Last night, the Insider team released a new Alpha Skip Ahead build. Xbox One Preview Alpha Skip Ahead consoles should have already received a new 1904 Xbox One system update (190105-1900). Read on for more about the latest and greatest fixes and known issues in this 1904 system update. This build has the same fixes in 1902 plus more to be announced over the coming weeks!
Fixes:
General
Various general bug fixes
Known Issues:
Dashboard content
We are investigating an issue where content on the dashboard may sometimes not load correctly.
Audio
We are tracking audio issues in which some games have audio that cuts in and out
Audio settings reverting to a previous settings after taking an update. Workaround is to please turn on your Audio Receiver prior to turning your Xbox One and the settings will not revert.
Profile Color
Sometimes users may encounter the incorrect Profile color when powering on the console.
Last night, the Insider team released a new Alpha Skip Ahead build. Xbox One Preview Alpha Skip Ahead consoles should have already received a new 1904 Xbox One system update (190105-1900). Read on for more about the latest and greatest fixes and known issues in this 1904 system update. This build has the same fixes in 1902 plus more to be announced over the coming weeks!
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 01-12-2019, 10:20 AM - Forum: Lounge
- No Replies
Our Destiny
When we first launched our partnership with Activision in 2010, the gaming industry was in a pretty different place. As an independent studio setting out to build a brand new experience, we wanted a partner willing to take a big leap of faith with us. We had a vision for Destiny that we believed in, but to launch a game of that magnitude, we needed the support of an established publishing partner.
With Activision, we created something special. To date, Destiny has delivered a combination of over 50 million games and expansions to players all around the world. More importantly, we’ve also witnessed a remarkable community – tens of millions of Guardians strong – rise up and embrace Destiny, to play together, to make and share memories, and even to do truly great things that reach far beyond the game we share, to deliver a positive impact on people’s everyday lives.
We have enjoyed a successful eight-year run and would like to thank Activision for their partnership on Destiny. Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce plans for Activision to transfer publishing rights for Destiny to Bungie. With our remarkable Destiny community, we are ready to publish on our own, while Activision will increase their focus on owned IP projects.
The planned transition process is already underway in its early stages, with Bungie and Activision both committed to making sure the handoff is as seamless as possible.
With Forsaken, we’ve learned, and listened, and leaned in to what we believe our players want from a great Destiny experience. Rest assured there is more of that on the way. We’ll continue to deliver on the existing Destiny roadmap, and we’re looking forward to releasing more seasonal experiences in the coming months, as well as surprising our community with some exciting announcements about what lies beyond.
Thank you so much for your continued support. Our success is owed in no small part to the incredible community of players who have graced our worlds with light and life. We know self-publishing won’t be easy; there’s still much for us to learn as we grow as an independent, global studio, but we see unbounded opportunities and potential in Destiny. We know that new adventures await us all on new worlds filled with mystery, adventure, and hope. We hope you’ll join us there.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 01-12-2019, 05:15 AM - Forum: Lounge
- No Replies
Xbox One Wireless Keyboard-Mouse, Razer Turret, Is Almost There
One way Microsoft is distinguishing the Xbox One from other consoles is by embracing keyboard and mouse support. Peripheral maker Razer is trying to make a splash by offering its own set with the Turret keyboard and mouse combo built specifically for Xbox One, and we got our hands on it at CES 2019. It has plenty of ideal features we'd expect from high-end PC-gaming setups, though a few design choices may hold it back from being the best solution for the Xbox One.
To put it broadly, Razer Turret is a wireless lapboard intended to bring PC controls to the console while being comfortable to use in a couch or living room setting. Certain design decisions have made the Turret a sensible piece of hardware, like the tenkeyless layout--it seems you won't be missing much functionality on the Xbox One by omitting the number pad. At roughly four pounds (or 1,800 grams), the unit itself doesn't weigh much, helping avoid the feeling of something pressing upon your lap. To top it off, the wireless mouse that comes packaged closely resembles the Deathadder, Razer's flagship mouse, which fits like a glove for right-handed folk. Both the keyboard and mouse conveniently connect through a single 2.4Ghz dongle, only occupying one USB port.
