Earlier today I had the honor of delivering one of the opening addresses here at BETT (formerly known as the British Educational Training and Technology Show) in London, along with Dr. Vincent Cable MP, whose role as the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills makes him one of the most influential education decision makers in the UK. For the last 29 years, BETT has been bringing together education innovators from around the world to explore the people, ideas and tools that are revolutionizing education. Microsoft has played a major role here throughout its history, and I have personally been involved for much of that time.
But this year is decidedly different. Sure, the latest and greatest technology innovations can be found at nearly every stand in the massive exhibit hall. And there’s a great deal of talk about the impact that technology is having – and can have – on students around the globe. However, the most meaningful conversations taking place here at BETT this week are about something much bigger than hardware and software. We’re talking about engaging students -- moving them from the passive receptors of rote information required by an industrial age economy to the active instruments of change needed in the 21st century and beyond. Because technology alone doesn’t address the significant challenges facing education.
At Microsoft, we’ve learned that simply dropping technology into schools doesn’t work. As I noted in my opening keynote at the BETT show arena we’ve seen countless failed 1:1 device programs. We’ve also learned that providing connectivity to the Internet, while important, doesn’t mean that the limitless resources it affords are being used effectively. Success is happening in education technology – often in big, game-changing ways -- but we now understand that it only happens when we focus on a much bigger end goal: the holistic transformation of education systems worldwide. Technology plays a critical role here, but we must expect more from it. It’s not enough to use technology to automate out-of-date paradigms. We must find new ways to harness the power of technology in education, and at the same time, completely rethink the role education plays in society.
Reinventing education from the ground up may seem like a herculean task, but I firmly believe that we’re well on our way to doing just that. After decades of trial and error, surprising victories and disheartening failures, I believe that the world’s education leaders are now armed with the knowledge, insight and the right technology to make wholesale change in education a reality. In his recent book Stratosphere, leading education thinker Michael Fullan predicts that technology in education will have a major impact in 2013, noting that the innovations that have been evolving in recent years are finally ready to remake education as we know it. And the evidence here at BETT serves to support this notion.
We at Microsoft also believe that 2013 will be a milestone year for education. From the new Windows 8 operating system that bridges all devices students use to learn at home and at school, to services like Office 365 for Education that brings the power of cloud computing to schools (at no cost to K-12 and higher education institutions), to new and ongoing Partners in Learning programs designed to support collaboration and professional development for educators, we’re focused on the big issues facing education. This week at BETT, we’ll be working hard to connect with teachers, school leaders, policy makers and other leading education thinkers to make a real difference in education. And with real-world experience going back decades, we take very seriously our role in building a new education system worldwide – one that uses the power of technology to empower teachers, engage students, and create impactful global citizens for the 21st century.
-Anthony
Teachers across the U.S. today are receiving handwritten cards, crayon drawings, flowers, and other heart-felt symbols of appreciation in celebration of the teacher appreciation day, May 7th, 2013.
My words of appreciation for teachers may not compare to these personal mementos teachers are receiving from their students. Still, I want to recognize today the many amazing teachers that shaped my education, teachers who are guiding my own children, and the many innovative educators I have had the privilege to engage with through the Partners in Learning program, such as Robin Lowell and Sherry Hahn who are teaching blind students mathematics across the U.S. using Microsoft Lync which is free for education as part of Office 365.
As part of Microsoft’s Partners in Learning program, we celebrate teachers and offer free trainings, free tools for teachers, how-to articles, and templates to support the great work teachers are doing in their classrooms. Teachers like Jeff Charbonneau, the Washington State teacher of the year who was recently named U.S. National Teacher of the year and doing amazing things in the classroom and we’re bringing their projects to life to share with other educators.
To celebrate teachers, Microsoft announced the Expert Educator Program, a one-year program that recognizes education visionaries who are paving the way in the effective use of technology and in preparing their students for the 21st century. Expert Educators will receive free technology for their schools, publicity and promotion, insider access to Microsoft strategy and technologies, professional and career development opportunities and certifications including peer coaching, and consulting opportunities within the Partners in Learning program.
I’m inspired by the innovative educators who are engaging students with technology to ensure students are college and career ready. On behalf of Microsoft, I want to say thank you and happy teacher appreciation day! Please reach out and thank a teacher today – I know I have many to thank!
Join the most innovative educators in the world at www.pil-network.com/expert
There are some moments that make us proud – really proud – of the work that Microsoft does to help students throughout the world realize their full potential. The Partners in Learning Global Forum is an outstanding event Where Microsoft recognizes and celebrates the achievements of the world's most innovative educators and school leaders for leveraging technology in the classroom and preparing millions of students for life in the 21st century.
Last December, the Partners in Learning Global Forum 2012 took place in Prague, Czech Republic, and brought together over 600 educators, civic and education leaders, and influencers to discuss global education issues, share learnings and best practices, and celebrate the innovation of great teachers from 80 different countries. Then, we celebrated a milestone in the Partners in Learning (PiL) program by announcing a renewal of the program for an additional five years with a $250 million investment.
Check out the photos and the videos – the engagement, the excitement, the absolute joy and pride on the faces of our participants speak to the powerful experience that each had this week.
The Partners in Learning Global Forum 2014 will bring together participants from the Microsoft Expert Educators Program, the Microsoft Mentor Schools Program, Higher Education faculty members and Education Leaders for an energetic, interactive and collaborative conference. This high profile event is attended by more than 800 attendees from 80 countries, along with government officials, policy makers and partners.
Today, I am proud to announce that the next Global Forum will take place in Barcelona, Spain on March 11 to 14, 2014. SAVE THE DATE!
It will offer practioners’ in education share with one another, compete at a worldwide level, learn from education experts, and affect change in their own schools and communities, providing real impact for better learning outcomes. It is by invitation only.
The 2014 Global Forum agenda includes:• Unparalleled networking opportunities with other educators from around the globe• Awards and recognition for the year’s most innovative educators• Celebration of the Microsoft Innovative Schools program• Engaging professional development activities• Keynotes from industry experts• Cutting edge technology demonstrations• Teachmeets, interactive working sessions and panel discussions around “hot topics” to inspire education innovation and help build capacity among educators and school leaders• Teacher Education Initiative workshop for pre-service teachers and their faculty• Education Leaders track for policymakers (ICT and curriculum directors) understand the positive effects that enhanced teaching and school management can have on learning outcomes
APPLY NOW AND WIN A TRIP TO BARCELONA!
Whether you would like to become a Microsoft Expert Educator or Mentor School Leader, or you know someone in your school or community who fits the description, it’s simple to apply for the program. Applications will be accepted through September 30, 2013.
Just go to http://www.pil-network.com/Forums or share this news with an amazing educator and school leaders you know – giving them an opportunity to win an all-expense paid trip to the next Global Forum and connect with peers around the world.
Join us in Barcelona and get ready for the experience of a lifetime!
Lauren WoodmanGeneral ManagerMicrosoft Worldwide Education Programs
Such an appropriate title as it was one of the themes at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival this year which I had the honor of attending. As one of the main sponsors, the Microsoft Local Language Program, it was also my pleasure to partake in the festivities. I was blessed in many ways and engaged with the people representing their languages – both literally and figuratively. I proudly wear my beads presented to me by the Koro of India and bracelets from the Kallawaya of Bolivia. I witnessed the ceremonial practices of the Kalmyk of the Russian Federation and listened to Welsh poetry and stories of Wales. I was moved by the music of Tuvan throat singers of the Russian Federation and touched by the dances of the Hawaiians, as well as many other experiences that I haven’t mentioned here. You can see pictures that I’ve posted here on Flickr.
