Commercial Triage in Public Schooling: COVID-19, Autonomy and 'within System' Inequality

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Commercial Triage in Public Schooling: COVID-19, Autonomy and 'within System' Inequality
Language: English
Authors: Lauren Cuskelly (ORCID 0000-0003-4143-1205), Anna Hogan (ORCID 0000-0003-1934-2548), Greg Thompson (ORCID 0000-0003-0484-8175)
Source: Journal of Educational Administration and History. 2024 56(4):448-464.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Commercialization, Public Schools, COVID-19, Pandemics, Equal Education, Personal Autonomy, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Decision Making, Principals, Administrator Attitudes, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1080/00220620.2023.2174953
ISSN: 0022-0620
1478-7431
Abstract: The importance of commercial products increased in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as leaders grappled with school closures. Pre-COVID principals viewed their schools as mainly procuring commercial services for administrative support and teacher professional development. After school closures, principals came to emphasise commercialisation as technological infrastructure, online learning platforms, video conferencing software and/or digital tools for community engagement. This shift was borne out of necessity as principals found themselves having to make 'snap decisions' as to the products that could best support their school communities. This is a specific form of 'triaging' as the pandemic required leaders with pedagogical and curricular expertise to make technical decisions. In systems where increasing autonomy has been offset by decreasing central support, the concern is that issues of access and utility of commercial products can be pernicious in rewarding the privileged and effectively punishing the least advantaged within public systems.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1446015
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:The importance of commercial products increased in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as leaders grappled with school closures. Pre-COVID principals viewed their schools as mainly procuring commercial services for administrative support and teacher professional development. After school closures, principals came to emphasise commercialisation as technological infrastructure, online learning platforms, video conferencing software and/or digital tools for community engagement. This shift was borne out of necessity as principals found themselves having to make 'snap decisions' as to the products that could best support their school communities. This is a specific form of 'triaging' as the pandemic required leaders with pedagogical and curricular expertise to make technical decisions. In systems where increasing autonomy has been offset by decreasing central support, the concern is that issues of access and utility of commercial products can be pernicious in rewarding the privileged and effectively punishing the least advantaged within public systems.
ISSN:0022-0620
1478-7431
DOI:10.1080/00220620.2023.2174953