An important feature of the Turret is the use of Razer's own green mechanical switch, which has that distinct clicky, tactile feel (similar to the Cherry MX Blue switch). For the uninitiated, mechanical switches offer a more tactile feel to keystrokes since each key operates on its own distinct switch--it makes for consistent, responsive inputs as opposed to the squishy feel of standard membrane keyboards. It also wouldn't be a Razer product if it didn't have RGB lighting; both the mouse and keyboard have full-range, 16.8 million colors for backlighting via the company's Chroma system.
There's also a dedicated Xbox dashboard key where the right CTRL key would be for easy access. One aspect you might expect is mouse cursor navigation in the dashboard, but getting through menus is relegated to directional keys, unfortunately. This isn't any fault of Razer's, just a current limitation a limitation on the Xbox One.
Where it falls short is in the built-in mouse pad. The surface itself is slick, similar to a good hard-surface mouse pad, and easily slides in and out of the right side of the keyboard. However, the surface and mouse are magnetic, and the push and pull of the magnets makes for an unnatural feel that can compromise the precision expected from PC-based controls. The magnetism helps keep the mouse in place when you take your hands off of it, and the top right corner of the pad is magnetized so strongly that it'll hold the mouse even when the whole set is sitting vertically. But as as a result, you sacrifice the free flow of swiping and lifting the mouse (which you'll do often since the mouse pad is on the smaller side) due to the resistance. Of course, you don't have to use the built-in mouse pad, but it's your only realistic option when the Turret is used as a lapboard in a living room-type setting.
Though we can't speak to battery life ourselves, Razer states that the keyboard can last up to 43 hours without backlighting and 11 hours with the default backlight setting. The mouse is said to run for 50 hours without lighting, and 30 hours with it on, after a full charge. A USB-C port resides on the top right of the keyboard for charging.
As for parity in competitive games, the onus is on developers in how they want to implement keyboard and mouse controls. Some games could filter matchmaking based on control scheme, but can very well give players the option to match with anyone if they desire. As great as it is to have precision control and perhaps gain a slight advantage in games like Fortnite, Warframe, and would fit well for upcoming games such as Gears 5, the Turret's price of $250 may be a tough sell. Pre-orders are open on the Microsoft Store and units are expected to be available on or around March 31 this year.
Turns Out Blue Toad Is In New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe After All
When Nintendo (pretty much) changed the world with the reveal of Toadette/Peachette and the Super Crown in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – spawning the Bowsette phase– one Mario star was seemingly left out in the cold. Replaced, forgotten, and all but ready to join the Toy Story cast in that Toy Story 3 incinerator scene, Blue Toad was no more. Gasp.
Hold back your tears, though, as it turns out that the plucky little guy is in the game after all (even if he is completely hidden away). While Toadette and Peachette do take his place almost everywhere – the box art, the menus, and probably the hearts of the next generation of Mario fans – he can be used to play each level and traverse the game’s overall map if you know this little trick.
If you want to join us in rescuing Blue Toad from the murky depths of loneliness, all you have to do is hold either the ‘L’ or ‘ZL’ button while highlighting Yellow Toad from the character selection menu. Doing so will swap the Toads over; you can see it for yourself in this video from BeardBear.
So there you have it. Blue Toad is available after all and you can finally get that much-needed rest at night.
Make sure to let us know if you’re picking up the game today in the comments below.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Laugh your way through a story told from three perspectives. Search the Mushroom Kingdom for a cure as Bowser, explore his innards as the Mario Bros., and discover the untold story of Bowser Jr.?s Journey. Overcome the fury of Fawful, action-packed battles, puzzling tasks, and giant bosses in a classic action RPG?stuffed with new content! Mario and Luigi are stuck inside Bowser, forced to accomplish unusual tasks to assist their arch nemesis with hero stuff across the land. The scenes and dialogue that ensue will have you cackling like Fawful, even in battle! Time your button presses and keep up with the action: turn the system sideways, blow into the mic, or tap the touch screen. In an all-new mode, Bowser Jr. will cross paths with our unlikely allies as he recruits Ranged, Flying, and Melee troopers to fight for his cause. Strategically form teams and pit them against enemies to reign supreme in frenetic combat.
Pokemon Go Holding New Type Of Event Next Week, And It Features A New Shiny
This weekend's Community Day isn't the only event Pokemon Go players have to look forward to soon. Niantic has announced it is also hosting a new type of Limited Research event next weekend, and it'll give users a chance to encounter a new Shiny Pokemon.
The Limited Research event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 19. Much like a Community Day, it will only run for three hours, during which time you'll be able to receive special Limited Research tasks by spinning the Photo Disc at PokeStops. You can find the event hours for each region below.
