Tag: Education

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How to teach kids music without instruments? Teacher plays bandleader with ensemble of apps

At Kaenoisuksa school, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, we face the unique challenge of bringing music education to roughly 600 students who don’t have the benefit of real instruments to practice with. Adding to the complexity, our student body is a diverse mix Shan, Yunnan and Lahu students who all bring a different set of cultural values and learning techniques to the classroom every day. Our curriculum has to be nimble if it’s going to serve all of their unique needs.

As the school’s music and dramatic arts teacher, it’s my job to find educational solutions that will strike a chord with my students. In the common smartphone, I found a tool perfectly fit for the job—so long as it was equipped with the right apps.

Learning music isn’t just a matter of knowing how to play this song on that instrument. Using Microsoft apps like Office, Sway, OneNote, PowerPoint, Windows Movie Maker and others, I weaved together a 21st-century lesson plan that covered a range of musical topics, from theory to technique to history and cultural context. I call it Mobile Music Learning, and through it, my students have learned both the fundaments of music education as well as the value of technology in exploring their own questions in their own ways.

Things That Worked in My Classroom

  • Mobile VR Thrills: My students loved exploring international music and concert videos with apps like WITHIN and YouTube VR, which help turn your mobile screen into a virtual-reality headset. Access to music videos—from Operas in London to Indonesian dance routines in Bali—seeded them with questions about instruments, dance and other cultural elements that led to lively discussion as a class.
  • Strum Your Screens: Countless apps will turn your phone into a real-live instrument, replete with keys, strings, skins or some other music-making analog of your choosing. This let students get their hands a little dirty with playing where they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Even better, they got to do so from home long after class was over—and on just about any instrument they could think of.
  • Tech Does Double Duty: I want my students to learn music education, of course, but through it, I also want them to learn tech fluency. They are emerging into a world where success will depend on their ability to confidently navigate tech tools. Employing integrated apps like Microsoft Sway, Word, PowerPoint and Windows MovieMaker to explore, share and present the material helps them build that confidence along the way.

Practicing an instrument on a smartphone may seem like a novel concept, but for my students, a familiarity with mobile devices meant they brought more confidence to the initial lessons than they might’ve in a class with traditional instruments. The portability of our devices also empowered them to continue exploring the lessons for themselves once class had finished.

By applying the tech tools they’re already familiar with, I encouraged my students to explore, and ultimately synthesize, the subject matter in ways that felt natural to them as digital natives. The result was not only a newfound appreciation for music education but also the fostering of a rich and informed dialogue about other related subjects.

The Mobile Music Learning curriculum I created is little more than a collection of everyday Microsoft software applications. On their own, any one of the apps provides an important, specific tool. When combined in symphony, though, they strike a harmony that is greater than the sum of their unique parts. For my students, that approach helped fuel a modern, imaginative curiosity that made the curriculum more engaging and the group discussion more meaningful.

Ready to unlock limitless learning for your students? Check out our tools for educators. Already experiencing the difference in your classroom? Share your changemaker story with us!

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Safeguard your students, online and on campus

When students and parents are choosing a college or university, safety and security are often key considerations. And for educators, security is one of the greatest concerns they face today.

What’s behind these concerns?

Both physical threats, including assaults and property crimes, and online cyber threats are on the rise. Institutions have become a major target for phishing attacks, ransomware, and data theft – with higher education institutions accounting for 17% of all data breaches where personal information is stolen. Only the medical sector is victimized at a higher rate1. Safeguarding physical and digital security on campus is more critical and complex than ever before.

Higher education institutions need powerful, comprehensive security solutions to reduce risk by more proactively addressing cyber security and physical safety threats.

Why is an end-to-end approach important?

In a world of internet-connected smart devices (IoT), cyber and physical security are increasingly connected. Access systems, security cameras, and even telephone systems are often controlled through an organization’s network, leaving the network vulnerable to attack if not protected. Consider the case of the former computer science student who launched a botnet attack on a large university computer network: implanting malware on security cameras and other IoT devices, this hacker caused one of worst outages in the history of the internet by launching denial of service attacks on service providers and websites, and demanding Bitcoin payment for their release.

