Desafios e Estratégias de Comunicação Digital Numa Organização Educativa em Portugal, no Período Pandémico COVID-19

Inês Miguel; Márcia Silva

doi:10.17231/comsoc.43(2023).4462

Authors

Inês Miguel Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Cultura, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon, Portugal/Departamento de Marketing, Operações e Gestão Geral, ISCTE Business School, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal/Faculdade de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicação, Universidade Europeia, Lisbon, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5933-4705
Márcia Silva Departamento de Sociologia, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal/Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Sociedade, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3464-2194

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.43(2023).4462

Keywords:

educational establishments, challenges, COVID-19, digital communication

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transformation process, significantly changing how educational organisations communicate. These changes brought numerous challenges that required the development of suitable communication strategies within the context of the pandemic crisis. In light of this situation, the objective of this article is to investigate how an educational organisation in Portugal adjusted its communication strategies during three distinct periods in 2020: before the pandemic (January-March), during the pandemic and lockdown period (March-June), and the back-to-school phase (September-December). Furthermore, this study
aims to identify and analyse the challenges faced by the educational organisation during these
periods and explore the communication strategies implemented. A case study was conducted
within the educational organisation to accomplish these objectives. Data were collected through
a questionnaire survey to parents and semi-structured interviews with heads and directors of
the organisation. The findings suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis context
significantly increased digital communication, particularly through various digital platforms such
as blogs, Instagram, and YouTube channels. This shift amplified the importance of communica-
tion within the educational organisation under study and resulted in profound changes in com-
munication dynamics between the teachers/educational organisation and parents. Therefore, it
is deemed crucial to establish strategic plans for crisis communication in educational organisa-
tions. Additionally, it is important to ensure the continued implementation and use of new tech-
nologies and digital communication tools. Moreover, hybrid systems that enhance flexibility and
facilitate face-to-face and remote communication interfaces should be studied.

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Author Biographies

Inês Miguel, Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Cultura, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon, Portugal/Departamento de Marketing, Operações e Gestão Geral, ISCTE Business School, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal/Faculdade de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicação, Universidade Europeia, Lisbon, Portugal

Inês Miguel holds a PhD in communication sciences from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa and a master’s degree in management from Nova University. Miguel has gained marketing experience in multinational companies such as Nestlé, Unilever, and Coca-Cola. She has been teaching operational marketing at the University Institute of Lisbon since last year, recently also teaching services marketing at the Faculty of Design, Technology, and Communication. Marketing, communication, and education are her main areas of interest, and she has taken part in several research projects.

Márcia Silva, Departamento de Sociologia, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal/Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Sociedade, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal

Márcia Silva is a visiting assistant professor at the University of Beira Interior. She obtained her PhD in sociology from the University of Minho in 2022. She completed her master’s degree in sociology and her bachelor’s degree in geography and planning from the same university. With an interdisciplinary professional background, Márcia has actively participated in numerous national and international research projects spanning various thematic areas, including culture, urban mobility, tourism, and sustainability. Her involvement in these projects has led to several publications showcasing her re-
search findings.

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