Each Limited Research task you complete will reward you with an encounter with a Feebas, the base form of the majestic Water-type Pokemon Milotic. Moreover, Niantic says players will have their first chance to encounter a Shiny Feebas as part of the event. The Limited Research tasks will only be available during the three-hour window, but players will be able to complete them at any time once they've been received.
In the meantime, players still have a few more days to take advantage of the ongoing Adventure Sync Hatchathon. The event is scheduled to end on January 15--the same day that Heatran leaves Raid Battles--and offers double the usual amount of Stardust and Candy for hatching Pokemon Eggs.
This month's Community Day, meanwhile, takes place on January 12. The featured Pokemon this time is the Gen 2 starter Totodile; if you evolve it into its final form, Feraligatr, up to an hour after the event ends, it'll also learn the powerful Water attack Hydro Cannon.
I have to confess, this particular topic is a tough one to address. Why? First off, Linux is a productive operating system by design. Thanks to an incredibly reliable and stable platform, getting work done is easy. Second, to gauge effectiveness, you have to consider what type of work you need a productivity boost for. General office work? Development? School? Data mining? Human resources? You see how this question can get somewhat complicated.
That doesn’t mean, however, that some distributions aren’t able to do a better job of configuring and presenting that underlying operating system into an efficient platform for getting work done. Quite the contrary. Some distributions do a much better job of “getting out of the way,” so you don’t find yourself in a work-related hole, having to dig yourself out and catch up before the end of day. These distributions help strip away the complexity that can be found in Linux, thereby making your workflow painless.
Let’s take a look at the distros I consider to be your best bet for productivity. To help make sense of this, I’ve divided them into categories of productivity. That task itself was challenging, because everyone’s productivity varies. For the purposes of this list, however, I’ll look at:
General Productivity: For those who just need to work efficiently on multiple tasks.
Graphic Design: For those that work with the creation and manipulation of graphic images.
Development: For those who use their Linux desktops for programming.
Administration: For those who need a distribution to facilitate their system administration tasks.
Education: For those who need a desktop distribution to make them more productive in an educational environment.
Yes, there are more categories to be had, many of which can get very niche-y, but these five should fill most of your needs.
General Productivity
For general productivity, you won’t get much more efficient than Ubuntu. The primary reason for choosing Ubuntu for this category is the seamless integration of apps, services, and desktop. You might be wondering why I didn’t choose Linux Mint for this category? Because Ubuntu now defaults to the GNOME desktop, it gains the added advantage of GNOME Extensions (Figure 1).
These extensions go a very long way to aid in boosting productivity (so Ubuntu gets the nod over Mint). But Ubuntu didn’t just accept a vanilla GNOME desktop. Instead, they tweaked it to make it slightly more efficient and user-friendly, out of the box. And because Ubuntu contains just the right mixture of default, out-of-the-box, apps (that just work), it makes for a nearly perfect platform for productivity.
Whether you need to write a paper, work on a spreadsheet, code a new app, work on your company website, create marketing images, administer a server or network, or manage human resources from within your company HR tool, Ubuntu has you covered. The Ubuntu desktop distribution also doesn’t require the user to jump through many hoops to get things working … it simply works (and quite well). Finally, thanks to it’s Debian base, Ubuntu makes installing third-party apps incredibly easy.
Although Ubuntu tends to be the go-to for nearly every list of “top distributions for X,” it’s very hard to argue against this particular distribution topping the list of general productivity distributions.
Graphic Design
If you’re looking to up your graphic design productivity, you can’t go wrong with Fedora Design Suite. This Fedora respin was created by the team responsible for all Fedora-related art work. Although the default selection of apps isn’t a massive collection of tools, those it does include are geared specifically for the creation and manipulation of images.
With apps like GIMP, Inkscape, Darktable, Krita, Entangle, Blender, Pitivi, Scribus, and more (Figure 2), you’ll find everything you need to get your image editing jobs done and done well. But Fedora Design Suite doesn’t end there. This desktop platform also includes a bevy of tutorials that cover countless subjects for many of the installed applications. For anyone trying to be as productive as possible, this is some seriously handy information to have at the ready. I will say, however, the tutorial entry in the GNOME Favorites is nothing more than a link to this page.
Those that work with a digital camera will certainly appreciate the inclusion of the Entangle app, which allows you to control your DSLR from the desktop.