The festival served as a landscape that produced a mosaic of languages which I think was probably one of the most diverse spots on the planet for this 2 weeks of the event. It was so gratifying seeing the people from different countries/regions, cultures and backgrounds all together in a single location and sharing what is important to them – their language and culture. What they all had in common was that they were all enthusiasts trying to make a difference in revitalizing their languages. They all agreed that education was key to survival as the younger generations were going to make or break the pattern for their future. Since young people are growing up today with technology all around them, embracing technology is of utmost importance. This is where my passion lies – in bringing together language and technology to bridge the gap. But where to start? Technology can be scary for some and downright confusing for most. Start at the beginning – with the language and what to call things. Problem is that many of these languages are very old and don’t have words for technology terms like “computer”, “mouse”, “wi-fi”, etc. Developing these words in the local language or making a conscious decision to borrow them from another language is one that the language experts should make and own. It is important that the translations are culturally relevant. For example, the Cherokee word for “email” is ᎠᎾᎦᎵᏍᎩ ᎪᏪᎸ (anagalisgi gowelv) and literally translated it means “lightening paper”. That is what makes sense to them as a people with regard to their culture and language.
I’d like to share with you one of the projects that I have worked on with teams at Microsoft called the Microsoft Terminology Forum. It is a tool that provides a place where communities can develop technology terminology in their local language. We have a base collection of about 2,500 terms that are considered the key terms to begin engaging in technology solutions for any language. The finalized project can be downloaded and used by the community as a common set of terms and translations in the development of local software solutions. Best of all, it’s free!
I was happy to see and hear the reactions of people when I told them what I do at Microsoft. Most of them had no idea that Microsoft invested in the area of local language or had tools to help languages move forward in the area of technology. One statistic that people didn’t know was that Windows 8 and Office 2013 are available in 108 languages which reaches approximately 4.5 Billion speakers on the planet. Two of those languages were even represented at the festival – Quechua and Welsh. You can get more information about the Local Language Program and Microsoft’s language solutions by visiting the website at http://www.microsoft.com/LLP. It is my hope that Microsoft’s efforts can make a difference in the world and provide a catalyst for these languages to move in the direction of growth and survival for their futures
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Pic1: Carla Hurd, Microsoft with Koro beads, Pic2: Carla Hurd, Microsoft and Michael Sarkis, Microsoft at the Microsoft table, Pic3: Talk Stage “Technology and Language Panel” with K. David Harrison, Co-Curator Smithsonian Folklife Festival, One World, Many Voices, Carla Hurd, Microsoft, Ruben Reyes, Garifuna language expert, and Owen Saer, Welsh expert.
The Microsoft in Education Blog caught up with Philippe Van Laethem, IT manager at Erasmushogeschool Brussel (EhB; Erasmus University College Brussels), to find out how migrating from Google Apps to Microsoft Office 365 has empowered the staff and students he supports.
Tell us about your school! EhB is located in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium. It was founded in 1995 as an aggregation of several Higher Education institutions that were based in Brussels at that time. Today, we have about 600 faculty members and about 4,500 students.
Erasmus University College Brussels comprises professional and academic education in Architecture, Audiovisual and Dramatic Arts, Business Management, Health Care, Communications, Design & Technology, Music and Performing Arts, Education, Social Work, and Tourism.
One of the key aspects of EhB’s mission is to educate students so that they develop as open-minded individuals, ready for the challenges they will meet in their business life. Our location in Brussels offers the opportunity to immerse our students in the multicultural and international aspects of our society. Also, we have good connections with many companies located here in Brussels, enabling our students to come into contact with companies early on during their education, which in turn leads to vocational opportunities.
How do you support the mission of the school?Our IT team ensures that teachers and students have the tools they need to do their jobs well. Our responsibilities include: providing fast and secure infrastructure with little downtime, and providing efficient and user-friendly means to communicate and collaborate.
Most important for both teachers and students are the tools they use to communicate. The majority of intra-student and student-to-teacher communications occur via email. Many students and teachers check email at least once a day, and many check even more frequently than that. The bottom line is that email has to be up and running for the students to interact with their teachers and collaborate with each other.
What challenges did you face in achieving these goals?Prior to 2009, we used an on-premise email solution for both students and faculty. A major problem was that it did not provide sufficient mailbox space. Student demand for larger mailboxes is what ultimately led to our adoption of Google Apps for students, which we adopted mainly for Google Mail.
We considered moving teachers to Google Apps as well, but the features that Microsoft Exchange offers were heavily used by teachers and we didn’t find Google Apps to be comparable. Calendaring and Distribution Groups are extremely important features, especially when you include the ease of sharing calendars with Exchange. It would be a real problem if we moved our faculty to a system where they couldn’t use those features.
Why did you ultimately choose to migrate to Microsoft Office 365?With only a small team to manage network and system administration, having two email systems was not ideal. Over time the need to move to one system, where both staff and students were hosted in the cloud, grew more pressing from a cost-of-ownership perspective. Due to the faculty need for calendaring and distribution group features, the most compelling option for us was to investigate moving the students to an Exchange solution.
We were also persuaded by the security assurances provided by Microsoft, as we knew that there was some management concern around putting institutional information in the cloud. It was very helpful that Microsoft has ISO level datacenters. That gave management peace of mind about the security of the information we would be placing in the cloud.
After reviewing options, we chose a hybrid solution that combined Exchange Online, as part of Microsoft Office 365, and our existing on-premise Exchange Server to continue our Active Directory services.
What was your migration experience like?We brought on a partner to help with the actual migration. Our migration was executed with guidance of Jethro Seghers, Cloud Solutions Architect with J-Solutions/ Flexamit, a company specialized in Office 365 for education. With his help the migration turned out to be painless. We completed the migration of all mailboxes to the cloud by the end of August 2012.
As a next step, we want to start using DirSync Password Synchronization. This would help to further improve the availability of e-mail to our users.
What are the top three benefits you’ve experienced so far with Office 365?First of all, Office 365 offers our students and staff a great environment in which to communicate, share, and work on documents. They are very happy with the amount of mailbox space and pleased with Office Web Apps. Overall, reactions have been very positive.
Second, as administrators our communication solutions are now easier to manage. Going from two systems to one saves cost and time for management. I am not sure of the specific number of hours that will be saved, but it will be a lot!
Finally, Office 365 is well supported by Microsoft. If we have an issue, we contact one of the support people and they resolve it, which is a huge benefit for our administrators and was an important factor. We needed to know that end users interacting with a broader feature set would be helped when they had a problem – and we’ve had no issues with the level of support we have received to date.
What are your future plans for improving collaboration and communication?We want to make greater use of SharePoint Online by creating a communication platform for the teachers and staff. We are in the process of implementing that and teachers are starting to use it more and more.
We also hope to see greater adoption of Lync. In particular, some of our courses are aimed at students who engage in distance learning and blended learning where they study on their own time and can’t attend classes. We want to offer different ways for teachers to interact with those students. Lync is a very useful tool to enable learning and extends the part of our mission that stresses connection with business.
What would you say to colleagues also looking into cloud collaboration and communication solutions?It is always difficult to give broad advice to other people, as it depends on the needs of their end users. However, from our perspective, there hasn’t been a single moment when we’ve regretted the decision to migrate to Office 365. Microsoft provided great tools to make migration as smooth as possible and Office 365 itself is an excellent platform for the students and the teachers.
There is a lot of talk about next-generation learning, but what does that really mean? We talk about how kids need 21st century skills to succeed in higher education and careers, but we are well into the century, and if we are to be preparing students for the future, shouldn’t we be working in the 22nd century classroom and creating 22nd century experiences?
Today, we can speak to a car and get directions, find your favorite Ke$ha song, restaurant recommendations, and have a truly interactive experience, all hands-free while going 65mph on the freeway (observing the laws!), but our classroom experiences are stuck in the past and tend to be anything but progressively technological. This week, Princeton University, as they often do, pushed the envelope leveraging technology and Office 365 to make a really cool social program -- a silent disco – a truly interactive experience for more than 2,700 students and alumni.
Social Chair, Benny Wagstaff Class of 2014 said, “By using Microsoft technologies and social networking sites, it gave a truly interactive experience to the show. This made the event so much better, and the experience so much more real.”
