In early 2020, UNESCO acknowledged that the scale of educational disruption associated with COVID-19 was unparalleled. Schools were forced to react swiftly. However, while remote learning has received considerable attention, less is understood of how educational leaders communicated during the COVID crisis. The study of school leaders' initial crisis communications in response to government-mandated school closures is thus warranted. Accordingly, this study analyses a cross-section of seventeen Australian schools for the period late February through early April 2020 (i.e. term 1), with a focus on the emergency stage of schools' crisis response, rather than the later remote learning continuity planning phase. A mixed-method research approach was adopted. Phase one involved quantitative content analysis of e-mail frequency, words per-sentence, readability (as measured by Flesch), and grade-level communication pitched at (as measured by Flesch-Kinkaid). Surprisingly, parents required university education to effectively comprehend the e-mails. Phase two confirmed that schools performed well in the first four of Smith & Riley's (2012) five-step school crisis response model (getting the facts, implementing contingency plans, being decisive, showing concern), but were less effective at facilitating two-way communication. An additional (sixth) insight emerged in the form of school community.

The influence of the family on its members is significant. Parents impart professional values and priorities that shape the perspective and often career choice of their children. Drawing on Family Systems Theory, this case study focuses on how the teaching profession connects and impacts one geographically dispersed, multigenerational family. Findings suggest that teaching connects family members through service to others, shared family values, early influences, identity construction, tradition, and even rebellion. Family members are proud of their fellow teachers, and of the younger generations for continuing the family ‘business’.

Most western countries face either existing or looming teacher shortages. No doubt there are many and varied reasons for this and no simple remedy. Contemporaneously, film and television can have profound, often unintended attitudinal and behavioural consequences. As reflectors and creators of societal values, axiomatically, they provide insight into the construction and management of both personal and professional identities. The portrayal of various occupations on screen is therefore of perennial importance. Indeed, several professions have struggled with the implications of their representation in popular culture. Teachers have been variously portrayed on screen. However, a consistent and significant negative shift has taken place this century. Consequently, a descriptive analysis is undertaken of teacher characters streaming on Netflix in 2019. Pattern coding reveals three equally disturbing themes: incompetence/character flaws; promiscuity; and substance abuse. Conclusions are drawn and future research directions outlined.

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc worldwide. Schools have escaped neither the pandemic nor its consequences. Indeed, by April 2020, schools had been suspended in 189 countries, affecting 89% of learners globally. While the Australian government has implemented variously effective health and economic policies in response to COVID-19, their inability to agree with states on education policy during the pandemic caused considerable confusion and anxiety. Accordingly, this study analyses 3 weeks of Tweets during April, leading up to the beginning of term 2, during the height of Government policy incongruity. Findings confirm a wide and rapidly changing range of public responses on Twitter. Nine themes were identified in the quantitative analysis, and six of these (positive, negative, humorous, appreciation for teachers, comments aimed at Government/politicians and definitions) are expanded upon qualitatively. Over the course of 3 weeks, the public began to lose its sense of humour and negative tweets almost doubled.

Higher education’s economic footprint is significant (fourth largest export sector in the US, third largest in Australia). Accordingly, this chapter will address the higher education sector—particularly how COVID-19 has impacted and will continue to impact the future of higher education. It will begin by briefly discussing higher education as a service, before reviewing recent managerial literature on COVID-19’s impact on higher education. The focus and indeed bulk of the chapter will then shift to considering the myriad possible post-pandemic effects on the higher education sector in the eastern hemisphere. Email interviews are conducted with twenty senior academic leaders (including seven Vice Chancellors) in Australia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Macau, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Two broad themes emerge, encompassing actual and anticipated changes to the delivery of education; and to the management of universities—with three sub-themes under each. Findings are then discussed and conclusions drawn.

The majority of Australian students learned remotely in term two (April-June 2020), in response to state government directives to close schools during the 'first wave' of Covid-19. This created myriad challenges for students, teachers and parents. Accordingly, this study seeks to capture these multiple perspectives of the remote learning experience. Forty interviews were conducted at the end of term two, with students, teachers and parents. The findings represent an integrated framework for engagement in the context of remote education. Engaging students was a top priority for teachers - albeit students felt less engaged with teachers. Student-peer engagement varied considerably. Lack of social interaction was a challenge for many students. Parents remained pragmatic, but largely unengaged with teachers. For the most part, students found online learning to be less personalised. While the pandemic has expedited emergency technology adoption in schools, this is not equivalent to the purposeful integration of technology over time.

The support received by novice teachers in their first-year impacts staff retention and overall teaching quality. Thus, a smooth transition into the profession has long-term, positive benefits for novice teachers and their students. However, despite the fundamental importance of early professional development of novice teachers, support is often non-existent or insufficient - due to a lack of research-based evidence to justify funding and guide more efficacious processes for novice teacher induction. This idiographic study describes an 'internal-external model', whereby a former teacher is brought back to mentor three novices through their first year and their professional accreditation. Findings are discussed according to mentor qualities (communication, nurturing, non-hierarchical/equal) and mentor practices (independence, supportive executive, collaborative coach and resources/support). The study provides support for the external hybrid mentor model. Internal mentors (i.e. colleagues) often face time constraints, role ambiguity and potential conflicts of interests, all of which external (paid) mentors can overcome.