Tag: Education

As schools around the world work to reimagine education, it’s become more important than ever to make technology accessible, safe, and engaging so that educators and students can focus on what matters most: teaching, learning, and connecting with one another. Windows 10 devices and powerful tools like Office 365 for Education and Microsoft Teams work together to help teachers create personalized experiences to support students learning from anywhere.

One example of an institution embracing technology is Frenship Independent School District (ISD). The district, which offers professional certifications and language learning programs, used both Windows 10 devices and Microsoft Teams to manage the shift to remote learning this fall. Before the shift, Frenship ISD had provided student access through a combination of individual devices, computer labs, and “device carts” where devices could be checked in and out to give students access to technology.

When Superintendent Dr. Michelle McCord understood that Frenship ISD would be fully remote this fall, she wanted to keep the technology check-out system at the Texas district alive on a larger scale. She worked with the district’s tech department to create a library system for their devices, which were primarily Dell Latitude 3190 computers but also included other Windows 10 devices. Students in the district could select a device that fit their learning needs, use it for the semester and check it back in when they completed their program.

“We fulfilled everyone’s requests. Everybody that needed a device or support for accessing Microsoft systems got it,” said Dr. McCord. The district paired the devices with Microsoft Teams to facilitate collaboration, maintaining a supportive learning environment for students.

With Windows 10 devices and Microsoft Teams connecting students and educators, Frenship ISD is prepared to handle whatever happens in the spring semester and beyond. “We’re ready at any time for a short-term closure, virtual learning, or face-to-face learning,” said Joe Barnett, the district’s Chief Technology Officer. “Blended learning is more of what I think is going to occur. I anticipate students transitioning from one instructional model to the other, and that’s what we really wanted to be prepared for.”

McCord expects the device check-out system will be lasting. “We’re never going to go back to the way it was before,” she explains. “We’re going to keep using this technology so we can be even more productive and stay connected. This will allow us to continue to remain committed to our core beliefs and serve every learner, no matter the circumstance.”

Though we don’t know what this semester will bring for education, we do know that having the right technology is critical as school systems transition to different learning environments. Windows 10 devices and tools like Teams are built to support the success of your school system.

Learn more about affordable Windows 10 devices and find the right fit for your school’s unique technology needs.

• Hybrid Learning

Before COVID-19 disrupted the education journeys of more than 1.5 billion students around the world, higher education institutions were already exploring ways to grow enrollment, reach more students, and better engage the “digital natives” of Generation Z. Though the need to move online created challenges, it also inspired solutions that will have long-lasting effects on higher education. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), educators believe the pandemic has accelerated the evolution of virtual education by ten years. “We’ve been entering a new paradigm for the last decade and COVID-19 has just expedited this progress. It provided gasoline to trends that were already underway,” said Michael Horn, co-founder of Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.

83 percent of higher-ed faculty members believe courses will be conducted mostly online this term, and 62 percent say they will be online for the coming academic year. @TheEIU aka.ms/EIU Click To Tweet

In an effort to better understand the impacts of the current dynamics on higher education institutions, staff, faculty, and students, Microsoft Education partnered with the EIU on a new paper: “Bridging the Digital Divide to Engage Students in Higher Education.” The EIU conducted surveys and interviews with faculty and students in the US, UK, Australia, and Germany, as well as with global higher education experts.

Insights indicate that rather than being a short-term solution, remote and hybrid learning are likely to be a future operating model for many higher education institutions alongside on-campus programs. Though more than 80 percent of faculty members surveyed said that less than half of their institution’s courses were online prior to the pandemic, one-third of them report that their institution will permanently add online options for all or most courses moving forward. The expanded availability of virtual learning will require increased investments in technology and additional training for faculty, but these investments, along with more flexible learning programs, could make higher education more accessible and equitable, with learning supported by technology that addresses the needs of diverse learners and flexible programs with schedules that work for students with other obligations. The increased opportunity for remote attendance will serve to broaden institutions’ geographic reach as well, drawing students to the most innovative programs rather than simply the one closest to home.

