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A collection of vintage computers and monitors are stacked together, connected by a tangle of wires.

 

 

History of MACE

 

MACE History: Decades of Innovation & Connection

 

MACE | Mid-America Association for Connecting Educators

(Historically founded as the Mid-America Association for Computers in Education)

  • 1960s–1970s | The Early Roots

    Traces back to visionary Kansas educator groups advocating for classroom technology following early local adoptions, including the Wichita School District acquiring its first computer in 1965.

  • 1986 | The Birth of MACE

    Following early statewide computer conferences held in cooperation with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), the organization officially transitioned its name from AEDS (Association for Educational Data Systems) to MACE.

  • 1980s–Present | 40+ Years of Conferences

    For over four decades, MACE has hosted the region's flagship instructional technology conference in Manhattan, Kansas, empowering generations of teachers, integrationists, and school leaders.

  • Present | The Shift to Connected Learning

    Officially rebranded as the Mid-America Association for Connecting Educators to shift organizational focus from standalone hardware and software toward human networking, AI workflows, digital pedagogy, and peer mentorship.

An infographic titled MACE: A History of Promoting Technology in Kansas Education, detailing milestones from the 1970s to the 2020s and beyond.

In the 80s

In the 90s

2000

2010