Ensuring that the right people have the right access to the right physical spaces and digital information is also important. If a student’s identity is logged in from one location and then, three minutes later, the same student ID card is trying to access a resident hall on the main campus hours away, an increased layer of security is required.

A campus imperative

As the lines of separation between the digital and physical worlds continue to blur, it’s imperative that universities have a planned approach to security that considers how to both protect information online and ensure a safe campus environment.

Microsoft can help with smart cloud technology that integrates physical and cyber security. Microsoft’s Smart and Secure Campus solutions combine security and threat protection with sophisticated artificial intelligence that works seamlessly in the background — sharing intelligence and working smarter to automatically address and remediate security threats online.

To learn more, download the Smart and Secure Campus e-book.

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Teaching happiness around the world: Join #MSFTEduChat TweetMeet on April 16

Announcing the April 16 TweetMeet on ‘Teaching Happiness and Social-Emotional Learning’

Every year, March 20 marks the International Day of Happiness, a campaign launched by the United Nations that is now celebrated worldwide. This program aligns with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals that aim to end poverty, reduce inequality and protect our planet.

In support for the UN campaign and to raise awareness for the emotional well-being of students as well as teachers, we invite you to participate in the next #MSFTEduChat TweetMeet of April 16.

In this edition of our monthly global and multilingual Twitter conversations, we’ll discuss the role that happiness and social-emotional learning (SEL) play in classrooms around the world.

Keep reading for detailed information about this TweetMeet.

Language tracks and SuperSway

We offer seven simultaneous language tracks this month: English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Serbian. The new SuperSway offers a TweetMeet Invitation in each of these languages:

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: Polish-speaking people should use both #TweetMeetPL #MSFTEduChat. English-speaking educators may 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 excited to participate.

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.

In the same file folder, the Twitter Header Photo is available in many other languages and time zones.

Looking back on the March TweetMeet on ‘MakeWhatsNext & STEM’

The March #MSFTEduChat TweetMeet inspired educators around the world to share ideas, insights and resources. We captured highlights from this Twitter conversation in this @MicrosoftEDU 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.

When and how can I join?

Join us Tuesday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. PDT on Twitter using the hashtags #MSFTEduChat, #TeachingHappiness, #SEL and #MicrosoftEDU (which you can always use to stay in touch with us). Be sure to double-check your own local event time, as this may be different this month. You can find the event time for 215 countries with this time zone announcer.

Too busy to join at event time? No problem!

From our monthly surveys we know that you may be in class at event time, busy doing other things or may even be asleep–well, no problem! All educators are welcome to join any time after the event. Simply 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 include the entire question in your tweet and mention the hashtag #MSFTEduChat so that everyone knows to which question in which conversation you are responding.

The exact question timings are in this helpful graphic:

Resources to help prepare for the TweetMeet

Microsoft Education has just announced the availability of the full report: Emotion and Cognition in the Age of AI. The new report is based on global research by The Economist Intelligence Unit supported by Microsoft.

Read the blog post Happy International Day of Happiness: New Research Suggests Happy Students Achieve More.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCDwyrlzqiQ?feature=oembed&w=640&h=360]

Discussion Questions

Fasten your seatbelts. Because of the significance of this month’s topic, we will start and end the TweetMeet with a bonus question. Watch the animated GIF with all the questions:

Hosts

Meet the 15 hosts for this month’s TweetMeet! They are all passionate about #TeachingHappiness and #SEL and very eager to engage with you.