Development
Nearly all Linux distributions are great platforms for programmers. However, one particular distributions stands out, above the rest, as one of the most productive tools you’ll find for the task. That OS comes from System76 and it’s called Pop!_OS. Pop!_OS is tailored specifically for creators, but not of the artistic type. Instead, Pop!_OS is geared toward creators who specialize in developing, programming, and making. If you need an environment that is not only perfected suited for your development work, but includes a desktop that’s sure to get out of your way, you won’t find a better option than Pop!_OS (Figure 3).
What might surprise you (given how “young” this operating system is), is that Pop!_OS is also one of the single most stable GNOME-based platforms you’ll ever use. This means Pop!_OS isn’t just for creators and makers, but anyone looking for a solid operating system. One thing that many users will greatly appreciate with Pop!_OS, is that you can download an ISO specifically for your video hardware. If you have Intel hardware, download the version for Intel/AMD. If your graphics card is NVIDIA, download that specific release. Either way, you are sure go get a solid platform for which to create your masterpiece.
Interestingly enough, with Pop!_OS, you won’t find much in the way of pre-installed development tools. You won’t find an included IDE, or many other dev tools. You can, however, find all the development tools you need in the Pop Shop.
Administration
If you’re looking to find one of the most productive distributions for admin tasks, look no further than Debian. Why? Because Debian is not only incredibly reliable, it’s one of those distributions that gets out of your way better than most others. Debian is the perfect combination of ease of use and unlimited possibility. On top of which, because this is the distribution for which so many others are based, you can bet if there’s an admin tool you need for a task, it’s available for Debian. Of course, we’re talking about general admin tasks, which means most of the time you’ll be using a terminal window to SSH into your servers (Figure 4) or a browser to work with web-based GUI tools on your network. Why bother making use of a desktop that’s going to add layers of complexity (such as SELinux in Fedora, or YaST in openSUSE)? Instead, chose simplicity.
And because you can select which desktop you want (from GNOME, Xfce, KDE, Cinnamon, MATE, LXDE), you can be sure to have the interface that best matches your work habits.
Education
If you are a teacher or student, or otherwise involved in education, you need the right tools to be productive. Once upon a time, there existed the likes of Edubuntu. That distribution never failed to be listed in the top of education-related lists. However, that distro hasn’t been updated since it was based on Ubuntu 14.04. Fortunately, there’s a new education-based distribution ready to take that title, based on openSUSE. This spin is called openSUSE:Education-Li-f-e (Linux For Education – Figure 5), and is based on openSUSE Leap 42.1 (so it is slightly out of date).
openSUSE:Education-Li-f-e includes tools like:
Brain Workshop – A dual n-back brain exercise
GCompris – An educational software suite for young children
gElemental – A periodic table viewer
iGNUit – A general purpose flash card program
Little Wizard – Development environment for children based on Pascal
Stellarium – An astronomical sky simulator
TuxMath – An math tutor game
TuxPaint – A drawing program for young children
TuxType – An educational typing tutor for children
wxMaxima – A cross platform GUI for the computer algebra system
Inkscape – Vector graphics program
GIMP – Graphic image manipulation program
Pencil – GUI prototyping tool
Hugin – Panorama photo stitching and HDR merging program
Also included with openSUSE:Education-Li-f-e is the KIWI-LTSP Server. The KIWI-LTSP Server is a flexible, cost effective solution aimed at empowering schools, businesses, and organizations all over the world to easily install and deploy desktop workstations. Although this might not directly aid the student to be more productive, it certainly enables educational institutions be more productive in deploying desktops for students to use. For more information on setting up KIWI-LTSP, check out the openSUSE KIWI-LTSP quick start guide.
Learn more about Linux through the free “Introduction to Linux” course from The Linux Foundation and edX.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 01-11-2019, 10:03 PM - Forum: Windows
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Join Microsoft Education at Bett 2019 online or in London Jan. 23-26
A new year brings new opportunity to learn about all the latest and greatest from Microsoft Education. Join Microsoft at Bett 2019 in London on January 23-26, either online or right there with us at the event, being held at London’s ExCeL venue.
Bett is an annual event that explores how technology can empower educators and students to reach their full potential. Microsoft, as a worldwide partner of Bett, will be hosting a wide array of sessions and hands-on demonstrations on the show floor, along with inspirational talks to support educators looking for new ways to engage and empower their students.