There was live blogging with pictures, funny comments and text, all on a secure network and streaming video to students not able to attend, as well as alumni off campus. Princeton took technologies typically used in the workplace, such as sharing documents with SharePoint, conference calls with Lync, and live web storage with SkyDrive, and made the concert not only a fantastic audible event, but also a powerful collaborative experience. Breaking down the barriers of technologies used for enterprise, and using them in a social setting, is a trend both in hardware, and software alike. Making an on-premise experience, a virtual experience, and vice versa, allowing both sides to engage, really uses technology in way that enhances the experience, and create a really unique opportunity. Office 365 can bring the classroom to life and give students, faculty and staff the ability to have real-time interaction and collaboration without the physical limitations of having to be in the same location.
We love to see this imagination and innovation happening at Princeton. How are you using Office 365 to change the education experience on your campus?
Last week Microsoft hosted the Partners in Learning (PiL) Global Forum in Prague, Czech Republic. I look forward to the Global Forum all year and the inspiration it brings as I’m surrounded by over 500 of the most innovative educators in the world. I enjoy hearing stories of the impact they are making in the schools and the classroom and I am truly humbled to be part of their journey. One of the highlights this year was the chance to show off several of the great education apps and features available on Windows 8. I love the changes to Windows 8 and the design properties that were built with learners in mind. I’ve been a “geek” my whole life and I still get excited about technology. I might have let some of that geekiness show during my keynote with a demo of some of my favorite Windows 8 education apps and features:
Windows 8 Apps I showed during my keynote:
• Take Khan Academy, for example -- it’s a dynamic site that brings math, science and history lessons to life through video tutorials, even for tough topics like advanced geometry! Khan Academy is accessed around the world and is beautifully suited for the features of Windows 8. With Windows 8 you can bring multiple environments together seamlessly and learn in a dynamic way. For example, while watching a video tutorial online or downloaded and used offline, students can take notes on their computer or multitask on another project. Khan Academy for Windows 8 is designed to meet the learning realities of students head-on. • Reading a book on geometry, physics or algebra is practically easy with interactive books by Adaptive Curriculum the creators of the AC Math and AC Science solutions for K-12 schools. They have 4 Windows 8 based AC VBook Apps to help middle and high school students tackle the most difficult concepts. The AC VBooks create a highly interactive and engaging environment with a blend of explorations, visual explanations, and exercises that show students how fascinating and relevant math and science can be. The applications in Windows 8 complement the interactive books extremely well and make learning more enjoyable for the digital and mobile learners.
• The Kno app, developed by Kno, a well-regarded partner, provides a rich and immersive textbook and online search experience by providing digital access to dynamic books in a swift and efficient search process. Kno is designed for K12, college students and faculty. They offer 200,000 etextbooks available from 60+ educational publishers • Showing the power of technology with a cool 3-D app drew "oohs" and "ahhs" from the audience. Corinth developed a 3-D interactive platform and an app called Corinth Micro specifically for the Global Forum in just 6 weeks. Corinth's apps enrich the learning experience by providing detailed objects and environments that the user may freely explore (like individual leaves or cell structures). Using a demo example of search for "plant viruses" I found documentation through Kno and then zoomed in on images of leaves to look around 3-D cellular structure. It was pretty amazing! A key part of my demo was showing how the apps can work together – for example, you can watch a geometry video from Khan Academy while scanning an interactive textbook from Adaptive Curriculum and zoom into exactly the information you need while taking notes along the way with OneNote. With the Kno app and Corinth’s 3-D app, the tools to deeply research a topic can work together for an immersive learning experience. We are excited to see so many great companies building curriculum and content for students on the Windows 8 platform. Windows 8 offers a powerful experience for student learning, multi-tasking and collaborating. CharmsI also got a lot of enthusiastic clapping when I showed the search charms on Windows 8. This is a great design making a typical search much more powerful. Instead of just searching the Web I can type a word into search and then the search goes across my entire PC. Amazing! The search term may come up in Wikipedia but also in an email that I wrote on the same subject and a document that was in one of my folders. Just think how easy it is to do a report, research and work across study groups. It was a great event and I already look forward to next year. I want to personally thank all the educators that participated in this year’s event and we look forward to hearing from you on the Partners in Learning Network.
I was recently talking with a group of educators, and the topic of apps came up. The term is part of our vernacular at this point, but not all apps are the same. This causes quite a bit of confusion when schools are looking for the right device for their learning environment. There are three types of apps commonly used by educators; mobile, desktop and web apps. Windows 8 devices are the only tablet PCs that can utilize all three.
Mobile or Modern Apps
Mobile (also known as modern) apps are the applications that are only available through an app store. Apple has iTunes, Google has Playlist, and Microsoft has the Windows Store. Microsoft is the new kid in town, their selection of quality apps, particularly in the education, is growing exponentially. Some apps are available for free, but tend to be limited in functionality (to encourage you to upgrade to the paid version). Not all free apps are limited, however. The Microsoft store has thousands of educational apps (some free – some not) that are fantastic!
When reviewing apps, look for ones that will help make lessons individualized, engaging, and effective. Manage and monitor a classroom full of students and devices with Class Policy, use interactive textbooks with Kno Textbook e-reader, create apps in an hour with Touch Develop, assess student learning using Skitch Touch and Community Clips, or connect with parents who do not speak English using the Bing Translator tool. These are just a few of thousands of educational mobile apps available.
Desktop Apps
These apps are the programs that are installed onto computers. They tend to require a beefier processor, video cards, drivers, and other components that are too technical for me. Desktop apps cannot be installed on iPads and Chromebooks, because neither has full blown computer capabilities. Common examples of desktop apps include Office (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe Creative Suite, and district curriculum that requires materials to be downloaded onto a device. Any desktop app that can run on Windows 7 can run on Windows 8. In addition to Office, Microsoft has several desktop apps for education – most of them are free through the Partners in Learning website
Web Apps
The last category of apps are web apps. These are apps that either run completely from the internet – no installation needed, or may require a small plugin to be downloaded. Like desktop apps, if a web app requires a plugin, it cannot be downloaded to iPads or Chromebooks. There are thousands of great web apps out there. Many of them free for educators. Apps worth noting from Microsoft include Photosynth and SkyDrive Office apps. With SkyDrive Office Apps, anyone can access Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Excel, Outlook) without needing the full blown program on their computer. SkyDrive allows for real time collaboration and there is even an Excel survey tool.
The resources that are available to teachers and students are growing at a rapid pace. Choosing the right app means choosing the app that meets the learning target and will prepare our students to be college and career ready. When faced with choosing the right device for the classroom, educators need to think about what students will need beyond practice and reinforcement of skills. The devices used in the classroom should allow for productivity as well as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication. Students shouldn’t be hindered by the lack of app options due to a devices limited capabilities, and teachers shouldn’t have to compromise their lessons because their devices do not allow for flexibility and choice beyond an app store.
(cross-posted from the Microsoft Unlimited Potential blog)
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education is vital to solving the world’s toughest social problems; to helping companies create the next breakthrough innovation and to keeping local economies competitive. So how do we encourage more students to study STEM projects?
To find out, we partnered with Harris Interactive to get an insight on STEM education from parents with children in K-12 education, and students currently studying in STEM degree courses.
The parent perspective:
The survey found broad agreement among parents that there is room for improvement in how we prepare children to pursue a STEM career.
· The top three careers that parents want their kids to pursue are:
The STEM student perspective:College students pursuing a STEM degree were asked to rate how well their K-12 education prepared them for their college courses in STEM, and why they chose to pursue a STEM academic path.
The gender differences:
You can read the full summary of findings here.
Got a comment on these findings? We’d love to hear your thoughts either through the comments on this post or why not share your views on Twitter using the hashtag #STEMtember.
As school IT administrators start planning for summer technology projects, they continue to be challenged with budget cuts and the pressure to deliver more new and innovative services. As they deal with this “new norm,” I think we will see more schools leap to the cloud in the coming year.