Check out all the hosts, see what they are tweeting about and consider following them: https://twitter.com/TweetMeet/lists/MSFTEduChat-2019-04/members

List of host names and their profiles

  • Aoife Cantwell @acantwelled (Spanish and English teacher, focused on student well-being, personal development and providing a happy atmosphere in life – Dublin, Ireland)
  • Brian Romero Smith @BrianRSmithSr (Passionate about meeting each and every student where they are in order to make learning addictive from their inside out – Grand Prairie TX, USA)
  • Gizelle Simpson @Gizelle_Simpson (Passionate about inspiring students to reach their full potential and also equipping them to be future-ready – Cape Town, South Africa)
  • Hayfa Majdoub @haymajd (English language teacher, passionate about ICT, eTwinning Coordinator – Ben Arous, Tunisia)
  • Javier Ramos Sancha @javiramossancha (Primary English teacher at Colegio San Gregorio (Aguilar de Campoo) MIE Expert, MIE Fellow, ClassDojo Ambassador and eTwinning Ambassador – Burgos, Spain)
  • Jessica Pilsner @jess_pilsner (Middle school teacher with a passion for human‑centered design and emerging technologies – Renton, WA USA
  • Karolina Żelazowska @KsieznaKarolina (Educator, teacher, trainer, tutor, mentor and PhD-student (digital humanities). Member of SuperBelfrzyRP, Coding Masters and Digital Dialog teams – Warsaw, Poland)
  • Khalid Bayla @Bayla_Khalid (Primary school teacher, MIE Expert, MIE Master Trainer, Skype Master Teacher, E2 Singapore attendee, changemaker, speaker, coder, designer, author, founder of “21st century child project” and “ICT and Innovation club” – Settat , Morocco)
  • Katie Felix @MrsKFelix (Kindergarten teacher who brings tech, play, and learning together – Tacoma WA, USA)
  • Mirjana Kokerić @MirjanaKokeric (Math teacher and Life coach passionate about personal development and happiness in education – Smederevo, Serbia)
  • Robert Dunlop @dunlop3339 (Educator and technology consultant with a passion for happiness in education – Niagara Falls, Canada)
  • Rohit Kumar @rohit2093 (Co-founder Khoj Community School, an SEL-integrated School by Apni Shala, and Community and Social Responsibility Coordinator at American School of Bombay – Mumbai, India)
  • Surani Maithripala @sue_maithri (Lifelong learner, educator and edtech guru passionate about preparing future-ready students – Colombo, Sri Lanka)
  • Toney Jackson @HeRhymesWithMe (Classroom superhero with poetry powers. 4th‑grade teacher, speaker & passionate learner putting fun into the fundamentals of any subject – Hackensack NJ, USA)
  • Tullia Urschitz @utullia (STEM teacher and trainer, Scientix Ambassador, using ICT, robotics and tinkering to promote learning and social & emotional skills – Verona, Italy)

Flipgrid

Our hosts are thrilled for the upcoming TweetMeet. Each of them wants to invite you to the event in their own way.

What are #MSFTEduChat TweetMeets?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8IK9WWESFo?feature=oembed]

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.

TweetChat expert Madalyn Sklar recently published this helpful introductory guide:
Your Complete Guide to Twitter Chats: Why You Should Join & How to Make the Most of It

Please connect with TweetMeet organizer Marjolein Hoekstra @OneNoteC on Twitter if you have any questions about TweetMeets or helping out as a host.

Next month’s event: Inclusive Classrooms and Accessibility 

The theme of next month’s Tweetmeet on May 21st will be Inclusive Classrooms and Accessibility. We’re looking forward to this event and hope you’ll spread the word!

How to participate in a TweetMeet

We recommend setting up a Twitter dashboard TweetDeck and add a column for the hashtag #MSFTEduChat. If you are new to TweetDeck, then check out this brief TweetDeck tutorial by Marjolein Hoekstra.

When a tweet appears that you want to respond to, press the retweet button and type your comments.

Don’t forget to add the hashtags #TeachingHappiness, #SEL, #MSFTEduChat and #MicrosoftEDU.

Additional tips are offered in this animated GIF that you can share with newcomers:

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Check out the PBS documentary on ‘CyberWork and the American Dream’

Every day the world is becoming more digital and every company is becoming a technology company. Cloud computing and AI combined with new productivity, communication and intelligent tools and services enable us to do more, do it more quickly and in ways that were simply unimaginable a generation ago. But participating in the digital economy means that people need digital skills and companies need skilled workers.

There will be 1.4 million computer science-related jobs by 2020, yet U.S. college graduates are expected to fill less than a third of those jobs. Millions of Americans whose skills were valuable just a few years ago, find themselves underemployed — or worse, out of work altogether. PBS’ new documentary, “CyberWork and the American Dream,” examines this challenge and delves into the history of solving problems posed by technological disruption.

Ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the digital economy means that we need to change the way people are educated, trained and hired. This isn’t a challenge any one company can address alone. It will take a focused public-private approach to ensure everyone can participate in the digital economy. Microsoft is working hard on this issue and will share more about our approach in the coming months.

If America’s leaders come together and take on the challenge of preparing all Americans for the economic opportunities of tomorrow, we can unlock the potential of our nation’s best asset: our skilled and talented workforce.

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Tech to take you to the top – Microsoft courses will tackle digital skills gap one student at a time

Students will be able to study for qualifications in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data science alongside their chosen subject as part of a new higher education initiative from Microsoft.

The technology company has teamed up with the University of London, Staffordshire University and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), as well as two institutions in the US, to offer courses that will help young people learn key digital skills that they can use throughout their career.

The move is designed to tackle the digital skills gap across the UK, which risks holding back businesses in all sectors.

The Microsoft technical skills programme contains nine self-study courses, which have been created and are taught online by experts – Data Analysis, Data Science, Big Data, Cybersecurity, DevOps, IT Support, Internet of Things, AI and Entry Level Software Development. Each course teaches students about some of the most popular programs in use today, including Microsoft Excel, Power BI, Python, SQL Server, JavaScript, CSS and Azure.

The three UK institutions are integrating the courses in different ways to ensure they have the most impact on their students. The University of London is integrating an entire course into its Master’s in Data Science, so that students can learn the digital skills that employers need. In the data science course, for example, they will “learn how to apply technology to real-world problems and gain an understanding of emerging technologies, statistical analysis and computational techniques” as well as “transferable skills that will help advance your career”. Students will get support from tutors or online tutor groups.



Mary Stiasny, Pro-Vice Chancellor at University of London, said: “Our mission at the University of London is to develop internationally aware, innovative and employable graduates. Our online MSc Data Science programme encourages them to explore ideas, challenge boundaries and investigate fresh ways of thinking. For this reason, we are particularly excited about our collaboration with Microsoft for its potential to help our students meet and exceed the changing needs of the 21st century workplace.”

Staffordshire University is encouraging students to study individual modules that complement their degrees. Someone studying fashion design, for example, could take a web development course, so they can learn to build a website to sell their clothes.

Helen Holt, Head of Partnering and Digital Skills at Staffordshire University, said: “It’s important that we’re offering all our students the chance to learn digital skills and help them stand out in the workplace. The Microsoft Professional Programme will help them do that.

“Our lecturers and students like that there is a range of content in these courses and they can pick and choose what works for them. Our students are telling us they want digital skills. They might be good with tablets and phones but they might not know how to use Excel, and they want to learn how.

<img data-attachment-id="74446" data-permalink="https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2019/01/30/staffordshire-university-to-launch-first-digital-assistant-for-students/microsoft-by-rob-kalmbach-9/" data-orig-file="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/tech-to-take-you-to-the-top-microsoft-courses-will-tackle-digital-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time.jpg" data-orig-size="7000,4669" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"Rob Kalmbach","camera":"","caption":"by Rob Kalmbach Photography","created_timestamp":"1513862980","copyright":"Rob Kalmbach","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"Microsoft by Rob Kalmbach","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Microsoft by Rob Kalmbach" data-image-description="

Female student sitting on stairs at university campus

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The courses will help young people learn digital skills that they can use throughout their career

“We are based in Stoke-on-Trent and some of our students are the first generation of their families to go to university. Alongside specialist knowledge gained through their courses, they are learning digital skills that are recognised globally.”

LSE is encouraging students to study the courses, but it will be optional for them. It has been piloting Python and Excel courses over the past few months, with dozens of students gaining qualifications and giving positive feedback to teachers.

Jeni Brown, Head of Digital Skills Lab at the LSE, said: “The courses align really well with what we are doing at LSE, as they focus on the range of skills people will need in these roles rather than just the technologies. Students and staff have told us they want more opportunities to develop their skills in areas such as AI, big data and data science, to complement and enhance their academic programmes.