To kick off a whole week of Bett, we’re releasing a special episode of What’s New in EDU, our show that gets you caught up on the exciting new tools and updates coming from Microsoft Education. Our special Bett episode will be available on January 22 – watch it to learn more about new classroom technology coming to Microsoft Education this year. And don’t forget to stay tuned to the Education Blog for more as it comes in!
We’ll also have special edition What’s New in EDU live events streaming daily from Bett in London. You can register to catch the livestreams events each day with the following links:
Whether you’re looking for the latest in mixed reality for education, some grounded advice on how to transform your classroom digitally, or want a peek at what’s next for Minecraft: Education Edition, the schedule below is a good place to start, learn and participate. Make sure to stop by Booth E300 to see all the new experiences we have relating to STEM, Virtual Reality and new tools for the classroom.
For more information and to book your sessions, visit this page. If you can’t visit us in person in London, consider joining us on the road as Microsoft Education goes on tour around the UK. You can find out more as we continue to add more dates all the time.
If you’re joining us at Bett in person, we hope to see you at one of the following highlights:
Speakers: Barbara Holpfazel, GM of Education Marketing, Anthony Salcito, VP Worldwide Education, Microsoft, and Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Yale University.
This group will describe how education and work will change thanks to AI. We will unveil new research describing the critical role of emotional well-being to position students for success in the age of AI and will examine an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning, already in use by more than 1,500 schools globally. We will be joined by a student whose amazing educational journey has already been transformed by AI.
This is the perfect place to go if you are looking to see and hear about the latest product releases, see demonstrations, and discover ways you can unlock learning in your students. Each session is held on Microsoft stand E300 and lasts 30 minutes.
Time
Title
Wed – Sat / 10:00-10:30
What’s new in EDU?
Wed – Sat / 10:30-11:00
How to set a cloud first digital transformation strategy
Wed – Sat / 11:00-11:30
Demystifying Microsoft 365 Education for teachers
Wed – Sat / 11:30-12:00
Increasing accessibility and fostering inclusive classrooms
Wed – Sat / 12:00-12:30
Driving collaboration and teamwork to save teachers time and reduce costs
Wed – Sat / 12:30-13:00
Developing global citizens and driving future-ready skills
Wed – Sat / 13:00-13:30
Building STEM skills with Minecraft: Education Edition
Wednesday / 13:30-14:00
Ask me anything on Microsoft Education Tools
Thursday / 13:30-14:00
Evolving technologies for the scientists of the future through the Natural History Museum
Friday / 13:30-14:00
Amplify Every learner with Flipgrid
Saturday / 13:30-14:00
Amplify Every Learner with Flipgrid
Wed – Fri / 13:00-14:30
How to set a cloud first digital transformation strategy
Wed – Fri / 14:30-15:00
Demystifying M365 and O365 to drive learning outcomes and impact
Wed – Fri / 15:00-15:30
Increasing accessibility and fostering inclusive classrooms
Wed – Fri / 15:30-16:00
Driving collaboration and teamwork to save teachers’ time and reduce costs
Wed – Fri / 16:00-16:30
Developing global citizens and driving future-ready skills
Wed – Fri / 16:30-17:00
Growing computer skills with MakeCode
Wednesday / 17:00-17:30
Implementing a device buy-back programme or school device scheme
Wednesday / 17:30-18:00
Tweet meet – using social media to drive community and new ideas
Thursday / 17:00-17:30
Growing computer skills with MakeCode
Thursday / 18:30-18:00
Unlocking learning through a connected classroom
Friday / 18:00-18:00
Using Minecraft: Education Edition to expand learning experiences
If you are looking for a hands-on opportunity to try, test and experiment with Microsoft products and devices, this is the perfect stage for you. Get tips and tricks and learn about the best way to use a Microsoft solution in the classroom, from and with our own teachers, trainers, and Microsoft Learning Consultants. Each session is held on Microsoft stand E300 and lasts 30 minutes.
