The Context of Crisis: Teacher social network effects during crisis-based organizational change

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the ways in which teacher social networks vary by organizational context. The study draws on data collected in a large urban adjacent public school district in New England after start the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent switch to remote instruction. In so doing, the study compares changes in teacher’s informal advice networks in the same schools during both a “Status Quo” context relative to a context of “Crisis-based Organizational Change.” Results indicate that central traits of teacher advice networks – out-degree centrality, tie strength, and network composition – vary with organizational context. Further, these network traits are associated with variation in network mechanisms supporting more positive perceptions of innovative climate in each context. Findings of this study suggest that organizational context may drive variation in the ways that networks support the same organization outcome, furthering the notion that how networks ‘work’ is not the same in all instances. Implications for future research of teacher social networks and implications for school managerial staff involved in organizational change efforts are discussed.