More than 22 million students, faculty and staff already use Live@edu. In one year, we’ve doubled our usage making Live@edu the most widely used cloud productivity service for education. There are so many criteria schools list when choosing a cloud provider. Last month, Microsoft partnered with Wired Magazine to survey its community to see how Office 365 and Google Apps stack up against those needs. Learn more here about why Office 365 was the people’s choice.
We are starting to roll out Office 365 with Georgia State University being the very first deployment. Today, I am excited to announce the following schools are also moving to Office 365.
University of Nebraska: Nebraska is currently migrating to the cloud from Lotus Notes to Office 365, and cites that Microsoft provided the best proposal to meet the University’s overall requirements relating to superior web-based interface, better functionality, security and cost.
Tulane University: Tulane is in the process of migrating its faculty and staff from on premise Exchange to Office 365. They wanted a cloud solution to help reduce hardware and other costs, and they chose Office 365 not only because it helped reduce their total cost of ownership, but because it delivered a seamless collaboration environment with all the functionality end users were already used to.
University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA): UTSA is moving to Office 365 to reduce hardware and datacenter costs and ease administration without sacrificing the service levels and security it had come to expect from Exchange Server. Read the full case study here.
Kentucky Community Technical College System (KCTCS): KCTCS chose Office 365 to provide its 110,000+ students a true collaborative environment that will facilitate personalized learning across the system. They will continue to provide on-premise Exchange and Lync as a voicemail replacement solution to their faculty and staff and will eventually integrate with the Lync services the students will be utilizing.
University of New Mexico: New Mexico’s flagship university chose the Office 365 platform for its security and interoperability for 45,000 students, faculty and staff. UNM needed a mixed solution of both hosted Exchange and on premise presence with collaboration tools and an identity management solution to address their diverse needs across campus, yet still be able to deliver a unified experience to all.
Customers are choosing Office 365 over competitors for our deep expertise in developing productivity tools with world class security, privacy, compliance and accessibility features. Addressing accessibility is not only an important human challenge; it is also one that for many of our customers can carry significant legal penalties if not dealt with appropriately. No provider, including Microsoft, will ever be perfect as far as accessibility is concerned, but Microsoft has a long track record of investments in the provision of enabling technologies across our product set. If you take the components of Office 365 as just one example you will find detailed documentation on what we have done. For those public institutions that need to comply with ADA/Section 508, the VPATs we provide go back many years.
Microsoft has also made deep investments in security, privacy and compliance to help schools move to the cloud with confidence. Office 365 is the first and only major cloud vendor to meet the rigors of U.S. HIPAA requirements. Microsoft is the only vendor to proactively offer a business associate agreement as part of the service terms.
A lot of universities doing research or managing sensitive intellectual property still want to keep data internal and don’t want that data in the cloud or being transmitted into the cloud. We have a rich co-existence story and so for those schools who want to keep Exchange on premise and run it in hybrid with the online environment; we have by far the best experience.
Some will say you don’t need a rich client to do everything in the browser, but that’s not true. With Office 365, you keep the Outlook client people are used to, so you don’t have to retrain people and relearn how Outlook works in some competitive workaround that really doesn’t provide the full functionality of Outlook that people have come to rely on. File fidelity is also important. For those institutions that have a deep investment in Office, they don’t want to lose years of documentation and coursework.
Office 365 is now available for schools via our EES program. Check out the trial and let us know what you think.
(repost from the Microsoft Corporate Citizenship blog)
By Gretchen Deo, Citizenship & Public Affairs, Microsoft
Recently I sat with a group of 22 kids from Rainier Beach High School & South Shore Middle School who were on Microsoft’s campus in Redmond for the day. The kids were here as part of their involvement in Microsoft’s TEALS (Technology Education And Literacy in Schools) program which places Microsoft engineers in a team teaching role with into high-need K-12 classes to teach computer science with an existing in-service teacher.
The kids are enrolled in an ‘Introduction to Computer Science’ class, which teaches students the basic ideas behind computational thinking using a programming application called TouchDevelop on Windows Phone. “We have a software program that the students can use in their hands,” said Michael Braun, a computer science teacher at Rainier Beach who partners with Microsoft employees to teach the class. “They’re gravitating towards that in their daily lives, so it’s a way to merge the two ideas – social media and actual academic curriculum into one. The kids love it.”
Only 27 percent of American high schools offer any type of computer science classes, so the absence of a formalized class at Rainier Beach prior to TEALS is not uncommon. Peli de Halleux is a Software Developer with Microsoft Research and teaches 29 kids at Rainier Beach every morning together with Chris Mitchell, another Software Developer with Microsoft Exchange. “A lot of those kids don’t have computers at home, so it’s hard to give them homework,” said de Halleux. “[We said], let’s be the first class that teaches exclusively on a mobile device.” Braun added, “Without having this kind of handheld technology, they would not have this opportunity to be doing computer science homework. By giving them the hardware and software, we’re basically delivering classroom technology to their home.”
Miguel Higgins, a sophomore at Rainier Beach High School is taking the TouchDevelop class. “I thought it’d be interesting because the school doesn’t really have many technology courses, so I thought TouchDevelop might be good. I did C++ before I got to the school, so I already had an interest in programming; it’s just a cool introduction.” TouchDevelop is also being used as a “bridge class” between middle and high School. Price Jimerson is an 8th grader at South Shore and attends class at Rainier Beach High School for one hour each morning. She said, “It’s not different [from other classes] because we still do Math or Algebra, but it is different because we use… scripts and word streams.”
On this particular day, the kids were at Microsoft to see what’s possible when applying lessons from the classroom to careers and our everyday environment. They heard from employees about college technology tracks, internships at Microsoft, and career ideas. David Hardy Jr., a parent who was chaperoning the day, said “I like that my daughter is in the program. My daughter comes home and she’s really excited and engaged. It’s really giving her a skill [programming] that will forever be with her.” I asked a number of the kids if they were interested in exploring computer science beyond high school and received enthusiastic responses across the board.
TEALS is expanding from 13 partner schools in the Puget Sound this year to over 30 schools nationwide with a reach of over 1800 students, and it’s a good thing – as 8th grader Deja Sopher-Frazier said, “I think other people should have the opportunity to do the same thing as us.”
If you’re interested in more information on the TEALs program contact Kevin Wang at Microsoft.
Moodlerooms announced today the availability of a plug-in that integrates Microsoft Live@edu with Moodle, the world’s leading open source Learning Management System. Live@edu is a free service from Microsoft that provides hosted email, online storage and Office Web Apps to tens of thousands of schools and 22 million users around the world. For schools that use both Moodle and Live@edu the plug-in integrates the two so that teachers and students can access the enterprise-quality tools they need to effectively teach and learn online.
There are a lot of great online tools and services available for teachers and students to communicate and collaborate more efficiently. But sometimes it can get a bit daunting bringing these tools into the classroom in a streamlined and productive way. The plug-in built by Moodlerooms integrates email, calendar, instant messaging and Bing right into the Moodle classroom environment, making it simple and easy for students and teachers to share ideas, work on projects together and have all the information important to them in one place after signing in only once.
This Moodlerooms release not only includes a new plug-in for Moodle 2.0, but also updates the Moodle 1.9 plug-in released two years ago. The result is yet another great example of the many projects across Microsoft that improves interoperability with Open Source technologies and illustrates a broader commitment to openness on our platforms.
The set of Windows Live plug-ins are free to download and available now in the Moodle community. You can also learn more about the benefits it provides teachers and students in this interview with Kwasi Asare of Moodlerooms.
By Frank ChiapponeSenior Marketing Product ManagerMicrosoft Office Division
(Cross post from the Bing Search blog.)
We’ve shared some amazing examples of people doing incredible things and today, we want to shine a light on an important issue that has likely touched you, or your loved ones. Bullying affects millions of kids every day – with over 13 million kids in the US being bullied this year, and over 3 million students missing school each month because they feel unsafe at school.