“The content is high quality and we can use it in a number of ways. Our students can study the courses independently online but we can also embed modules into what we already deliver. More than 60% of our students have come to LSE from outside the UK, and they will take those skills around the world. We want to create social science graduates who can really engage with a world that is becoming more immersed in technology and who understand how it impacts on their particular field.”



According to US Department of Labor, 65% of today’s students will end up working in jobs that don’t exist yet. Separate research has found that 808 million people need to learn new skills for their jobs by 2020, 40% of employers said skill shortages have a negative impact on their business, and 50 million people are needed to fill open, technical jobs by 2030.

Karen Kocher, General Manager of 21st Century Jobs, Skills and Employability at Microsoft, said: “The incredible transformation we’re witnessing in the 21st century workplace calls out for key organizations – governments, higher education institutions, employers, the non-profit sector – to step up and work together to teach, train and prepare workers for the jobs of tomorrow. This is a crucial part of our purpose at Microsoft and we are proud to join forces with seminal, global learning institutions to help make good on that purpose.”

The Microsoft technical skills programme, delivered by Fast Lane, will also be run at Bellevue College, near Seattle, and the online-based Purdue University Global, with Microsoft hoping to agree more collaborations in the future.

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Home of World War II codebreakers at Bletchley Park to be turned into Institute of Technology

A consortium that includes Microsoft has been awarded Government funding to transform part of Bletchley Park into an Institute of Technology that will teach digital skills.

The eight organisations have been granted £28 million to refurbish Block D at the historic site, which was home to Britain’s codebreakers in the Second World War, including Alan Turing, and the famous Enigma machine.

Around 1,000 students aged 18 and over are expected to attend the Institute every year for technical qualifications, higher apprenticeships and training to help tackle the UK digital skills gap in roles such as cybersecurity.

It is estimated that more than 500,000 highly skilled workers are needed to fill digital roles by 2022. That figure is three times the number of computer science graduates that the UK has produced over the past 10 years.

Derrick McCourt, General Manager of the Customer Success Unit at Microsoft UK, said: “In a world being transformed by technology, many of the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow will require skills and expertise rooted in technical aptitude. This new Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park will offer a much-needed pathway for young people to develop digital skills and practical expertise so vital to building a fulfilling career as well as addressing the digital skills gap across the UK.”

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Sir John Dermot Turing, Alan Turing’s nephew, views the plans for the Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park

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Sir John Dermot Turing (left), Alan Turing’s nephew, views the plans for the Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park

The Government invited consortiums of universities, further education colleges and companies to bid for £170 million of funding to create a network of 12 technology institutes across the country, in a move politicians called the “biggest shake up to technical education in a generation.”

Microsoft’s group is led by Milton Keynes College and also includes KPMG, McAfee, Evidence Talks, VWFS, Activate Learning and Cranfield University, who will also help the institute deliver manufacturing and engineering skills. It is supported by the Bletchley Park Trust.

The consortium will use its funding to create a state-of the-art facility that will build on and complement further and higher education institutions in the Buckinghamshire area. It will contain cutting-edge equipment and have access to the latest research from university partners to anticipate the skills that employers will require in the future. Local employers and partners will contribute additional investment, teaching staff and equipment.

Announcing the plans of the 12 institutes that have received funding, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “I firmly believe that education is key to opening up opportunity for everyone – but to give our young people the skills they need to succeed, we need an education and training system which is more flexible and diverse than it is currently.

