Collaboration between Teachers and Management Team: A Case Study on Professional Development and Inclusion in Pandemic

Abstract

Educational collaboration has been considered a relevant aspect for the professional development of school staff. However, little is known about this in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has intensified socio-educational inequalities and reconfigured collaboration patterns, as well as the promotion or inhibition of new facets and skills among teachers and school administrators. Through a case study of a rural school in Chile, based on a mixed sequential approach, this study shows that collaboration has increased due to the Covid emergency, along with the preponderance of school members who address educational inclusion. Contextual dimensions at different levels affect this collaboration and professional development, such as the recent new administration of public education that has overpressured school actors, the skills associated with on-line education, as well as the need to reinforce socio-emotional abilities of teaching and management staff within a pandemic scenario. This entails the potential for a better articulation between the different levels of the educational system and in the school, that considers contextualized professional development in a pertinent and appropriate way, particularly in a post-pandemic scenario and other potential conjunctural emergencies for educational settings.