Education Commons^™

Without A Map: An Examination Of District Leadership During The Covid-19 Crisis, Megan E. Welter Phd

Muskie School Dissertations

Achieving coherence and coordination in a complex system like a school district is complicated by the nested layers of the organization. This structure allows for teachers in classrooms and schools in a district to operate autonomously, as their organizational layers insulate those in the center from external demands and mandates. The COVID-19 pandemic represented an external demand that led district leaders to implement a series of situational reforms that affected nearly every aspect of the educational organization.

This qualitative study examines how the experiences and decision-making processes of district, school, and teacher leaders from a single district in Maine during …

Perspectives On Malaga Island: From Scorn To Shame To Sympathy, Darcie Drew

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Malaga Island off the Maine coast was a home to a small interracial fishing community from 1860 to 1912, at which point the State of Maine evicted the residents. Several islanders were subsequently at Pineland School; the rest were left to rebuild their lives elsewhere. Local and national perspectives of the state’s action and those of the islanders themselves have changed substantially from the time of settlement to today. I researched these perspectives in order to create a week-long unit for a 7th grade Social Studies class here in Portland. My investigation included various primary sources: photographs of the original …

An Examination Of Teacher Understandings Of Technology Integration At The Classroom Level, Shawn M. Carlson Phd

All Student Scholarship

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe and understand how teachers describe the changes in their practices as a result of ten years participation in a one-to-one environment. This research study focuses on one successful middle school’s adoption of laptops to support teaching and learning. A qualitative study using interviews of key participants was undertaken with teachers and administrators. The Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework was used in conjunction with Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation framework to understand from the participants’ perspective changes to their practice. The results indicate teachers underwent changes in their use of technology to …

Becoming A 21st Century University: How Usm Can Use Online Education To Meet The Needs Of Its Adult Student Population, Amy Gieseke

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

The 21st century has been, and will continue to be, a time of great change within the world of higher education. One key demographic change lies in the growing number of adult students seeking educational opportunities. Higher education institutions, such as the University of Southern Maine, have not historically been structured to serve the needs of this important and growing student population. In the coming years, significant changes in structure and organizational mission will be critical to address the needs of these students and to capitalize on the influx of revenue they could bring to a financially struggling institution. This …

The Creative Economy In Small Places: Eight Cases And A Developmental Model, Jennifer L. Hutchins

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Eight case studies across New England offer understanding of the role of the creative economy in the community and economic development of rural towns and small cities. The cases include Providence and Pawtucket, RI; Burlington, VT; and Portland, Bangor, Norway, Dover-Foxcroft, and the St. John Valley, ME. Ten elements or “building blocks” are observed to be important, leading to an explanatory model for the development of the creative economy in small communities. These elements include creative people, education centers, cultural and natural amenities, business engagement, infrastructure, leadership, networks, strategies, time, and money. The creative economy in the eight communities has …