü, G., Çimen, O. & Yılmaz, M. (2021). Teachers’ views towards the effects of Covid-19 Pandemic in the education process in Turkey. Participatory Educational Research, 8(2), 17-30. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.21.27.8.2
16. Karakuş, A. & İnandı, Y. (2018). Examination of administrators’ skills of managing the crisis situations in secondary schools. Mersin University Journal of Faculty of Education, 14(2), 500-518. https://doi.org/10.17860/mersinefd.442864
17. Keleş, H.N., Atay, D. & Karanfil, F. (2020). Instructional leadership behaviours of school principals during the Covid-19 pandemic process. Millî Eğitim Dergisi, 49(1), 155-174. https://doi.org/10.37669/milliegitim.787255
18. Kıral, E. (2019). Çatışma ve kriz yönetimi [Management of crisis and conflict]. In N. Cemaloğlu & M. Özdemir (Eds.), Eğitim yönetiminde kuram ve uygulama [Theory and practice in educational administration](451-506). Ankara: PegemA.
19. Kutlu Abu, N., Bacanak, A. & Gökdere, M. (2016). Prospective teachers’ views about the problems of Turkish Education System. Amasya Education Journal, 5(1), 287-307. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/amauefd/issue/24319/257710
20. Maya, İ. (2014). Teachers’ views concerning the levels of crisis management skills displayed by the managers in public primary schools. Yönetim Bilimleri Dergisi, 12(23) 209-235. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/comuybd/issue/43591/533741
21. Mertens, D. M. (2023). Mixed methods research. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2020). Education responses to covid-19: Embracing digital learning and collaboration. Retrieved from: www.oecd.org/coronavirus/en/
22. Özalp, U. & Levent, A.F. (2021). Investigation of crisis management skills of school principals in terms of various variables related to teachers. Millî Eğitim Dergisi, 230, 461-482. https://doi.org/10.37669/milliegitim.686204
23. Özsezer, S. (2014). Liselerde Kriz Yönetimine İlişkin Yönetici ve Öğretmen Görüşleri [Views of administrators and teachers about crisis management in secondary schools] (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Uşak Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Uşak. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/giris.jsp
24. Reimers, F., Schleicher, A., Saavedra, J., & Tuominen, S. (2021, December 08). Supporting the continuation of teaching and learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Retrieved from https://globaled.gse.harvard.edu/files/geii/files/supporting.pdf
25. Sarı, E. & Sarı, B. (2020). Education management in times of crisis: The case of Covid-19. International Journal of Leadership Studies: Theory and Practice, 3(2), 49-63. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ijls/issue/56102/742188
26. Savaş Yalçın, M., & Akan, D. (2018). Duty and responsibilities of the public sector in ensuring secondary education financing. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 33(4), 1002-1019. https://doi.org/10.16986/HUJE.2018037339
27. Sayın, N. (2008). Examination of crisis management strategy in secondary schools (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Marmara Üniversitesi, İstanbul. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/giris.jsp
28. Schermerhorn. J.R. (2012). Exploring management. Hoboken: Wiley.
29. Spencer, G. (2020). Schools after COVID-19: From a teaching culture to a learning culture. Retrieved from: https://news.microsoft.com/apac/features/technology-in-schools-from-a-teaching-culture-to-a-learning-culture/
30. Tabancalı, E., & Su, Y (2021). Role Ambiguity of School Principals. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 25, 335-359. https://doi.org/10.14689/enad.25.15
31. Teddlie, C. & Tashakkori, A. (2009) Foundations of Mixed Methods Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
32. Turkish Education Association Think Tank (TEDMEM). (2018). Eğitim değerlendirme raporu, 2017 [The report of evaluation education, 2017]. Ankara: TED. Retrieved from: www.tedmem.org/yayin
33. TEDMEM (2019). TALIS 2018 sonuçları ve Türkiye üzerine değerlendirmeler [Results of TALIS 2018 and evaluations about Turkey]. Ankara: TED. Retrieved from www.tedmem.org/yayin
34. TEDMEM (2020). Eğitim değerlendirme raporu, 2019 [The report of evaluation education, 2019]. Ankara: TED. Retrieved from www.tedmem.org/yayin
35. TEDMEM. (2021a). Türkiye’nin TIMSS 2019 performansı üzerine değerlendirme ve öneriler [Evaluation about Turkey’s TIMSS 2019 performance and suggestions]. Ankara: TED. Retrieved from www.tedmem.org/yayin
36. TEDMEM (2021b). Eğitim değerlendirme raporu, 2020 [The report of evaluation education, 2020]. Ankara: TED. Retrieved from www.tedmem.org/yayin
37. Turan, S. (2020). Technological leadership of school principals during the covid-19 period. Millî Eğitim Dergisi, 49(1), 175-199. https://doi.org/10.37669/milliegitim.788133
38. Ulusoy, Z.K. (2020). Okul müdürlerinin kriz yönetimi becerilerinin liderlik stilleri açısından incelenmesi (İzmir örneği) [Examining school principals’ crisis management skills in terms of their leadership styles: In case of Izmir] (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/giris.jsp
39. United Nations International Children’ Emergency Fund (UNICEF). (2020). Framework for reopening schools. Retrieved from: https://www.unicef.org/sites/default/files/2020-06/Framework-for-reopening-schools-2020.pdf
40. World Bank (2018). World Development Report 2018: Learning to Realize Education’s Promise. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1096-1.
41. Yamamoto, G. T., & Altun, D. (2023). The Indispensability of Online Learning After Earthquake in Türkiye. Journal of University Research, 6(2), 125-136. Doi: 10.32329/uad.1268747
42. Yenipınar, Ş., Yıldırım, K. & Tabak, H. (2020). Determining the leadership potential of school administrators based on data triangulation. i.e.: Inquiry in Education, 12(2). Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol12/iss2/7
43. Yeşil, R. & Şahan, E. (2015). Perceptions of teacher candidates about the most important problem of Turkish Education System, its reasons and its solutions. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi (KEFAD), 16(3), 123-143. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/kefad/issue/59449/854077
44. Yıldırım, K., & Yenipınar, Ş. (2019). Qualitative Analysis of the Instructional Accountability Phenomenon Based on the School Administrators’ Views. Kastamonu Education Journal, 27(1), 151-162. doi:10.24106/kefdergi.2420
45. Yılmaz, İ. & Yıldırım, B. (2020). The relationship between the managers’ crisis management skills and emotional intelligence levels. IZU Journal of Education, 2(3), 42-62. https://doi.org/10.46423/izujed.733955
46. Yılmaz, K. & Altınkurt, Y. (2011). Prospective teachers’ views about the problems of Turkish Education System. International Journal of Human Sciences, 8(1), 942-973. Retrieved from http://www.InsanBilimleri.com
47. Yılmaz Fındık, L., & Kavak, Y. (2017). PISA 2012 results: The effects of principal leadership and school autonomy on students’ performance. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 32(4), 939-959. https://doi.org/10.16986/HUJE.2016019330