Time
Title
Wed – Sat / 10:00-10:30
Setting up a Cloud IT solution for your school in 30 min
Wed – Sat / 10:30-11:00
Building a collaborative classroom with Teams
Wed – Sat / 11:00-11:30
Utilising Windows 10 tools to support an untethered classroom
Wed – Sat / 11:30-12:00
Working together with Office Online
Wed – Sat / 12:00- 12:30
Fostering an inclusive classroom with free tools from Microsoft Education
Wed – Sat / 12:30-13:00
Saving time and making assessment easy with Microsoft Education
Wed – Sat / 13:00-13:30
Growing STEM skills in the classroom using MakeCode and Minecraft: Education Edition
Wed – Sat / 13:30-14:00
Bringing future technology to your classroom (AI, MR, Bots and Personal Workflow)
Wed – Fri / 14:00-14:30
Set up a Cloud IT solution for your school in 30 min
Wed – Fri / 14:30-15:00
Build a collaborative classroom and school with OneNote and Teams to save you time and achieve better learning outcomes
Wed – Fri / 15:00-15:30
Utilising Windows 10s tools to support an untethered classroom (Speech to Text, Text Suggestions and Edge Learning Tools)
Wed – Fri / 15:30-16:00
Getting the most out of O365 online
Wed – Fri / 16:00-16:30
Organising your classroom and empowering your students with OneNote
Wed – Fri / 16:30-17:00
Saving time and making assessment easy with Microsoft Education
Wed – Fri / 17:00-17:30
Growing STEM skills in the classroom using Make:Code and Minecraft for CS Fundamentals
Wed – Fri / 17:30-18:00
Bringing future technology to your classroom (AI, Bots and personal workflow)
Wednesday, 11:00-11:30 | Preparing Students for jobs that don’t exist yet: Teesside University
Speakers:
Dr. Jonathan Eaton, Academic Registrar, Teesside University
Professor Mark Simpson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching), Teesside University
Wednesday, 12:30-13:00 | Chichester College’s digital transformation: borderless learning for students and teachers
Speaker:
Terry Molyneaux, Professional Learning Coach – Digital Innovation, Chichester College
Wednesday, 14:45-15:15 | {Devel<>p}: a makerspace that fosters digital and soft skills
Speaker:
Hannah Mathias, E-learning Manager – Cardiff and Vale College
Thursday, 11:45-12:15 | Using Minecraft as a virtual field trip – an academic’s journey
Speaker:
Prof. Tim Thompson, Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching) – Teesside University
Thursday, 13:15-13:45 | Enable and empower student voice through fostering active learner communities
Speakers:
Andrew Sprake, Lecturer in Physical Education – University of Central Lancashire
Chris Melia, Learning Technologist – University of Central Lancashire
Nick Bohannon, Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing – University of Central Lancashire
Friday, 11:45-12:15 | Overcoming barriers of space and time, PLN for better education
Speaker:
Esam Baboukhan, eLearning Manager – City of Westminster College
Friday, 12:30-13:00 | Enabling academic and business support staff to improve the learner’s experience
Speakers:
Deborah Millar, Group Director of Digital Learning Technology – Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education
Elaine Topham, Senior Learning Technologist – Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education
Solutions Showcase | Platinum Suite 1 |Wednesday, 23 January & Thursday, 24 January, 10:30 – 17:15
We will be sharing some of the most impactful stories of Digital Transformation in Education, including real-life K-12 stories from educators who have achieved great things using partner solutions built on, or with, Microsoft’s technology. Learn more.
MakeCode Saturday | Platinum Suite 1 | Saturday, 26 January 10:00 – 14:00
This one is open to teachers, parents and students. Microsoft MakeCode is an open-source platform for creating engaging computer science learning experiences that support a progression path into real-world programming.
As an educator, you will also see how some schools and educators are creating inclusive, engaging learning experiences with Microsoft MakeCode. Learn more about MakeCode Saturday.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 01-11-2019, 10:03 PM - Forum: Windows
- No Replies
Educators: Learn to transform classroom time in Jan. 15 TweetMeet
Educators around the world are fully aware that empowering students to prepare for their future also means embracing change in their classrooms and in their approaches to teaching. The big question is: How do you best go about transforming your classroom? What does it mean, how do you start, and where do you go for inspiration?
You don’t have to wonder aloud into the void, thankfully – that’s what the #MSFTEduChat TweetMeet is for! In January’s event, we’ll bring together educators and experts to discuss Transforming Classroom Time. The act can mean different things to different people, even more if you consider that classroom circumstances can vary significantly from one place to another. Key recurring elements in the conversation are to look for small, affordable steps of change that save teachers precious time and that help their students take ownership of their own learning.
