Date of Award

Spring 5-11-2019

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

Advisor

Richard Ackerman

Second Committee Member

Kenneth Martin

Third Committee Member

Michael Muir

Additional Committee Members

Allyson Dean

Ian Mette

Abstract

The promise of technology for positively influencing student outcomes is being hampered by a lack of understanding of who is leading technology in public schools and differing beliefs of technology use among technology leaders. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to describe and understand the nature of technology leadership in three Maine public school districts. Research questions explored the roles, responsibilities, values, and beliefs of the technology leaders and examined how technology leaders mobilized stakeholders in using technology to positively influence student outcomes. Fifteen participants were interviewed from across three case sites. Data analysis was guided by the conceptual frameworkusing a “bottom-up” inductive approach. From the results of the study, technology leadership is defined as the enactment of a shared vision for learning with technology that: incorporates the values and beliefs of the technology leaders, teachers, and staff; utilizes a leadership framework where all technology leaders can lead in an atmosphere of trust; and uses adaptive leadership strategies (Heifetz, 1994) to mobilize technology leaders, teachers, and staff in using technology for the enhancement of student learning.

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