There is a difference in perspective between faculty and students on preparedness for remote learning. While 85 percent of faculty members surveyed reported that they felt prepared to meet student needs effectively with the resources they had available, more than 60 percent of students shared that they did not feel mentally or academically prepared for the academic year of fall 2020. And almost half of students claim the pandemic has worsened their ability to remain focused and engaged.

Education experts say that the pandemic has caused students to be stressed, anxious, financially challenged, and socially isolated. According to a study carried out by Hope College in July 2020, 60 percent of the 38,000 students surveyed reported experiencing basic needs insecurity.

Douglas Harris, non-resident Senior Fellow, Brown Center on Education Policy said, “The current situation is pushing faculty to realize that at the very least, students are not going to be able to learn in their class if they’re suffering in other ways.”

John Hattie, Professor and Director of Melbourne Education Research Institute, pointed to the sense of isolation and lack of social connection that students are feeling: “One of the biggest factors that influences student engagement and performance is their sense of belonging in their higher education experience. This is what has suffered the most as a result of COVID-19. They no longer have the same sense of belonging that they used to have.”

To foster a greater sense of connection, experts recommend that instructors go beyond simply delivering lectures online, and instead create more opportunities for active learning and engagement. Innovative schools like St. Edward’s University already use virtual anatomy, virtual internships, virtual counselling, and virtual student teaching, says Dr. Rebecca Frost Davis, Associate Vice President of St. Edward’s University. One teacher even set up a virtual crime scene using 3D cameras, allowing students to go places they couldn’t normally go. “The students who had done the simulation first did better because they weren’t distracted by things when they were learning,” says Dr. Davis.

“The key to making active learning work online is to leverage groups and technology to make students accountable and give them ‘skin in the game’ to do the work.” —Michael Horn, Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation… Click To Tweet

Collaboration tools like Education Insights in Microsoft Teams can help instructors identify students’ needs and adapt their material for maximum impact. Dr. David Kellerman of the University of New South Wales says, “Insights for classroom Teams… has helped me connect with struggling students on a personal level, and to understand the broader trends in my classroom. Every teacher, professor or instructor on Teams has something to learn from Insights.”

Additionally, social activities such as orientations, graduations, and other traditions can be presented virtually to create more opportunities for socialization and connection. Resources such as this e-book and virtual graduation toolkit have ideas and tips for bringing events online. Beyond webcams and chat rooms, there are other creative ways to reimagine in-person gatherings, including building virtual versions of campuses in Minecraft to host in-game meetups and ceremonies.

Today’s higher education students are primarily Generation Z, a generation that is comfortable with technology and who expect it to be a part of their learning experiences—93 percent believe that remote learning will benefit their education. But they are also very clear about what they are looking for: they want their institutions to put their needs first by providing physical and virtual security, and they want to learn skills that will help them succeed in work and in life. “There is a push for higher education in the United States particularly to show greater value and a return on investment. As a result, students are looking for the best value in terms of what they are getting from their higher education and what they will be able to do in the workforce,” says Dr. Stella L. Smith, Associate Director, MACH III Center, Prairie View A&M University.

As higher education leaders work with instructional designers and professors to reimagine courses and fine-tune pedagogy, students and faculty agree that the pandemic is transforming higher education. With cooperation and creativity, this accelerated evolution can enhance student experiences through integration of emerging technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, and create new revenue opportunities for colleges and universities as they develop innovative options for students to pursue lifelong learning with flexible course schedules or micro-masters from different higher education institutions.

For a summary of key takeaways from the report, see the “Strengthening student engagement ​through hybrid education” infographic, and for full details, read the paper.

