The White House today unveiled plans for a research center that aims to infuse more digital learning -- including video games -- into the nation's classrooms.

The effort, dubbed Digital Promise, will aid the rapid development of new learning software, educational games and other technologies, in part through helping educators vet what works and what doesn't.

It includes a few interesting ideas. Among them: a "League of Innovative Schools" that will test-drive promising technologies and use its collective purchasing power to drive down costs.

A large group of high-tech business and non-profit organizations is supporting the effort, which is being overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. Perhaps the most unusual partner: Valve Software, developer of the popular Half-Life and Portal video game franchises.

Valve will host a competition for middle- and high-school students and teachers that allows them to create new levels of Portal for classroom use. The game is finding a second life in classrooms as teachers modify it to teach physics.

At Friday's White House event, Valve founder Gabe Newell said he was surprised and delighted to hear from teachers. "We were like, 'Aren't we enemies? Aren't we entertainment, and isn't that in opposition to education?'"

The effort also includes a growing national contest that invites students to design their own video games. The video posted below has more details.