<img data-attachment-id="74729" data-permalink="https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2019/04/10/home-of-second-world-war-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-by-consortium-including-microsoft/img_0137/" data-orig-file="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/home-of-world-war-ii-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-1.jpg" data-orig-size="3264,2448" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1520424293","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"32","shutter_speed":"0.00126422250316","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="IMG_0137" data-image-description="

Derrick McCourt (right) from Microsoft joins other members of the consortium and Sir John Dermot Turing outside D Block at Bletchley Park

” data-medium-file=”https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-300×225.jpg” data-large-file=”https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-1600×1200.jpg” class=”size-full wp-image-74729″ src=”http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/home-of-world-war-ii-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-1.jpg” alt=”Derrick McCourt (right) from Microsoft joins other members of the consortium and Sir John Dermot Turing outside D Block at Bletchley Park” width=”3264″ height=”2448″ srcset=”http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/home-of-world-war-ii-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-1.jpg 3264w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-300×225.jpg 300w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-768×576.jpg 768w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-1600×1200.jpg 1600w” sizes=”(max-width: 3264px) 100vw, 3264px”>

Derrick McCourt (right) from Microsoft joins other members of the consortium and Sir John Dermot Turing outside Block D at Bletchley Park

“New technologies are transforming the world of work, and to harness the opportunities on offer we must equip our future workforce with the technical skills they need to thrive, and that the economy needs to grow.

“These new Institutes will help end outdated perceptions that going to university is the only desirable route and build a system which harnesses the talents of our young people.”

Microsoft, which runs a digital skills initiative and hosts events to encourage girls to consider a career in technology, said the Bletchley Park plan would help young people embark on successful careers.

“Microsoft’s collaborations with Milton Keynes College and Cranfield University are helping to develop the next generation workforce,” McCourt added. “This announcement is a hugely positive step forward in ensuring that students and employers are armed with invaluable skills – both now and in the future.”

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Colleges and universities team up with Microsoft to address the technical skills gap by building global talent pipelines for AI, data science, computer science and cybersecurity

REDMOND, Wash. — April 11, 2019 — On Thursday, Microsoft Corp. announced new partnerships with global higher education institutions to align and integrate Microsoft’s technical skills programs and credentials to help address the growing 21st century talent gap. The skills programs will help students prepare for the jobs of tomorrow with in-demand technologies in fields like artificial intelligence, computer science, cybersecurity and data science.

Across the globe, there’s a growing skills gap that threatens to inhibit economic growth for workers, businesses and governments. According to ManpowerGroup’s Talent Shortage Survey, approximately 45% of employers report that skill shortages have a negative impact on their businesses. Microsoft is helping to prepare students and the world’s workforce to effectively move from the classroom to a 21st century career. The use of Microsoft courses by colleges and universities will provide cost-effective educational choices for students, helping them acquire the skills needed to fill the looming skills gap emerging across the global economy.

“The incredible transformation we’re witnessing in the 21st century workplace calls out the need for organizations — governments, higher education institutions, employers, the nonprofit sector — to step up and tackle one of the fundamental challenges of our time: closing the skills gap by teaching, training and preparing workers for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Karen Kocher, general manager, 21st Century Jobs, Skills and Employability, Microsoft. “This is a crucial part of our mission at Microsoft, and we are proud to join forces with these seminal, global learning institutions to help make good on that purpose.”

Among the first higher education institutions to collaborate with Microsoft are:

  • Bellevue College is offering a blended and flex-learning model in AI, big data, data science and cybersecurity based on Microsoft courses.
  • Purdue Global University will grant credits toward a full degree when students complete Microsoft technical skills programs in areas like AI, cybersecurity, data science and more.
  • London School of Economics and Political Science is embedding data science skills and knowledge into first-year students’ curriculum.
  • Staffordshire University is delivering Microsoft courses across their student population, integrating modules as part of their “Staffordshire Award” employability program.
  • University of London is integrating the Microsoft Professional Program in Data Science into its new MSc Data Science degree course.

Microsoft’s technical skilling programs prepare workers for in-demand job roles at the forefront of technology, such as data science, AI engineering and Internet of Things (IoT) administration. By creating blended learning programs that include Microsoft technical skills programs, higher education institutions help students and workers earn an industry credential and college credits at the same time, supporting students’ acquisition of skills to help them access new opportunities with the latest technology in today’s rapidly changing workforce.

“Our mission at the University of London is to develop internationally aware, innovative and employable graduates,” said Professor Mary Stiasny OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), University of London. “When our students work toward and achieve these ends at university before they enter the workplace, we realize our mission and our graduates can thrive. For this reason, we are particularly excited about our collaboration with Microsoft and its potential to help our students meet and exceed the changing needs of the 21st century workplace.”