To help combat bullying, The Weinstein Company is premiering a new anti-bullying documentary, “Bully”, tonight in Los Angeles. The goal of “Bully” is to get parents, students, educators, and advocates involved to help stop bullying. The film will be released in New York and Los Angeles theaters on March 30 and in other cities on April 13.
Today, we’re happy to join the “Bully” movement to help raise awareness of the serious implications of bullying with the goal of inspiring people to stand up to bullying. We’re pleased to join together with Ellen DeGeneres, Justin Bieber, Meryl Streep, Anderson Cooper, Kelly Ripa, Demi Lovato, Tommy Hilfiger, Billie Jean King, Drew Brees and many others, including high school student Katy Butler, to help stop bullying. Butler is doing her part – starting a petition to encourage the Motion Picture Association of America to change the rating on “Bully” from R to PG-13 so kids can see the film. Butler gathered more than 400,000 signatures and delivered the petition earlier this month, showing that any of us can make a difference.
Here at Bing, we believe we can help this movement by leading online and driving for change. Bing is designed for doing and we’re committed to helping people find the best resources to help address this important issue. Our partnership with The Weinstein Company includes an ad campaign appearing on TV and online, social media promotion, and the sponsorship of multiple screenings of the film.
Tonight, we’re honored to sponsor the official premiere of “Bully”, hosted by Guiliana Rancic, Joel McHale, and Victoria Justice. Over the next few weeks, we will launch an integrated ad campaign to promote “Bully”, illustrating the impact of bullying and rallying people to get involved to stop bullying. You’ll also see us leading a discussion on our social media channels, highlighting information on MSN.com, and doing what we can to help.
We encourage you to join the conversation with @Bing at #bullymovie. You can learn more about the film at http://www.thebullyproject.com/.
With the U.S. unemployment rate holding steady around 9 percent, job creation and education are top of mind as many fellow citizens are missing out on the economic recovery, and inadequate education is hampering many workers’ ability to obtain available jobs. Even in this week’s State of the Union Address by President Obama, we heard the words training and education over and over again. And for good reason.
America is no longer setting the world standard for leadership in quality education. A recent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report measuring global student performance among teenagers shows the U.S. now ranks 25th in math, 17th in science, and 14th in reading out of the 34 OECD countries. American students are lagging behind their peers in other developed countries. Yet it is not merely an issue of quality. There are substantial disparities in access to education and educational tools in the U.S.
How can we work to change that? America remains the world’s center of innovation. New advancements in revolutionary technology offer unprecedented access and can be the tools to eliminate geographic and socio-economic barriers to world-class education, so we can prepare our citizens for jobs in the short term and lead the world in modernization in the future. And it’s beginning to happen already—both in expected and unexpected places. One solution we’re seeing – the democratization of learning through online methods.
From a higher education standpoint, Stanford University professor Sebastian Thrun has taken a Silicon Valley approach to education, offering his “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” course online at no cost to participants. Dr. Thrun’s remote students attended online video lectures, completed assignments, and took exams. More than 23,000 students from 190 countries passed the course, receiving a statement of accomplishment (in lieu of Stanford course credit).
Thrun’s online experiment seems to have been a glowing success in its ability to extend advanced learning far beyond the physical classroom. He is continuing the effort to reach many students with low cost online courses, such as CS 101: Building a Search Engine, delivered through Udacity.com. Could this bold experiment, and similar efforts like MIT Open Courseware, enable thousands of students to receive a rigorous higher education at a tiny percentage of the cost of Stanford tuition?
For K-12 students, a small but rapidly growing non-profit organization called Khan Academy is changing the world of education with technology. Supported by Bill and Melinda Gates and other philanthropists, they offer access to online lessons, interactive practice exercises, and assessments to anyone with Internet access. A recent article in The Economist shows how Khan Academy is being used both internationally and in U.S. classrooms. Teachers are using the solutions to make learning more social and are taking advantage of visual dashboards that allow instructors to see exactly where pupils are struggling or excelling, so they can refine their teaching methods and place attention where it’s needed the most.
The democratization of education is coming. Through efforts with mayors and broadband providers around the country, Microsoft is working on our Shape the Future program, which aims to provide basic device and broadband access for 1 million low income students and their families over the next few years. We recognize that access to technology can help to place students on a more level playing field, even for all of the online learning goals to come to fruition, in addition to the benefits it brings to the physical classroom.
Over the next several weeks, we will explore this story in greater detail, including barriers to access, visionaries in the field, and the technology that can and will empower citizens and make access to education a reality. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject: Leave a comment below, or chat with us on https://twitter.com/Microsoft_EDU with the hashtag #DigitalDivide.
Lili Cheng is general manager of Microsoft’s Future Social Experiences (FUSE) Labs
This summer my research team had six incredible interns, four women and two men. As they head back to college, and as I look at my own two high school aged children, I find myself wondering, what motivates young folks to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) degrees and careers, and what can we do to make STEM and computer science more appealing to more people?
Getting the facts, according to the August 2011 study on the Gender Gap of Women in STEM from the US Department of Commerce, of 44 million college graduates with jobs in the US; there were only 6.7 million males and 2.5 million females with STEM degrees. Of those, only 2.7 million (40%) men and 0.6 million (26%) women work in STEM jobs. In other words, we could be doing better! Of 44 million college grads, only .6 million women have STEM degrees and STEM jobs.
Getting more facts, when we look at what motivates kids to get STEM degrees, it turns out the top answer is no surprise. The desire to earn a good salary with good job potential is the top reason kids (65%) study STEM, but the second rated reasons are fascinating:
Male students are more likely to pursue STEM because they have always enjoyed games/toys, etc. (51% vs. 35% females).
Female students are more likely than male students to say that they chose STEM to make a difference (49% vs. 34% males).
Also fascinating is discovering how kids get interested in STEM.
To help increase motivation, given the above information, it would be good to know if increasing extracurricular STEM activities, toys and games for girls or if improving classroom curriculum and incentives would best increase passion and interest. Also, it would be great to give parents better guidance. For example, for parents who aren’t in STEM careers, how can they best motivate and encourage their children? It’s very hard to know what the best way to motivate a child is, even for parents like me with STEM careers.
Given I am a woman, and have one of the most exciting and interesting STEM jobs in the world, I want to help make sure there is awareness of the facts around STEM college majors and STEM jobs. I’d love to hear what kinds of programs people, especially educators and college counselors, find to be the most effective, and how we can better support the most impactful initiatives. If you have suggestions, we’d love to hear them!
Why not share you views in the comments below or reach out to me on Twitter using #STEMtember!
Lili
Lili Cheng is general manager of Microsoft’s Future Social Experiences (FUSE) Labs, which focuses on software and services that are centered on social connectivity, real-time experiences, and rich media. Previously, she was the director of the Creative Systems Group (CSG) within Microsoft Research.CSG developed several projects in the area of social computing and design, including Kodu, an Xbox 360 game to teach kids programming concepts; Salsa, a project that combines email and social networking concepts; and a project that rethinks how we view and share files within the operating system. Lili joined Microsoft in 1995, in the Virtual Worlds research group where she worked on social applications such as V-Chat and Comic Chat.
(cross-post from Publicyte blog)
Donna Woodall (Washington, DC) —
The organization Cradles to Crayons is an innovative, nonprofit organization that provides disadvantaged children with free school supplies. Recently, Microsoft and CVS partnered with Cradles to Crayons in Boston to fill 200 backbacks for kids aged 5-12 with critical back-to-school supplies, as well as personalized notes from our employees. Microsoft donated the backpacks and school supplies, and CVS supported by donating supplies like crayons (of course), glue, and pencils.
This effort is but just one of many citizenship activities that Microsoft and its employees participate in on a regular basis, connecting communities in need with information, technology, and other items. Learn more about our citizenship activities on our Local Impact Map.
Donna Woodall is Microsoft’s citizenship lead for the U.S. east coast.
Are you in Orlando this week attending FETC?! If you are, we hope you can stop by and spend some time in the Microsoft booth (#137) to learn more about our innovative technology solutions for your school.
