The influence of school culture on teacher development during Covid-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused teachers and learners to be removed from their school communities, negatively impacting school culture, and limiting teacher professional development (PD). Online PD programmes emerged to meet these needs. This study investigated how schools implemented teacher PD and mechanisms for teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was necessary to understand the complex interplay between school culture and teacher PD, and Wenger's social learning theory was used to prescribe the empirical prescription. This study examined the influence of school culture on Mathematics and Science teacher development during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative approach was used to compare three independent schools in the same Educational Trust in Gauteng. The empirical findings of this study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant influence on the school culture, consequently giving rise to explicit professional learning communities (PLCs), which in turn influenced the teachers’ pedagogical repertoires for curriculum delivery during a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of schools transforming their practices and adapting their school cultures. Results showed that school culture is not static, and individuals had to reflect collectively to develop ideas to transform learning. Schools need to learn from the pandemic, adjust their values, and use their newfound insights and beliefs to work towards a new learning culture. Future research must evaluate unfolding PLC practices, strategies, and implementations during a crisis.