Introduction

MICDL is a non-profit organization that provides professional development and support for middle and high school leaders and teachers (both in-service and pre-service) regarding student-centered learning and teaching practices in 1-to-1 digital environments for the purpose of fostering student creativity, engagement, empowerment, well-being, and readiness for citizenship, college, and careers in a rapidly changing global society. MICDL also identifies, uses, conducts, and disseminates collaborative action research and formal research, and supports the development of local, state, national and international policies and practices in the field of digital learning and teaching.

MICDL has strong connections to a large number of Maine’s middle and high schools, and is continuously exploring new projects that bring innovative ideas about 1-to-1 digital learning into Maine classrooms.

Background

MICDL was founded in 2008 by former Maine Governor Angus King and Bette Manchester. The idea was to create a nimble organization that would complement and build upon the successes of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). MLTI is a state program that was initiated in 2000 by Governor King and Ms. Manchester based on the advice of Seymour Papert. Ms. Manchester directed the program until 2008. In 2002, after two years of planning, MLTI began providing laptop computers and wireless classrooms to all 7th and 8th grade students and their teachers, along with technical assistance and professional development for administrators and teachers. In 2008, the MLTI program expanded to include all teachers in grades 9-12, and expanded again in 2009 to include the students in more than 50% of the state’s high schools. By the 2010-2011 school year, the MLTI program was providing 1-to-1 laptops to all seventh and eighth grade students and 55% of the high schools – a total of approximately 72,000 laptops. In addition, several Maine high schools have 1-to-1 computing programs outside of the MLTI program.

MLTI is widely viewed as the largest, most learning-focused, and most successful ubiquitous 1-to-1 digital learning program in the world. After several years of experience three major conclusions have been drawn from the MLTI program: (1) it works, (2) it provides equity of resources, and (3) the key to its success is having educators who know how to integrate the technology into their daily practice. Initial research shows that the MLTI program has revolutionized teaching and learning and measurably impacted student achievement in math and writing. (For more history, see Final Report from Task Force on Maine Learning Technology Endowment.)

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. The MICDL website is intended to be a valuable resource and portal for collaboration for teachers, administrators, researchers, educators of teachers, and policy makers regarding student-centered learning and teaching practices in 1-to-1 digital environments.

Currently, Governor King serves as MICDL’s board chair, Ms. Manchester serves as its president, and John Newlin serves as its executive director. In addition to King and Manchester, MICDL’s board includes two former Maine Commissioners of Education, Susan Gendron (SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium) and Duke Albanese (Great Schools Partnership).

Professional Development

MICDL defines professional development as activities that help professionals learn and plan in ways that will enable them to get better results from their work. MICDL’s professional development activities include:
- facilitating, presenting, and participating in meetings, workshops, courses, and conferences
- providing consulting and coaching
- creating and maintaining networks of schools and educators
- identifying or creating, and disseminating informational videos and other resources

MICDL professional development activities are designed to help build capacity for professionals to lead their own ongoing professional development and systemic innovation, so these activities are co-designed and co-led to the maximum feasible extent, and MICDL staff seek to learn from and with those whom they support.

Research and Dissemination

MICDL has ongoing relationships with multiple research advisors to help it engage in highly diverse research projects in the field of digital learning. Each MICDL research advisor is a scholar with strong research experience regarding learning with technology. Our research advisors provide advice on both the general direction of MICDL research and specific research projects. In addition, each specific MICDL research project involves one or more project researchers who provide in-depth research expertise for that project. Some researchers work with MICDL as both project researchers and research advisors.

An “action research” mindset is pervasive in both our professional development and research activities. Our major projects often include formal, iterative research and development components that study pedagogies in-context and in-depth. We collaborate with practicing educators and students as co-researchers and co-developers to create pedagogies that can be adapted to multiple contexts. In addition, we sometimes engage in “exploratory research” as a precursor to research and development projects. MICDL disseminates successful pedagogies through reports, papers, articles, video and audio recordings, websites, presentations, meetings, networks, and professional development services.

In addition, MICDL shares the findings from our research and development projects via formal research reports, papers, and presentations. However, our sense of urgency about our mission also requires us to provide educators with all the information we think would be helpful to them in making decisions, even if some of that information would not yet meet the standards for formally published research.

