Schuttinger, Kevin2019-03-132019-03-132018-12https://hdl.handle.net/11299/202141University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. December December 2018. Major: Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development. Advisors: Karen Seashore, Muhammad Khalifa. 1 computer file (PDF); iv, 130 pages.Public schools in the 21st century face many challenges, from recruiting and retaining high-quality staff in an era high teacher attrition, meeting the needs of students in a rapidly changing world, and adapting to ever changing demands from local, state and federal stakeholders. School are challenged to be more nimble and innovative, but they are often saddled with organizational structures which hinder innovation. This study explores the experiences of teachers in two school districts working to change this paradigm. The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze teachers’ experiences in a participatory innovation process, and to explore whether and how this participation affected teachers’ perceptions of themselves personally and professionally. This study employed grounded theory methods and aimed to illuminate the effects such processes may have had on teachers and schools. The primary findings of this study are that participatory innovation processes, when employed in public school districts, can promote teacher empowerment, foster connections between staff and administration, and contribute to increased organizational and professional commitment among teachers who participate.enCrowdsourcingEnabling school structuresInnovationParticipative Decision MakingTeacher empowermentThesis or Dissertation