University of Maine System Wabanaki history course and credential reaches milestone

ORONO, Maine — More than 1,000 learners — many of them PK-12 educators — have now completed a self-directed University of Maine System (UMS) course about the history of the Wabanaki Nations in Maine and earned the corresponding Dawnland digital credential.

Launched in November 2022, the Dawnland credential was created by John Bear Mitchell, a citizen of the Penobscot Nation who serves as a lecturer and outreach and student development coordinator for the Wabanaki Center at the University of Maine (UMaine) and is also the System’sNative American Waiver and educational program coordinator.

His goal was to better prepare the state’s educators to teach Wabanaki Studies, as has been required by Maine law since 2001. That law was sponsored by then Rep. Donna Loring, a citizen of the Penobscot Nation and UMaine graduate who now serves on the System’s Board of Trustees.

All teacher education students at UMaine and the University of Maine at Augusta now earn the Dawnland credential before starting their student teaching.

“It is encouraging to see such growing interest in Wabanaki Studies and more resources becoming available to support the implementation of this important law. After more than two decades, we are taking a monumental step forward by making the Dawnland credential available and having two of our largest educator preparation programs in the state commit that all of their students will obtain it. I hope that others will follow,” said Loring. “I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making this progress possible, especially to John Bear Mitchell for his dedication and hard work in creating this program.”

To earn the Dawnland credential, learners must demonstrate their own knowledge and ability to communicate to others about Indigenous movement and ways of life during the Ice Age and prior to the arrival of European settlers, early interactions with European settlers and current political and cultural issues facingthe citizens of the Wabanaki Nations. That content is covered and assessed in four online modules, which typically take about 10 hours total to complete.

“It's great to see there is so much interest in this credential. My hope, for those who take it, is for them to teach about the tribes that lived on this land before and since Maine became a state from our perspective,” said Mitchell. “To learn about us and to teach about us makes all of Maine a better place to live. By taking away misunderstandings and misrepresented ideology, we can create a true sense of place."

RSU 21 (Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport) is one of dozens of school districts in the state that have incorporated Dawnland, with nearly 300 digital badge earners.

"We are incredibly proud that RSU 21 has played a significant role in the success of the Dawnland: Maine Indian History badge program. This initiative has been instrumental in deepening our understanding of Wabanaki history and culture, and it has enriched the learning experience for both our staff and students,” said Assistant Superintendent Paul Rasmussen. “The knowledge gained through this badge is helping to foster greater respect and awareness of Maine's Indigenous peoples, and we are committed to continuing our support for this vital educational effort."

A $25 fee offsets a portion of the costsfor UMS to administer the Dawnland credential including licensing of the platform that provides those who complete the course with a verified digital badge that can be used on digital resumes and social media sites like LinkedIn to indicate proficiency in the subject to employers.

“Our System’s Dawnland credential equips educators with essential knowledge about the first people of this land we now call Maine and the ability to share with their students the history, culture and contributions of the citizens of the Wabanaki Nations,” said Chancellor Dannel Malloy. “The fact that this has become our System’s most populardigital credential is a testament to the tremendous time and thought John Bear Mitchell put into Dawnland’s development and the dedication of our state’s educators to ensuring the meaningful inclusion ofWabanaki Studies in teaching and learning in Maine’s PK-12 schools.”  

For more information about the Dawnland micro-badge, visit: bit.ly/UMSDawnland.

Maine’s public universities are the state’s largest producer of classroom-ready teachers, having awarded together nearly 4,000 education degrees or certificates just in the past five years. In addition to the Dawnland credential, all UMaine educator preparation students now take a specific three-credit course in the teaching of Wabanaki studies, also developed by Mitchell, whichprovides them with lesson plans and supplementary materials to take into their own classrooms. Other UMS universities require content-relevant courses for pre-service teachers, like Native American Cultures or Wabanaki Studies.

Additionally, the System provides a Native American student tuition waiver, which benefited 517 students in the 2023-24 academic year — the most in a decade — and subsidizes room and board for qualifying Native American students. Last year, more than $3.2 million was waived.

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