Local, Regional, National, and International Collaboration

MICDL is based in Maine, but collaborates locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. Local collaboration focuses primarily on USM LAC and the schools within that region. Regional collaboration focuses on supporting MLTI and other statewide initiatives that involve 1-to-1 learning environments. National collaboration occurs with researchers from a wide range of universities who work with MICDL projects, and policy-makers and thought leaders both inside and outside of government. In addition, MICDL works with educators, researchers, and policy makers from OECD’s Center for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) and a variety of countries including Singapore, Brazil, Argentina, Sweden, Denmark, France, Australia, Canada, and Ireland.

MICDL currently collaborates and regularly consults with numerous prominent researchers, policy makers and thought leaders including Seymour Papert (MIT), Don Leu (University of Connecticut), Sugata Mitra (Newcastle University), Chris Dede (Harvard Graduate School of Education), Damian Bebell (Boston College), David Silvernail (University of Southern Maine), Bruce Dixon (Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation), Fransesc Pedro (OECD and UNESCO), and John Dorrer (Maine Department of Labor).

Digital Media and Sustainable Systemic School Reform

MICDL supports a systemic approach to transforming schools. We believe digital media should be used within a learning environment that is supported by regular, team-based, content-rich, and sustained professional learning and planning experiences for educators. We believe these components should be supported by school and community leadership, research, networks for educators and schools, college and career pathways, teacher and administrator preparation and professional development, and educational policies (including assessment policies). In addition, MICDL is committed to changes that can be sustained, so it focuses on changes that the vast majority of teachers and schools can manage and afford over the long-term.

Connections with USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College (LAC)

MICDL is located at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College (USM LAC), where it has connections with the College for ME-Androscoggin program to increase college aspirations and success, and USM LAC’s interdisciplinary secondary teacher preparation program. Much of MICDL’s work occurs in schools within the region served by USM LAC.

Funding

MICDL is funded by a combination of foundation grants, government grants, private contributions, and “fee for service” contracts. Funders of MICDL’s current work include the Hewlett Foundation, the Davis Family Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Federation of American Scientists, and the Lunder, Osher, and King Foundations.

Collaboration Opportunities with MICDL

MICDL values collaboration. Our website is intended to be a resource and portal for collaboration for teachers, administrators, researchers, educators of teachers, opinion leaders, and policy makers. We encourage you to browse our resources and become an active collaborator on our website. We also encourage you to contact us directly if you wish to explore the possibilities of working on an in-depth project with us.

Angus King
Chairman of Board

Angus S. King, Jr. was born in Virginia but spent most of his adult years in the state of Maine. After early political experience as a legislative assistant to Senator William D. Hathaway, King entered private law practice in Brunswick, Maine.

In the 1980s King served as Vice President of a company which developed alternative energy (hydro and biomass) projects in New England. In 1989 King founded Northeast Energy Management, Inc. The company developed, installed, and operated large-scale electrical energy conservation projects at commercial and industrial facilities throughout south-central Maine.

King became Governor of Maine in 1995, a position he held until 2003. Elected as an Independent in 1994 in his first run for public office, he was re- elected in 1998 by one of the largest margins in Maine history. As Governor, King was responsible for a $2.5 billion budget and 13,000 employees.

King lists among his major accomplishments as governor a total rebuild of the state’s mental health and corrections systems; major improvements in the state’s service capability, including on-line services; a substantial increase in the state’s commitment to research and development; the largest increase of lands in conservation in the state’s history; and the nationally-recognized program that provides a laptop computer to every seventh and eighth grade student in the state, regardless of location or family income, making Maine’s students among the most computer literate in the world.

Susan Gendron

Susan Gendron’s professional career in education spans 35 years. She was Commissioner of Education for the State of Maine (2003-2010), during which time she also served as the Board President of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). She is currently Senior Fellow at the International Center for Leadership in Education and policy director for a 35-state group — the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium. As an educator, Gendron has served in a variety of other roles including Kindergarten Teacher, Primary School Principal, High School Principal, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent. She received a baccalaureate degree (B.S.) from the University of Southern Maine, completing a double major in Elementary and Secondary Education. Her graduate studies include a master’s in Educational Administration from the University of Southern Maine and advanced studies at Antioch College.

Over the years, Gendron has received many honors including the Maine School Superintendents’ Distinguished Educator Award, 2001; the Maine Superintendent of the Year Award, 2002; the Maine Education Association – Friend of Education Award, 2005; and the University of Southern Maine Distinguished Alumni Award, 2006.

