November Learning: Expanding the Boundaries of Learning

Bette Manchester

About Bette Manchester
Executive Director of the Maine International Center for Digital Learning, Augusta, ME

Bette Manchester is executive director of the Maine International Center for Digital Learning (MICDL), a nonprofit center that supports the equity and access of one-to-one computing as it supports 21st century learning. Prior to joining MICDL, Bette was the Director of Special Projects at the Maine Department of Education. For seven years, she led the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, the one-to-one laptop project for all Maine students in grades 7-8 and 31 high schools and all educators for grades 7-12. Her responsibility for strategic design and implementation of the MLTI included oversight and strategic planning for all educational technology programs within the Department of Education. Bette was a building principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels and director of special education.

Her work as an educator has been noted by the Milken Educaton Award (1991), National Distinguished Principal of the Year, Principal-National School of Excellence, Maine State Librarians Award, Dr. Inabeth Miller Education Technology Award and the Friday Award for Innovation in Education.

Main Session Workshop

Leadership, Sustainability and 21st Century Classrooms

In an effort to provide 21st century learning opportunities, equity and access, the State of Maine provides one-to-one laptops, a wireless network in every school, digital tools and resources for every student in grades 7-8 and in most high schools. All educators in grades 7-12 are provided with similar resources and opportunities for professional development.

What have we learned? Providing the resources is half the story. Supporting changes for 21st century learning requires eight essential elements. This session will focus on three of the elements: use of digital literacy resources, school culture and use of open education resources.

Participants will be provided with a variety of resources from which they can select to support efforts in their own schools or districts.

Planning to Implement One-to-One Technology in Your School

This session will provide participants with the elements of successful, sustainable implementation of one-to-one programs based on eight years of experience in Maine. Included will be an overview of the essentials and an in-depth exploration of three elements: vision and goal setting, development of school-based professional learning practices and a digital literacy checklist that will have immediate results for school-wide literacy efforts.