Crisis communication and learning: the US higher education’s response to a global pandemic

Khairul Islam; America L. Edwards; Duli Shi; Jung Kyu Rhys Lim; Ronisha Sheppard; Brooke Fisher Liu; Matthew W. Seeger

doi:10.1108/TLO-10-2021-0121

Crisis communication and learning: the US higher education’s response to a global pandemic

Khairul Islam
, America L. Edwards
, Duli Shi
, Jung Kyu Rhys Lim
, Ronisha Sheppard
, Brooke Fisher Liu
, Matthew W. Seeger

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the processes that the US universities and colleges used to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors that facilitated and impeded their learning processes. Design/methodology/approach: To address this study’s research questions, this study used a crisis communication and learning lens to interview crisis response team members from 30 US higher education institutions in May 2020 (the first pandemic semester). In October 2020 (the second pandemic semester), this study conducted follow-up interviews with 25 of the original interviewees. Overall, this study conducted 55 interviews. Findings: Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is facilitated by a recognition of a serious deficiency in the current system and impeded by the need to act quickly. The findings demonstrate the process by which decisions, actions and strategies emerged during crises. Originality/value: This investigation illustrates how crises can prompt organizational learning while demonstrating the critical role of internal and external resources in the learning process.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	357-376
Number of pages	20
Journal	Learning Organization
Volume	29
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-10-2021-0121
State	Published - Aug 16 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Funding

The authors would like to thank Professor Timothy L. Sellnow of the University of Central Florida for his contributions to this research. Funding: This study was funded by the University of Maryland’s coronavirus seed grant program. Ethics Review: This study was approved by the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board (ethics approval #1583498–4) and the Wayne State University Institutional Review Board (ethics approval #1583498). The University of Central Florida Institutional Review Board also administratively approved the study, but did not provide a separate approval number. At the time this research was conducted, co-author America Edwards was a master’s student at the University of Central Florida. All leaders provided written consent to participate in the study. Funding: This study was funded by the University of Maryland’s coronavirus seed grant program.

Funders	Funder number
Wayne State University	1583498
University of Central Florida
University of Maryland, The Maryland NanoCenter	1583498–4

Keywords

Crisis communication
Experiential learning
Higher education
Organizational learning
Vicarious learning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Access to Document

10.1108/TLO-10-2021-0121

Cite this

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abstract = "Purpose: This study investigates the processes that the US universities and colleges used to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors that facilitated and impeded their learning processes. Design/methodology/approach: To address this study{\textquoteright}s research questions, this study used a crisis communication and learning lens to interview crisis response team members from 30 US higher education institutions in May 2020 (the first pandemic semester). In October 2020 (the second pandemic semester), this study conducted follow-up interviews with 25 of the original interviewees. Overall, this study conducted 55 interviews. Findings: Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is facilitated by a recognition of a serious deficiency in the current system and impeded by the need to act quickly. The findings demonstrate the process by which decisions, actions and strategies emerged during crises. Originality/value: This investigation illustrates how crises can prompt organizational learning while demonstrating the critical role of internal and external resources in the learning process.",

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AU - Shi, Duli

AU - Lim, Jung Kyu Rhys

AU - Sheppard, Ronisha

AU - Liu, Brooke Fisher

AU - Seeger, Matthew W.

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AB - Purpose: This study investigates the processes that the US universities and colleges used to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors that facilitated and impeded their learning processes. Design/methodology/approach: To address this study’s research questions, this study used a crisis communication and learning lens to interview crisis response team members from 30 US higher education institutions in May 2020 (the first pandemic semester). In October 2020 (the second pandemic semester), this study conducted follow-up interviews with 25 of the original interviewees. Overall, this study conducted 55 interviews. Findings: Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is facilitated by a recognition of a serious deficiency in the current system and impeded by the need to act quickly. The findings demonstrate the process by which decisions, actions and strategies emerged during crises. Originality/value: This investigation illustrates how crises can prompt organizational learning while demonstrating the critical role of internal and external resources in the learning process.

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Crisis communication and learning: the US higher education’s response to a global pandemic

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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