The expansion in Internet connectivity and the use of PCs and other mobile devices at home and in schools has transformed learning. Schools and campuses are increasingly both physical and virtual. The right technologies and tools are essential to support today’s challenging learning environment and provide a solid foundation for excellence. Microsoft’s Teaching and eLearning technologies can help you engage students more fully, and enhance staff and faculty communications with innovative solutions with technology you may already have – saving you time and money!
Come visit Microsoft at booth #137 and learn how you can:
Attend a Learning Session
Enhancing the Tech and Learning Experience for all StudentsWednesday, January 25, 12:00 to 1:00 pm in Room S320B Come hear how you, as an educator, can help ensure that all students have the same access to technology through simple steps to customize your Microsoft Windows and Office environment. This will include using the Accessibility features of Microsoft Windows, free add-ins for Microsoft Office, and online tools in Internet Explorer. Presented By: Tony Franklin, Microsoft National Education Technologist
Free Tools for the Classroom Thursday, January 26, 1:30 to 2:00 pm at Exhibit Hall, Booth 663Motivate and engage your students with free, easy-to-use tools from Microsoft. Discover interactive technologies for video, pictures, music, quizzes, sharing and more! Presented By: Tony Franklin, Microsoft National Education Technologist
We look forward to meeting with you!
Repost from Kevin Dean -- I am excited to tell you that MDOP 2011 R2 is now available for download from the Microsoft Volume Licensing site. Customers who do not have access to the Volume Licensing site have the option to download it from TechNet or MSDN and Windows Intune customers have access to MDOP as an addition to their subscription.
The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) is a suite of technologies that helps improve compatibility and management, reduce support costs, increase asset management and improve policy control. MDOP technologies give customers’ better control of the desktop, accelerate and simplify application deployments and management, and enable IT to provide highly responsive service. This can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership of the operating system and entire application management lifecycle.
With MDOP 2011 R2, we have added Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM), Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) 7.0, and Microsoft Asset Inventory Service (AIS) 2.0. This release builds upon the foundation of MDOP 2011, which was released in March and included Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) 4.6 SP1, Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) 2.0, Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM) 4.0, AIS 1.5, DaRT 6.5, and Microsoft Desktop Error Monitoring (DEM) 3.5.
Here are the details on the new products available with MDOP 2011 R2:
Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) will simplify deployment and key recovery, centralize provisioning, monitoring, and reporting of encryption status for fixed and removable drives, and also minimize support costs. Key features include:
Microsoft Diagnostic and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) 7.0 is a set of tools that helps easily recover unusable PCs, rapidly diagnose problem causes of issues, and quickly repair unbootable or locked-out systems. Key updates include:
Microsoft Asset Inventory Service (AIS) 2.0 is a cloud based asset management service that can help make good inventory management decisions and has some of the most requested features customers asked for:
As we’ve said in the past customer feedback is an important part of product development and throughout the beta stages of MDOP 2011 R2, we had many conversations with beta participants. Since the DaRT 7.0 beta release in April, customers have shared their excitement, particularly around remote boot, which helps drive the helpdesk cost to support Windows based PCs even lower. We would like to thank all of our customers and partners who participated and provided feedback on the beta programs for MBAM, DaRT 7.0, and AIS 2.0. Customer feedback is integral to the development of a product and we appreciate your assistance in making MDOP 2011 R2 a success.
I’m thrilled to announce today that Microsoft Partners in Learning is teaming up with a soon-to-be-released film, American Teacher, as part of our ongoing efforts to support the teaching profession and encourage broad dialogue about the importance of having great teachers in our nation’s classrooms.
American Teacher tells the collective story by and about those closest to the issues in our educational system—the 3.2 million teachers who spend every day in classrooms across the country. The feature-length documentary brings together educational experts, student interviews, and a year of documenting the day-to-day lives and sacrifices of public school teachers. American Teacher raises important questions about how we value our strongest, most committed, and most effective teachers, and the ripple effect this has on how our children learn and their potential for future success.
Through our role as the exclusive Community Screening Partner for American Teacher, Microsoft Partners in Learning will provide the resources necessary for any educator, school administrator, concerned parent, community leader or non-profit organization to host a screening.
Today, the film is slated for limited theatrical release in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. More cities may follow, but for the majority of American communities, the only way to view the film is through a local community screening. These screenings are an excellent way for communities to see the film, have a discussion about the importance of teaching in their schools and consider how to get involved in improving our education system.
For Microsoft Partners in Learning, underscoring the importance of the teaching profession is core to our mission. Since 2003, we’ve invested millions to provide professional development and community support to educators worldwide, and we continue to invest in relevant, timely resources to help teachers enhance their skills, support one another, and engage students effectively. A movie like American Teacher helps facilitate essential dialogue on the importance of the profession and highlights the dedication of teachers.
I hope that every educator, community leader, parent, and citizen will consider hosting or attending a community screening. More information on how to host a screening will be available here on Monday, September 26.
Lauren WoodmanGeneral Manager, Worldwide Partners in Learning
Here at Microsoft, we are excited to partner with the FCC and support the “Connect to Compete” initiative that strives to bring all Americans access to broadband, computers, software and the knowledge needed to compete in the global market. We know the link between education attainment and economic growth has never been clearer, and we believe that everyone in the public and private sector must contribute to ensure all students have access to the skills they need to get quality jobs. Knowing how to communicate and share ideas using technology is a critical factor to being qualified for many high paying jobs that even today are going unfilled. At this very moment, more than 40,000 open jobs can be found on www.careerbuilder.com that require knowing how to use Microsoft Excel. It’s a trend nationwide that is only going to continue as the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that 77% of American jobs will require technology skills in the next decade. Yet, we have an unemployment rate of 18% amongst our youth. This is a serious skills gap we must start to close now. As part of Microsoft's commitment to the FCC initiative, we will provide a portal for free online job skills training and assessments and basic digital literacy - including Microsoft Office, with courses in Word, PowerPoint and Excel. And beginning in 15 states over the next 3 years and quickly expanding nationwide, Microsoft will also work with its partners to expand the Microsoft IT Academy program and deploy Microsoft Office training through its retail stores, local schools, libraries and community colleges – helping ensure access to the software skills needed to land the jobs of today and tomorrow. This effort leverages the multi-million dollar investments Microsoft has made in technology curriculum and commits us to an ongoing partnership that will help shape the future for millions of Americans. This is more than just skills training, but also making sure there is universal broadband access and access to computers in the home. Digital inclusion represents a real opportunity for cities and states to create local jobs, to improve economic growth and to increase their competitiveness. Microsoft’s goal is to help the U.S. improve to a top 10 World Economic Forum ranking in terms of the number of home users and those who have internet access. In the U.S, 9.5 million students are without digital access at home. Why does that matter? The total annual U.S. economic impact of this digital divide is $32 billion, with a lifetime impact to these students, their families and the country of $1.2 trillion. Research shows that a child has a 6% higher chance of graduating from high school when there is a computer at home. Just last month at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting, and in partnership with the FCC, Comcast, NFTE and One Economy, we announced a commitment to help 1 million students in low income homes get access to a device, software and broadband. Today’s announcement aligns with Microsoft’s global Shape the Future program, which builds public/private partnerships with governments to attain universal technology access for all their citizens. We hope by expanding access to our Office training, skills assessment and digital literacy curricula, we can continue to level the playing field. It’s just one way we are trying to help make sure a quality education is a right for all, not a privilege for some.
So far, it's been an exciting time here in London at the BETT show 2014. From the keynote speech from Sir Ranulph Finnes, to the skills workshops and speakers, this year's show is packed full of content for learning and education professionals. One of the biggest themes at this year's show is devices, and for good reason. With the pace of innovation in terms of how technology is being used within the classroom, particularly around tablet devices and mobile computing, choosing the right solution for a school, classroom or project is more complex than ever. At Microsoft, we know this decision must start with a plan.