We offer 11 simultaneous language tracks this month and we’re super happy to have a host from Turkey this time again. Here’s an overview of all language tracks and their hashtags for the January TweetMeet:
For each language track, we have one or more hosts to post the translated questions and respond to educators. As always, we’re super grateful to all current and former hosts who are collaborating closely to provide this service.
The #TweetMeetXX hashtags for non-English languages are to be used together with #MSFTEduChat so that everyone can find the conversations back in their own language. For example: Portuguese-speaking people use the combination #TweetMeetPT #MSFTEduChat. English-speaking educators may all use #MSFTEduChat on its own.
TweetMeet fan? Show it off on your Twitter profile
Every month more and more people discover the unique flow and characteristics of the TweetMeet events and become passionate about them. Show your passion for the TweetMeets right from your own Twitter page by uploading this month’s #MSFTEduChat Twitter Header Photo to the top of your own Twitter profile. Besides English, this same Twitter Header Photo is also available in each of this month’s 10 additional language tracks.
Looking back on the December ‘Best of 2018’ TweetMeet
The December edition of the #MSFTEduChat TweetMeet was special in many ways. In a very lively conversation discussing ‘Best of 2018’, as many as 140 former TweetMeet hosts engaged with educators around the world in 17 different languages. Look at some of the highlights from that Twitter conversation collected in this Twitter Moment.
Why join the #MSFTEduChat TweetMeets?
TweetMeets are monthly recurring Twitter conversations about themes relevant to educators, facilitated by Microsoft Education. The purpose of these events is to help professionals in education to learn from each other and inspire their students while they are preparing for their future. The TweetMeets also nurture personal learning networks among educators from across the globe.
We’re grateful to have a support group made up exclusively of former TweetMeet hosts, who volunteer to translate communication and check the quality of our questions and promotional materials. They also help identify the best candidates for future events, provide relevant resources, promote the events among their networks, and, in general, cheer everybody on.
Our hosts are thrilled about this upcoming TweetMeet:
When and how can I join?
Join us Tuesday, January 15 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. PDT on Twitter using the hashtags #MSFTEduChat, #ChangeMakersand#MicrosoftEDU (which you can always use to stay in touch with us). To find the event time for your specific location, use this time zone announcer.
From our monthly surveys we know that you may be in class at event time, busy doing other things or maybe even asleep – well, no problem! All educators are most welcome to join after the event. Simply take a look at the questions below and respond to these at a day and time that suit you best. You can also schedule your tweets in advance. In that case, be sure to quote the entire question and mention the hashtag #MSFTEduChat, so that everyone knows the right question and conversation to which you are responding. Mark the exact timings – they are different this month.
How can I best prepare?
To prepare for the #MSFTEduChatTweetMeet, have a look at the questions we crafted this time. You might also find something useful in one of these resources:
TweetMeet questions
Hosts
Please meet the 19 hosts for this month’s TweetMeet. They are all passionate about classroom transformation and very eager to engage with you. Several of this month’s hosts have already blogged about the positive impact of being a #MSFTEduChat TweetMeet host and why you should join. You can check these posts out in this brand-new Sway:
We also made a Twitter Listso that you can easily follow all the hosts and see what they are tweeting about.