• Hybrid Learning

ISTE20 Live is fully virtual this year, and we’ll be right there to help educators explore ways to use Minecraft: Education Edition to support student learning across the curriculum—whether you’re teaching online or in person. We’ll be joining the Microsoft Education team to beam onto your screen with tips, tricks, and advice for game-based learning.

All of our sessions are 15 minutes long, and they’ll be taking place in the Microsoft Content Room, so all you need to do is tune into the stream when there’s a session that interests you. You’ll find sessions on topics from remote learning and inclusive teaching to computer science and digital citizenship. We’ll have moderators from our team in each of the sessions to make sure we’re answering any questions you might have. We’re excited to connect!

To make things easy for you, here’s an at-a-glance schedule of the sessions featuring Minecraft: Education Edition.

Sunday, November 29

10:45 AM PT: Nathan Richards, Remote learning with Minecraft: Education Edition
With learning models changing in ways we’ve never seen before, teachers are adapting to how students learn, connect, and collaborate with one another. Discover ways that Minecraft: Education Edition can help students explore, build, and learn together online when they can’t share the same physical classroom.

Thursday, December 3

11:30 AM PT: Felisa Ford, Good Trouble – Teaching Social Justice in Minecraft: Education Edition
Take a trip through time and across the globe with civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis to learn about people who changed the world by leading social justice movements. Students embark on a journey that includes Black Lives Matter, the US Civil Rights movement, Gandhi’s struggle for Indian independence, and more. This session unpacks the ways that the Good Trouble lesson can help students understand the impact of these movements and their leaders, and explores how learners can contribute to building a better world.

11:45 AM PT: Becky Keene, Experiencing History and Deep-thinking Skills with Minecraft: Education Edition
See how students engage in learning about history, coding, engineering, and more through the immersive experience of the World War I Toybox in Minecraft: Education Edition.

12:00 PM PT: Suzannah Calvery, Mindful Mining – Infusing Social-emotional Learning with Minecraft
We all need to build our social-emotional intelligence, and the tools available through Minecraft: Education Edition provide opportunities to build mindfulness, communication, and collaboration skills. See how the Mindful Knight lesson teaches mindfulness, empathy, self-regulation, and resilience, then discover more lessons that foster creativity and collaboration.

12:15 PM PT: Bob Irving, Promoting Digital Citizenship – Immersive Roleplay in Minecraft: Education Edition
Learn about how Minecraft: Education Edition’s new Digital Citizenship world provides an immersive tool for teaching students about digital theft, media literacy, sharing, and harassment, preparing them to collaborate successfully with peers online.

12:30 PM PT: Sarah Red-Laird, Build with Bees! STEM Lessons in Minecraft: Education Edition
Turn students’ fear of bees into feelings of fascination and fun with the founder and director of the Bee Girl nonprofit. Explore 11 NGSS-aligned STEM lessons designed to help students understand the importance of bees in our ecosystem, their biology, and how we can contribute to bee health!

1:30 PM PT: Felisa Ford, Good Trouble – Teaching Social Justice in Minecraft: Education Edition
Take a trip through time and across the globe with civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis to learn about people who changed the world by leading social justice movements. Students embark on a journey that includes Black Lives Matter, the US Civil Rights movement, Gandhi’s struggle for Indian independence, and more. This session unpacks the ways that the Good Trouble lesson can help students understand the impact of these movements and their leaders, and explores how learners can contribute to building a better world.

2:15 PM PT: James Protheroe, Minecraft Hour of Code for Elementary Students: Block-based Coding
The world of computer science can be an intimidating place for those of us who come from non-STEM backgrounds, but bringing code and computational thinking into your classroom doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Join this session to learn more about fostering your own understanding while also introducing computer science principles at a beginner level through this year’s Minecraft Hour of Code block-based coding tutorial.

2:30 PM PT: Andrew Balzer, Minecraft Hour of Code for Intermediate Coders: Text-based Python Coding
The world of computer science can be an intimidating place for those of us who come from non-STEM backgrounds, but bringing code and computational thinking into your classroom doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Join this session to learn more about fostering your own understanding while also introducing computer science principles at an intermediate level through this year’s Minecraft Hour of Code Python activities.