Sue Gendron and her husband, reside in Raymond, Maine.

J. Duke Albanese

J. Duke Albanese is an education consultant to schools, state education agencies, and national organizations. His educational career spans 36 years and includes long tenures as a superintendent of schools and Maine Commissioner of Education (1996-2003). Duke Albanese is currently Senior Policy Advisory at the Great Schools Partnership at the Senator George J. Mitchell Scholarship Research Institute in Portland, Maine, working to raise educational aspirations and achievement by creating equitable, rigorous, and personalized academic programs that prepare all students for college, work, and citizenship for the 21st century.

John Newlin
Executive Director

John Newlin has worked in education since 1984 as a high school social studies teacher, district curriculum coordinator, “school coach,” project director, and associate director at non-profits focused on school reform. From 1997 to 2008, Newlin worked at the Southern Maine Partnership and the Great Schools Partnership, and from 2009 to 2010 he was the Director of Programs at MICDL.

Newlin’s work has focused on helping middle and high school teachers and administrators collaborate to make teaching practices and school cultures more personalized, equitable, rigorous, and meaningful. He has had extended “school coaching” relationships with more than 25 schools. He has helped educators, schools, and consortia of schools implement a wide range of effective practices and systems for improving learning including professional learning communities, comprehensive assessment, data collection and analysis, project/problem/challenge-based learning, racial and cultural equity in education, student leadership development, teacher action research, intervention strategies, principal and teacher leadership for school change, early college education, differentiated instruction, ethical literacy, media literacy, and, most recently, technology integration in 1-to-1 learning environments.

Bette Manchester
President

The former teacher, elementary, middle and high school principal and director of special education served, for seven years, as Director of Special Projects in the Maine Department of Education leading the Maine Learning Technology Initiative. Since 2001 the Maine project has focused on ‘learning,’ not on the technology. Manchester is the recipient of many awards including Principal-National School of Excellence, National Distinguished Principal of the Year 1997, Milken Education Award 1991, Maine State Librarians Award 2004, Dr. Inabeth Miller Education Technology Award 2005, and Friday Institute Award for Innovation in Education NC State 2007. She has presented at national and international conferences with focus on leadership and sustainability in 1-to-1 programs.

Amy Wilmot
Project Assistant

Amy Wilmot, a graduate of Bates College, has worked with non-profit organizations such as Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Gulf of Maine Marine Education Association and Community Mediation Services. She has worked in a variety of roles serving as an Executive Assistant, Administrative Manager, Bookkeeper, and Project Coordinator. She lives with her husband and son in Hallowell.

Mike Muir
Director, Projects4ME

As an educator for over 25 years, Mike has served as math teacher, a technology integrator, and a professor of middle grades education and educational technology. He also remains as faculty at the University of Maine at Farmington and Director of the Maine Center for Meaningful Engaged Learning. He continues to present widely on motivating underachievers, engaging educational programs, middle level education, 1to1 learning with laptop initiatives, and leadership for school change.

Currently, Mike is the Multiple Pathways Leader for the Auburn School Department (Auburn, ME), where he supports the district’s large-scale school change initiatives, including customized, performance-based learning at the high school, and a primary grades literacy and math initiative, which includes a 1to1 iPad initiative in the kindergarten.

Finally, he works part time with MICDL as the director of Projects4ME, Maine’s virtual project-based program for at-risk and dropout youth.

Abigail Manahan
Lead Learning Coach, Projects4ME

Abby has served in a number of roles in education over the last 11 years. She began her career as a research associate in biological oceanography, then worked managing the state’s native species marine aquarium and developing ocean-based educational exhibits and programs. From there, she moved to Bigelow Lab for Ocean Sciences where she served as a Community Education Scientist offering professional development opportunities for teachers in ocean science. A desire to work directly with local students led to a position at a career and technical high school in the mid-coast region where she served as science instructor in addition to coordinating curriculum, assessment, and staff development activities. An interest in the integration of technology in teaching and learning and how digital tools can customize learning prompted a short stint on the Learning Technology team at the Maine Department of Education. The new direction education is taking toward a more individualized experience where a student’s interests intersect with learning in a project based environment is the catalyst for her latest position as Lead Learning Coach in the Projects4ME program.