To be sure, devices are the biggest technology investment in the classroom. That means choosing devices that meet learning objectives and help prepare students for their next step, whether that is higher education or the workforce. Productivity -- or lack thereof -- can mean the difference between the success and failure of any technology solution. Students need to consume content, analyze it and create documents with their findings, all while staying on task and away from distractions. And importantly, classroom computing must be secure, putting student safety and wellbeing first. It’s a tall order, but the right device is built to meet all of those needs and more.
• In an effort to support and inform administrators facing these challenges, Microsoft partnered with IDC Government Insights on a study to learn more about schools' technology investments. The results of the study, published in a white paper entitled "Demonstrating the Value of PCs in the Education Industry", looked at 11 schools and focused specifically on PCs — desktops, laptops, and "hybrid" tablet PCs (such as the Surface, which functions as a notebook system when the keyboard is connected, and as a tablet when the screen is detached). The study also looked at media tablets, defined as devices primarily designed and marketed to access a wide range of digital content and services, including media and communications). The results support our belief that what matters most is a device that is full featured enough to allow students to consume information, collaborate with their peers and teachers and create great content. Here's what the study found: • The schools favored PCs over media tablets primarily for their ability to generate content — especially in the higher grades.
• Although PC devices cost more than media tablets, the costs of the additional technology required for tablets to meet the needs of education — including management and security software, maintenance and warranty packages, and additional bandwidth — close the gap considerably.
• The principle cost advantage of a PC is that it is optimized for organizations rather than individuals, and as such is easier to deploy and manage, resulting in annual maintenance costs that are 26 percent lower than those of media tablets.
• The schools in this study felt that the PC's usability and fit with their educational goals more than outweighed the initial cost advantage of media tablet devices.
As with any major purchase, maintenance of devices and technology solutions can represent significant and unexpected costs down the road, making guaranteed reliability and easy-to-access support critical. Upgrades and replacements can be another surprise cost over time, placing quality and durability at a premium above novelty and “cool factor.” And taking risks with safety and security is not an option, so any technology solution should, first and foremost, protect students. The full study is attached below.
Microsoft helps school leaders meet the evolving needs of education by offering cost-effective devices and technologies that help secure and manage the business of education. Microsoft devices, whether they are tablets, laptops or desktop PCs, are designed to meet every need and to integrate with existing classroom technology. And to protect this critical investment, Microsoft devices are easy-to-implement workhorses with guaranteed reliability.
This week at BETT, we will be featuring a wide range of devices – from PCs to tablets to all-in-ones -- and we’ll be demonstrating how these can collectively help enhance methods of learning, and engage, motivate, and excite students and faculty. We know that technology can fundamentally change the way students learn, teachers instruct, and the education community communicates, and we are proud to play a role in helping students, teachers and administrators get the most out of today's technology to produce the leaders of tomorrow.
Anthony Salcito, Vice President Worldwide Education
When it comes to preparing for – and making the most of – innovative classroom technology, Microsoft believes that technology can help improve teaching and learning, and ultimately create opportunity and raise living standards for people around the world.
This kind of transformative change does not happen overnight. We are committed to listening to what educators, administrators and students say is working, and what's not. It's our mission to make change plausible; to clarify which learning environments and methods are in fact delivering on the promise of transformative learning.
One such method is 1:1 learning. Since the first 1:1 programs began more than 20 years ago, tens of thousands of schools across the globe have piloted or fully deployed 1:1 programs in their schools and school districts. Whether it's about sparking curiosity, collaborating with peers and expert educators, interacting with rich content or opening doors to engaging learning experiences, 1:1 technology-empowered learning environments can help transform today’s learners into tomorrow’s leaders. Of course, realizing this vision requires teachers, administrators and students to realign, rethink, and reinvent educational practices.
As part of our program at BETT 2014, we held an important event entitled: Anytime Anywhere Learning for All. This program covered how to effectively execute 1:1 programs, the best strategies for building relationships with IT decision makers, and included discussions and panels about the value and economic impact of 1:1 programs.
Studies on transformative learning environments have shown that successful 1:1 programs focus on learning, and not devices; they address student engagement, active pedagogy, and the business of learning. From Australia to Greece to Canada, Cyprus to the US, we have heard from teachers, students, parents and administrators who sing the praises of 1:1 learning.
Why? For today’s curious, self-directed, and social learners, 1:1 programs can give them a more meaningful voice in their education, and a strategy and environment that supports deeper learning. For educators, a 1:1 program can free them from being "content providers" and instead let them serve as mentors, learning strategists, advisors, coaches, and researchers exploring new, innovative teaching practices. By shifting from teacher- to student–directed learning, classrooms can begin to develop a contemporary curriculum strategy.
This week at BETT 2014, Microsoft is focusing on sharing meaningful ways to integrate technology into classrooms. To help teachers, trainers, and school leaders take full advantage of 1:1 learning opportunity, Microsoft supports teachers, trainers and school leaders:
• Design and Deployment workshop: Developed in partnership with the Anytime, Anywhere Learning Foundation, this workshop addresses the critical steps required for effective deployment of a 1:1 program. It provides school leadership with a framework which encourages dialog and clear expectations about what a 1:1 initiative will mean for students, teachers and the whole school community, and addresses strategic, pedagogical, technical and tactical implications for school heads, IT directors, curriculum heads and their teams.
• Train the trainer workshop: Building Educator Capacity: Designed for organizations and individuals that provide teacher training using Microsoft devices and products. Facilitated by Imagine Education, it focuses on how to utilize the Microsoft professional development resources, share best practices and explore new tools and apps to support teachers. Join the upcoming webcast series to find out more. Register here.
We believe that technology can expand the impact of education and accelerate the growth potential of every student. We also believe in the power of the educator and school leader and the impact they can have on their students both now and into the future. To that end, in March 2014 we are bringing together over 700 of the world’s most innovative educators, school leaders and education leaders from 75 countries for the 10th annual Microsoft in Education Global Forum taking place in Barcelona, Spain. The Forum is designed to give educators and school leaders an opportunity for professional development, team building, collaboration and sharing of best practices.
When it comes to creating meaningful change in education, there is no silver bullet. With the right educators, plan and tools in place today, students will be fully engaged in learning, and prepared to meet the changing demands of the job market, readying them to lead in the 21st century economy.
- Anthony
The pace of change in the job market, evolving technology, and demand for skilled workforce has placed a certain burden on educators around the world to provide current curriculum for successful and job-ready students. Keeping up with the job market, however, is no easy feat.
That’s why Microsoft created the Microsoft IT Academy program. Any institution focused on learning—K-12 school, college, technical school…even statewide library systems—can integrate the comprehensive, affordable program. Not only does IT Academy deliver critical technical training and certification to students and career changers; the program also focuses on professional development for educators, helping to ensure impactful, relevant education that drives student’s technical knowledge and skills. It’s a win-win for everyone: students, educators, and industries struggling to hire qualified business and technical career seekers.
Around the world, more than 15,000 schools have integrated the Microsoft IT Academy program into their classrooms, giving educators and students the opportunity for skills development and certifications that validate those skills. School by school, region by region, IT Academies are helping to bridge the gap between skilled students and employers’ needs.
On February 13 (and again on February 18), Microsoft IT Academy will host the College and Career Readiness virtual event for any educator preparing students for success. We encourage our readers to register for the free event and tune in right from your desk.
During the two-hour event, the IT Academy team will be joined by educators and experts for six topical discussion sessions. They’ll showcase how educators can adopt and effectively guide college and career-minded students. Topics include curriculum and training, the value of student certifications, and job preparation techniques for graduating students. It’s a great opportunity to hear first-hand stories from educators solving the skills gap with tools available to any educator through Microsoft IT Academy.
The College & Career Readiness event site details the special sessions, guest bios, and event times. Register for the February 13 event today.
Watch this video to learn how IT Academy is closing the skills gap.
Full Schedule of Events
Join us for a special two-hour virtual College & Career Readiness Event
Choose the event time that fits your schedule: Thursday, February 13 | 8:00 – 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time | Add this event to your calendarFebruary 18th from 12:00-14:00 Asia/Singapore/ 15:00-17:00 PM Sydney | Add this event to your calendar
Register Now!