Abeer Almihdar@AbeerMehdar (Microsoft Learning Consultant – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Arnaud Markert@ArnaudMarkert (Religious culture teacher and digital referent teacher – Strasbourg, France)
Cornelia Melcu@CorneliaMelcu (Primary school teacher, teacher trainer, mentor and eTwinning and Scientix ambassador- Școala Gimnazială Nr. 9, Nicolae Orghidan, Brașov, Romania)
Eileen Heller@EileenHeller (Instructional Technology Trainer for Omaha Public Schools – Omaha, Nebraska, USA)
Felix Malombe@Felmalo (ICT Curriculum Leader and Maker Lab (STEAM) teacher for Crawford International School – Nairobi, Kenya)
Flavia Giannoli@flagia3 (Math & Physics teacher at High School/ teachers Mentor and Trainer / Innovative Design Thinking and e-learning expert/ MCE & MIE Expert – Milan, Italy)
Gülşen Korucu@gulsen_korucu (English teacher at Saimbey Secondary School – Osmaniye, Turkey)
Ian Phillips@ianhabs (I am Assistant Head and Director Computing & ICT at HabsBoys and independent school near London in the UK. I am an Intel Visionary and Chair of the ISC Digital strategy group)
Joël McLean@jprofnb (Elementary school principal and leadership coach – Callander, Ontario Canada)
Josh Arnold@GuyCivics (Middle School Teacher/Educational blogger – Wesley Chapel, Florida, USA)
Lynne Oakvik@LynneOakvik (Instructional Technology/School Library Consultant, Lilead Fellow – Boone, North Carolina, USA)
Małgorzata Kulesza@Malgosia38 (Secondary school teacher of chemistry and science, coordinator of international projects, nominated as an European Hero by Scientix, MIE Expert, passionate global educator- Krakow, Poland)
Marina St Mircic@s13_marina (Italian and Civics Teacher in secondary school, MIE Fellow, Skype Master Teacher, MIE Expert, passionate blogger and translator – Zajecar, Serbia)
Nicole Caldwell@n_caldwellEDU (1:1 Technology Resource 3rd – 5th Grades/NCCE Professional Learning Specialist – Tampa, Florida, USA)
Paula Barnard-Ashton@PaulaBarAsh (21st century learning design lecturer & trainer @ Wits University, School of Therapeutic Sciences – Johannesburg, South Africa)
Sascha Sohn@SohnSascha (Mathematics and Physics Teacher at Gymnasium Johanneum Loburg – Ostbevern, Germany)
Shannon Davenport@sdavenport931 (Director of Professional Learning for NCCE, The Northwest Council of Computer Education – Clarksville, Tennessee, USA)
Stu Ayres@StuAyres (Senior Deputy Head and computer science teacher, Raspberry Pi certified educator, teacher trainer, 21st-Century learning design practitioner – Denbigh, Wales, United Kingdom)
Víctor Rodríguez@VRS_ae (HP/lntel Teacher Ambassador, teacher trainer at Grupo Advanced Education, MIE Expert – Spain)
What are #MSFTEduChat TweetMeets?
Every month Microsoft Education organizes social events on Twitter targeted at educators globally. The hashtag we use is #MSFTEduChat. A team of topic specialists and international MIE Expert teachers prepare and host these TweetMeets together. Our team of educator hosts first crafts several questions around a certain topic. Then, before the event, they share these questions on social media. Combined with a range of resources, a blog post and background information about the events, this allows all participants to prepare themselves to the full. Afterwards we make an archive available of the most notable tweets and resources shared during the event.
Please connect with TweetMeet organizer Marjolein Hoekstra @OneNoteC on Twitter if you have any questions about TweetMeets or helping out as a host.
Things are settling back to normal here at PT HQ – it’s still going to be a bit slow in terms of content this month, but we’re getting there. We’ll probably have some filler reviews next week, followed by more recent stuff as it comes out. I’ve already earmarked a few games arriving later this month to target.
We’re also going to be looking into some more guides. Our ‘Best Mobile Wargames’ feature should finally be coming towards the end of the month, and I’m going to try and give our Android readers some extra love as well. Also, a special surprise guest will be making a return towards the end of next week!
Only one game really caught our eye this week, and sadly it’s only out on iOS. Silent Abyss is a card-based roguelike, echoing elements we’ve seen in other beloved Pocket Tactics games – One Deck Dungeon, Meteorfall etc… If you play much on PC, there’s been several comparisons to Slay the Spire as well.
You choose two heroes on each play-through, and each one will come with their own suit of special cards. Additional cards with equipment, spells, etc… can be acquired midgame. It bills itself as being quite challenging. So far it has two IAPs – Hero unlocks for the Warlock and the Archer. It’s unclear whether you can unlock these heroes through play.
This update actually dropped just before Christmas, but we’ve only just spotted it (sorry). Asmodee Digital’s currently Android-exclusive version of hit boardgame Carcasonne got a new update and DLC. The Winter 1.7 update added new AI behaviours and a stronger 4th AI, and the Traders & Builders expansion was also added to the game as an IAP.
I’m sure we’ll get around to reviewing this game eventually (sorry), but in the mean time if you’ve already jumped in, you’ll be pleased to know the classic version of Runescape got a major content update yesterday.
The Kebos Lowlands have been added to the game, which come with a new town, a new dungeon, new quests guilds and rewards. Content for OSR has to be approved by the community first, and this new update got a 95% approval rating from the community, so you know it must be good.
Another RPG we didn’t get around too, people generally have said good things about this Monster Hunter-esque game, and it’s currently enjoying a small discount.
Seen anything else you liked? Let us know in the comments!
