The purpose of this exploratory case study was to learn about the effective practices that recognized tech-savvy principals enacted to support teaching and learning in their schools during the first academic year of the COVID-19 crisis. The study involved semi structured interviews with five recognized tech-savvy school principals. It also involved analyzing supporting materials and documents.
The findings of this study indicated that tech-savvy principals were not stuck in the structural rut that most principals found themselves in during the COVID-19 crisis. Four main themes emerged from the data. The first theme addressed how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated decisive decision making during the COVID-19 crisis to maintain the safety of their students. Theme two was about how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated flexibility during the crisis to maximize their schools functioning. Third theme addressed the recognized tech-savvy principals’ creativity. The fourth theme focused on how recognized tech-savvy principals used communications to encourage family engagement to strengthen students’ learning.
Based on these findings, the new knowledge established in this study contributes to the literature of school technology leadership and crisis leadership as important factors to supporting teaching and learning process during the time of crises through leveraging the crisis leadership attributes.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this exploratory case study was to learn about the effective practices that recognized tech-savvy principals enacted to support teaching and learning in their schools during the first academic year of the COVID-19 crisis. The study involved semi structured interviews with five recognized tech-savvy school principals. It also involved analyzing supporting materials and documents.</p> <p>The findings of this study indicated that tech-savvy principals were not stuck in the structural rut that most principals found themselves in during the COVID-19 crisis. Four main themes emerged from the data. The first theme addressed how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated decisive decision making during the COVID-19 crisis to maintain the safety of their students. Theme two was about how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated flexibility during the crisis to maximize their schools functioning. Third theme addressed the recognized tech-savvy principals’ creativity. The fourth theme focused on how recognized tech-savvy principals used communications to encourage family engagement to strengthen students’ learning.</p> <p>Based on these findings, the new knowledge established in this study contributes to the literature of school technology leadership and crisis leadership as important factors to supporting teaching and learning process during the time of crises through leveraging the crisis leadership attributes.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Alzahrani, Mohsen"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Kristina A. Hesbol","Jayson W. Richardson","Shimelis G. Assefa","Douglas Allen"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:03:19Z","subjects":["Educational technology","School leadership","Technology-savvy principal","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2034","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Kristina A. Hesbol","Jayson W. Richardson","Shimelis G. Assefa","Douglas Allen"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Alzahrani, Mohsen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-07-27T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Educational technology","School leadership","Technology-savvy principal","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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The findings of this study indicated that tech-savvy principals were not stuck in the structural rut that most principals found themselves in during the COVID-19 crisis. Four main themes emerged from the data. The first theme addressed how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated decisive decision making during the COVID-19 crisis to maintain the safety of their students. Theme two was about how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated flexibility during the crisis to maximize their schools functioning. Third theme addressed the recognized tech-savvy principals’ creativity. The fourth theme focused on how recognized tech-savvy principals used communications to encourage family engagement to strengthen students’ learning.
Based on these findings, the new knowledge established in this study contributes to the literature of school technology leadership and crisis leadership as important factors to supporting teaching and learning process during the time of crises through leveraging the crisis leadership attributes.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Tech-Savvy School Principals Leveraging Crisis Leadership to Support Teaching and Learning in Their Schools Through COVID-19 Pandemic"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Kristina A. Hesbol","Jayson W. Richardson","Shimelis G. Assefa","Douglas Allen"],"dc:creator":["Alzahrani, Mohsen"],"dc:date.available":["2022-07-27T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this exploratory case study was to learn about the effective practices that recognized tech-savvy principals enacted to support teaching and learning in their schools during the first academic year of the COVID-19 crisis. The study involved semi structured interviews with five recognized tech-savvy school principals. It also involved analyzing supporting materials and documents.
The findings of this study indicated that tech-savvy principals were not stuck in the structural rut that most principals found themselves in during the COVID-19 crisis. Four main themes emerged from the data. The first theme addressed how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated decisive decision making during the COVID-19 crisis to maintain the safety of their students. Theme two was about how recognized tech-savvy principals demonstrated flexibility during the crisis to maximize their schools functioning. Third theme addressed the recognized tech-savvy principals’ creativity. The fourth theme focused on how recognized tech-savvy principals used communications to encourage family engagement to strengthen students’ learning.
Based on these findings, the new knowledge established in this study contributes to the literature of school technology leadership and crisis leadership as important factors to supporting teaching and learning process during the time of crises through leveraging the crisis leadership attributes.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2034"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Educational technology","School leadership","Technology-savvy principal","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"dc:title":["Tech-Savvy School Principals Leveraging Crisis Leadership to Support Teaching and Learning in Their Schools Through COVID-19 Pandemic"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:03:19Z"}