Who should attend: If you are in education, this event is for you! Administrators, educators, instructors, teachers, faculty, career counselors, curriculum planners are encouraged to attend.
Format: Live, interactive virtual broadcast with engaging chat and Q&A opportunities for attendees and industry experts
About the Event
Join Microsoft IT Academy program for an informative, free, two-hour virtual event showcasing the latest best practices technology educators can adopt to effectively guide college and career-minded students, and foster a new generation of innovators in the IT and developer technology fields.This virtual event will consist of six mini-sessions hosted by industry experts and drilling down into the topics that matter most to you.
Agenda8:00 – 8:10 A.M.: The Global Skills Gap and Job Market LandscapeAn overview of the technology skills development landscape and roadmap for guiding students to success.
8:10 – 8:28 A.M.: Extending Today’s Technology Curriculum in the Classroom and OnlineExplore the value and best practices for adopting technology curriculum and certification in the classroom and online learning platforms, including Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft Technology Associate, and Microsoft Certified Professional certification tracks.Entry-level Technology for Your College- and Career-Minded Students (two sessions)
8:28 – 8:46 A.M.: Technology for Everyone: Validating your students’ success in Microsoft OfficeThe right mix of tools, training, and certification is essential to inspire entry-level students to set a course for a future career using the latest business technologies. We’ll review the best practices for getting students started on a productive path, including the value of Microsoft Office training and certification options.
8:46 – 9:04 A.M.: Entry-level technology for your college and career-minded students Aspiring technologists thrive when immersed in the IT and developer technologies they’ll work with every day in future roles. Learn about Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) training and certification, and how it helps students get hands-on with the latest technologies.
9:04 – 9:22 A.M.: Technology Endorsements that Get RecognizedHelping students develop solid technology skills is just part of the learning equation. Validation is a critical, ongoing need to ensure students stay motivated, focused, and empowered. Learn from IT Academy educators and learning experts on ways to endorse and validate students’ skills.
9:22 – 9:40 A.M.: The Last Mile: Résumé Building and Interview TechniquesStanding out in a crowded job marketplace requires sharp self-promotion skills. Join a panel of hiring experts on the very latest hiring trends and best practices for successfully landing entry-level technology roles. We’ll discuss tips for creating résumés that can’t be ignored, and interview preparation tips that you can share with graduating students.
Five hundred people from nearly 80 countries, all gathered together for one common purpose: to celebrate the world’s most innovative educators. The Partners in Learning Global Forum 2012 in Prague has arrived, and I have been honored to be amongst this illustrious group.
Ten years ago, Microsoft began the Partners in Learning (PiL) program with the passionate belief that technology would play a pivotal role in the advancement of education. PiL grew from a small, locally-focused group of educators into what today is a global network of more than 11 million members. From schoolhouses in sub-Saharan Africa, to university campuses in the US and Europe, PiL strives to give educators the tools they need to advance learning for the 21st century. I believe our mission today is more important than ever. We have witnessed a seismic shift in the world of education over the past decade. Quite simply, the learning paradigm has transformed, and together we are exploring a radically changed landscape.
That’s why I’m thrilled that yesterday, Laura Ipsen, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Sector, announced an additional $250 million in funding to extend and expand Partners in Learning over the next five years. This funding will help ensure that our global network of innovative educators will have the resources, attention and energy it deserves to continue our collective mission. It allows us to continue and evolve the essential programs of the PiL network, and also helps us to bring new programs to the network to help educators develop even further. I’d like to highlight just a few of the exciting new programs you will see as part of the PiL network this coming year:
• The Expert Educator Program: An exclusive one-year program created to recognize pioneer educators globally who are using technology to transform education. The Expert Educator Program is a full-scale professional development program where teachers are provided comprehensive professional development, access to the latest technology for their classroom, training from the world’s foremost academic and Ed Tech thinkers, and an unparalleled international community of educators.
• Microsoft Innovative Schools World Tour: As powerful as virtual sharing is, we know that there is substantial value to showing policymakers, government and decision makers innovative schools in person. The World Tour program takes a select group of schools and shares their model for success with senior decision-makers. Schools are chosen for their innovative practices as well as their technology, student, teacher and environmental focus. NGO partners that are passionate about driving 21st century teaching and learning will conduct the tours.
• Teaching with Technology (TwT): TwT is a new, online professional development curriculum for teachers, which is aligned with the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers. The TwT curriculum contains over 40 hours worth of content that covers how pedagogy and technology combine to create powerful and concrete learning outcomes.
• The Teacher Initiative (TEI): TEI is a higher education workshop with a series of modules that have been developed for several content areas (currently math, science, social studies and literacy, as well as TPACK). TEI specifically focuses on college or university School of Education (SOE) faculty, and aims to help SOE faculty better integrate technology into their teaching of pre-service teachers. The result will be an arsenal of technology users in higher education. For new teachers to fully utilize cutting-edge technologies in their classrooms, they need to use those technologies when they are students themselves.
• Innovation Hot Topics: This is a new blog forum on the Partners in Learning Network that focuses on the topics that school leaders and educators are most concerned about. Topics can range from leadership, to project-based learning, to virtual learning environments. The blog will be owned by some of the leading experts in education who will share their knowledge and real-world examples through this community.
I am especially proud that at Microsoft, we believe it is the educators and students – not the devices – that will be the true innovators. By renewing the pledge to PiL, Microsoft supports the vital work of teachers, administrators and policy makers throughout the world. In fact, at the PiL Global Forum today, we held the Education Leader’s Briefing. This part of the Global Forum gives participants the opportunity to directly experience the best global examples of 21st century teaching and learning. During the event, Microsoft and the British Council recognized three outstanding Young Education Leaders who have contributed significantly to the development of globally aware, globally competitive young people through the innovative use of technology in education. It’s young leaders like these three that will help us continue to innovate and advance education, and I am excited to share more about their stories. You can follow the event at our facebook page here
And as you may know, I have been on a blogging journey this year called Daily Edventures. Over the course of 2012, I have talked with an “everyday heroes in education” each day. We’ve covered over 75 countries and met students, teachers, ministers of education and rock stars. Check out my current post with Bill Gates sharing his thoughts on the importance of great teachers. I’m happy to say, Daily Edventures will continue – and will grow -- in 2013. I promise to share more about our evolution for the next year soon, so stay tuned!
Finally, I’m very proud of what Partners in Learning has accomplished, and being at the Global Forum has reminded me of just how powerful a committed group of people can be together. It’s a great time to be an educator, and I’m excited about the possibilities the next five years will bring.
Kinect is the fastest selling consumer electronic product ever. Its success offers proof that technology innovation is only limited by our willingness to invest in big ideas. It is critical that we foster innovation by inspiring the next generation of innovators, and changing the way we ensure they’re equipped with 21st century skills.
Enter the National STEM Video Game Challenge. Launched in partnership with Digital Promise, an initiative created by the President and Congress and supported through the Department of Education, the National STEM Video Game Challenge is a multi-year competition whose goal is to motivate interest in STEM learning among America’s youth by tapping into students’ natural passion for playing and making video games. Xbox 360 is teaming up with great partners for the second year in a row to provide young students with real-world experiences in game design via platforms like Kodu Game Lab for a chance to win some amazing prizes.
To continue the momentum of the Challenge along with a few of our partners – including U.S. News & World Report’s Jason Koebler, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, and PBS Kids – we are participating in a TweetChat on Wednesday, 2/22 at 4:15 pm ET to discuss youth game design and game-based learning. Joining is simple – just enter the #STEMchat hashtag at http://tweetchat.com/room/STEMChat. Approximately every 10 minutes, one randomly selected participant will receive an exciting gift from the participating organizations – including a grand prize of a Kinect for Xbox 360!
For more information, visit www.GetGameSmart.com. We’re look forward to a stimulating discussion and are even more excited to see what amazing games the students and educators come up with!