WELCOME TO THE MAINE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR DIGITAL LEARNING

Taking Seymour Papert’s advice, in 2002 Maine embarked upon the largest ubiquitous 1-to-1 digital learning program in the world when it inaugurated the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), providing laptop computers and wireless
classrooms to all 7th and 8th grade students and their teachers, along with resources, technical assistance, and professional development for administrators and teachers. Former Maine Governor Angus King, Jr., who initiated the MLTI program, and Bette Manchester, who directed the MLTI program for its first seven years, founded the non-profit Maine International Center for Digital Learning (MICDL) in 2008. The idea was to create a nimble organization that would complement and build upon the successes of the MLTI program. Our mission at MICDL is to research, develop, and promote powerful student-centered systemic practices for 1-to-1 digital learning environments through regional, national, and international collaboration.

We strive to support learning practices that: a) focus on 21st century knowledge and skills; b) are sustainable and adaptable; and c) foster creativity, joy and empowerment. As an organization, we strive to be a leader within the global community that supports student-centered 1-to-1 digital learning within the broader context of systemic school reform, which includes pedagogy, research, professional development, leadership, and policy.

The MICDL website is also the home of and builds on the MaineLearns.org website that served teachers and students in the MLTI program for several years.

Our website is intended to be a valuable resource and portal for collaboration for teachers, administrators, researchers, educators of teachers, and policy makers regarding powerful student-centered systemic 1-to-1 digital learning. We have strong connections to a large number of Maine’s middle and high schools, and we are continuously exploring new projects that bring innovative ideas about 1-to-1 digital learning into Maine classrooms. We encourage you to browse our resources and become an active collaborator on this website, and please contact us directly if you wish to explore the possibilities of collaborating on an in-depth project with us.

For more detailed information about MICDL please see the “About Us” section of this website.