 Cultivating Great Ideas
From 1999 to 2003, SEED (Spreading Educator to Educator Developments) cultivated the great ideas of Maine educators who use technology to transform learning and teaching. Grounded in the knowledge that teachers are the best teachers of teachers, SEED harvested the work of educators who developed 142 units of study that exemplify high-quality teaching and learning with technology. The units of study were published on the web as SEED Packets. SEED celebrated and rewarded the developer teachers for their work and then supported the
adoption of these units of study by other educators statewide, through small grants. Evaluation showed that students in classes where teachers worked collaboratively with the developers achieved the state standards at a higher rate than where they worked alone, showing the power of networking. Educators across the world downloaded the SEED Packets over 2 million times.
Introduced in 1992 by the Center for Educational Services, SEED was one of twenty-five affiliates of an international confederation inspired by The Teachers Network. Its last version, funded by a $7 million U.S. Department of Education Technology Innovation Challenge Grant, was a collaborative partnership of Maine’s leading professional and policy-making educational organizations as well as private companies interested in advancing Maine education. These partners offered an array of professional development opportunities in all regions of the state. In partnership with Apple Computer, Inc., SEED educators led their peers in learning about 1:1 computing in the landmark Maine Learning Technology Initiative.
Although the grant that fertilized SEED has ended, the spirit and ideas of SEED continue to grow. The SEED Catalog showcases Packets in all content areas and grade levels and from all regions of the state. Thanks to ACTEM, educators across the world can continue to browse the SEED Catalog and transplant those ideas that will work in their classrooms.
Jenifer Van Deusen
Former Chief Horticulturist
Originally funded by U.S. Department of Education Technology Innovation Challenge Grant # R303A990295
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