John Downes is associate director of the Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education at the University of Vermont. He joined UVM's Middle Level Education program as a doctoral research fellow in 2006. In that capacity he was primary researcher on several grants and evaluations, including a 1:1 laptop initiative to re-engage middle level learners; a project to improve young adolescents' postsecondary prospects; and a state-wide initiative to bring students and their voices into collaborative school change.

John's research explores student participation in teacher professional development. He previously spent ten years working with teachers to design and facilitate curriculum reform and professional development in Vermont middle schools, focusing on technology integration, student-led curriculum, collaborative teacher learning, and implementation of Turning Points reforms.