2:45 PM PT: Peter Doherty, Coding in Minecraft: Fun Computer Science for Middle School
Coding in Minecraft is a remote-ready computer science credential and CSTA-aligned curriculum program delivered through Minecraft: Education Edition. This curriculum immerses students in a Minecraft world to develop and demonstrate their coding skills using MakeCode and JavaScript or Python. In this session, you’ll hear from educators who are seeing success with this content.

Friday, December 4

12:15 PM PT: Steve Isaacs, Learning Through Creative Competition with eSports in Minecraft: Education Edition
With the number of eSports spectators now eclipsing that of the NFL in the US, how can educators harness students’ passion for competitive gaming to drive learning outcomes in classrooms and after-school clubs? In this session, learn about ways that Minecraft: Education Edition is entering this exciting new arena.

Saturday, December 5

10:45 AM PT: Nathan Richards, Remote Learning with Minecraft: Education Edition
With learning models changing in ways we’ve never seen before, teachers are adapting to how students learn, connect, and collaborate with one another. Discover ways that Minecraft: Education Edition can help students explore, build, and learn together online when they can’t share the same physical classroom.

You can find all of these sessions and more in the Microsoft ISTE20 Live schedule. Come connect with us, bring your questions, and enjoy the virtual conference experience with our team! If you’re curious about Minecraft: Education Edition and want to come to the table with a few questions, explore this powerful tool for game-based learning at education.minecraft.net.

Throughout the pandemic, educators continue to adapt and find ways to keep their students engaged and learning while remote, at school, or a combination of the two. But being more distant can make it harder to connect and help each individual student grow and succeed. That is why we’re delighted to announce updated capabilities to Education Insights in Microsoft Teams for Education. Insights are designed for and inspired by educators to help understand, identify, and take action to support the individual student’s needs.

Now educators can see a new, tailored view that distills the key story and trends behind the data to better inform engagement with students and class outcomes. With Insights, educators can closely track the engagement and progress of students over time and across their classes. This includes seeing the number of inactive and active students per day, missed online classes, and missed assignments. And when needed, educators can see the specific engagement data within the overview.

Within a specific class, educators can see spotlight cards to show trending student behaviors they may want to take action on. These spotlight cards are rolling out now and will be fully available by mid-December. With access to data showing how students are engaging—like meeting participation, communication, and assignment activities—educators can monitor progress and make faster, informed decisions on which students need immediate learning support.

Here is what educators are saying about Insights:

“Insights for classroom Teams has become an essential part of how I understand and connect with my students. It offers world-class actionable learning analytics, deployed in one click, that is deeply integrated into the way we communicate with students. It has helped me connect with struggling students on a personal level, and to understand the broader trends in my classroom. Every teacher, professor or instructor on Teams has something to learn from Insights.”

^{– Dr. David Kellermann, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW}

“Our teachers think Insights is extremely useful to gauge, evaluate, and customize their instruction for each student’s individual growth. Teachers can help make sure each student is communicating, connecting and learning in class. They can clearly see their student’s educational day including assignments, posts, and meetings in Microsoft Teams.”

 ^{– Jeni Long and Sallee Clark (aka Jenallee), EdTech Consultants and Instructional Technologists with Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD}

“Insights is a game-changer for how we teach and help our students. We can see the data behind how our students are engaging and use it to personalize learning to meet their needs. It’s especially critical now with many of our students learning from home, or going between home and the classroom. We can still gauge how they’re doing.”

^{– Alberto and Mario Herraez, eTwinz and Global Educators}

Insights ensures security and protection of students’ sensitive information. Classroom data is only available to approved staff members given permissions by the IT admin, and the information collected and shown meets more than 90 regulatory and industry standards, including GDPR and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).​ For more technical information, visit the Insights IT support page.

