Strategy as learning in a crisis situation in education: is there evidence of identity as a core component of strategy as learning in schools?

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ABSTRACT Since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, schools across the world closed, either periodically or over a considerable time. The OECD reports that during this period, globally, over 1.2 billion children were out of the classroom. As a result, schools moved part or all of their curriculum online, teaching remotely via digital platforms. Evidence suggests that for digital learning to be successfully integrated into schools, it requires the support and vision of school leaders to create a digital strategy. Our previous research into strategy in schools illustrates that there is substantial evidence that leaders’ strategising closely adheres to a strategy as learning model, which appears to link to leader identity. Based on prior empirical work alongside other evidence from the field, this paper explores whether there are links between strategy as a learning activity during a crisis, and leader identity. The paper reveals that there is evidence within this study to support this link. However, this can imply that, whilst there is evidence to suggest this can be a positive influence, there is also evidence that leaders can resist productive innovation due to deep-seated beliefs linked to their identities.