To learn more about how to use Insights in the classroom and find professional development resources, visit this in-depth post. To learn how to get started today, visit the Insights support page.

With the school year well underway, educators have settled into remote and hybrid learning routines. As focus turns to concluding the fall semester, we’re sharing a few Microsoft Teams resources that can help create a more inclusive learning environment.

Microsoft Teams is where everything comes together for your classroom. With on-demand resources and trainings available, there are many ways to use this comprehensive learning hub to create an engaging learning environment from anywhere.

Here are seven ways Teams can help create a seamless distance learning experience—this semester and beyond.

1. Microsoft Lists: These virtual to-do lists make it easy for both teachers and students to stay organized, keep track of assignments and resources, assign responsibilities for group projects, manage their schedules, and more.

2. Cross-posting Messages: The cross-posting feature saves teachers time by letting them reach students through multiple Teams channels at once. The demo below shows how easy it is for educators to share information with multiple classes in just a few clicks.

3. Reflect: This application enables teachers to check in with their students to evaluate how they are feeling. The confidential survey can regularly check in on students’ social-emotional learning, helping teachers to use the feedback to adjust lesson plans, assignments, and projects accordingly.

4. Spotlight: This feature allows the meeting organizer or presenter to pin someone’s video—whether it’s themselves or a student—so the person presenting is the main video people see. This helps students focus on who is speaking and on the content being shared.

5. Assignment Notifications: These allow teachers to notify students in specific Teams channels about assignments. With this feature, teachers have more flexibility in how they choose to communicate with students and assign them projects.

6. Rubrics: Teachers can use the rubrics tool in Assignments to create customizable, reusable rubrics so students can understand the criteria they’ll be graded against, and teachers can better evaluate their students’ work.

7. Live Captions: This accessibility feature creates real-time captions that appear on the bottom of your Teams screen as participants talk in a meeting. The captions are only visible to those who turn on Live Captioning, allowing individual students to personalize a meeting experience by selecting the setting that best suits their needs.

Ready to get started? Get training for you and your school and start planning a successful end of the semester, today.

• Accessibility
• Inclusivity

Inclusive, student-centered learning environments increase success by empowering every learner to achieve more, regardless of their ability. This year, many students are missing the in-person support they would typically receive with the shift to remote and hybrid learning. For one school, this was an opportunity to prove how innovation, dedicated educators, and the right tools can help all students find success.

Hamlin Robinson, a Seattle-based school serving students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences, understood that it would need accessible, inclusive technology to help its students succeed during remote learning. As we recognize Dyslexia Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting Hamlin Robinson’s commitment to supporting students, across a wide range of learning needs.   

The school was drawn to Microsoft Teams because of its built-in Learning Tools like Immersive Reader, which helps improve reading comprehension for students with visual impairments, hearing loss, cognitive disabilities, and more. The tool uses proven learning techniques to create a tailored experience to meet the unique learning needs of every Hamlin Robinson student. Through the Immersive Reader, students gain confidence and independence as they grow their reading skills. Students with dyslexia, in particular, benefit from features that range from Focus Mode, which helps sustain attention and improve reading speed, to Read-Aloud Math, which helps students both see and hear math equations out loud.

Hamlin Robinson students are noticing the difference. The tutor of one seventh-grader at the school said her student feels less pressured when typing using Immersive Reader than when writing by hand. The typing allows the student to share his thoughts more freely, knowing he can refine them more easily than if he was using a pencil and eraser. “His ideas are flowing in ways that I have never seen before,” the tutor noted.

As we spread awareness about learning differences this October, we believe the right tools, technologies, and educators can enable success in any learning environment. To learn more about Hamlin Robinson’s approach to accessibility, read the full story of the school’s transition to remote learning. And if you don’t have Microsoft Teams yet, remember that students and educators at eligible institutions can sign up for free.