In addition, in support of assisting students and workers in obtaining the skills and credentials they need for employability, Microsoft has worked with the National College Credit Recommendation Service to determine college credit equivalencies for its technical skills programs, including new Microsoft Azure role-based certifications. Courses offered by Microsoft, including data science, AI, IoT, cybersecurity and computer science, among others, are now eligible to earn college credit at participating universities.

“We’re delighted that Microsoft, a global technology leader, has chosen Purdue Global as one of its initial partners to help address the growing challenges of attracting, developing and retaining highly trained workers, while creating a personalized, high-quality educational experience for students,” said Dr. Betty Vandenbosch, chancellor of Purdue University Global.

Additional collaborations with universities, colleges and other degree-granting institutions are in development and will be announced in the near future.

About Bellevue College

With an annual average enrollment of over 32,000, Bellevue College is one of the largest educational institutions in Washington State. BC offers associate degree programs covering the first two years of a college education as well as four-year bachelor’s degrees, certificates and continuing education programs in nearly 100 professional and technical fields, such as information technology, telecommunications, business, education, health and public safety. Visit and learn more at www.bellevuecollege.edu.

About the London School of Economics and Political Science

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) studies the social sciences in their broadest sense, with an academic profile spanning a wide range of disciplines, from economics, politics and law, to sociology, information systems and accounting and finance.

The School has an outstanding reputation for academic excellence and is one of the most international universities in the world. Its study of social, economic and political problems focuses on the different perspectives and experiences of most countries. From its foundation LSE has aimed to be a laboratory of the social sciences, a place where ideas are developed, analysed, evaluated and disseminated around the globe.

About Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global is the extreme personalization online university, providing students the competitive edge to advance in their chosen careers. It offers a hyper-tailored path for students to earn an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations — no matter where they are in their life journey.

Purdue Global serves approximately 29,000 students, most of whom earn their degree online. It also operates 14 locations in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Maryland, Maine, Missouri and Wisconsin. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue University’s flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates two regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest, Indiana, as well as serving close to 6,000 science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University (IUPUI) Indianapolis campus. For more information about Purdue Global, please visit www.PurdueGlobal.edu.

Staffordshire University

Staffordshire University is a connected university; connected to the needs of students, academic partners, business and society. Our main City campus in Stoke-on-Trent features excellent learning and teaching facilities and good transport links. We have specialist Centres of Excellence in Healthcare Education at Stafford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

We were recognised with a ‘silver’ award in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) – confirmation that we regularly exceed national standards for learning and teaching. Excellent employability has contributed to our rise in the UK League Tables and Staffordshire University is celebrating its best ever performance in the Guardian League Tables 2019 – we’re now 44th out of 121 higher education institutions!

We aim to be a leading university for digital technologies building on our proud computing heritage and our strengths in computer games. We are also a national leader in the design and delivery of Higher and Degree apprenticeships. We are connected globally and more than 20,000 people are studying Staffordshire University degrees overseas.

About the University of London

The University of London is the world’s oldest provider of academic awards through distance and flexible learning, dating back to the 1858 Royal Charter, which was awarded to the University of London by Queen Victoria.

In 1858 Charles Dickens described the University of London as ‘The People’s University’ when its 1858 Royal Charter extended access to degrees to those who could not come to London to study.

Today, students of the University of London’s distance and flexible learning programmes study from a suite of 100+ academic programmes, with some taking the award through self-study or through support from Recognised Teaching Centres across the world. https://london.ac.uk/courses

The University of London’s distance and flexible learning provider has come to be known as the ‘World’s Largest Classroom’, with 50,000 students across the globe, and just under 1.6 million learners on the Coursera online platform for MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), bringing this global reach to just under 1.6 million people around the world in more than 190 countries.

Further information about the University of London is available at: https://london.ac.uk

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

For more information, press only:

Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com

Nicole Beattie, Bellevue College, (425) 564-2486, nicole.beattie@bellevuecollege.edu

London School of Economics and Political Science, +44 (0)20 7955 7060, media.relations@lse.ac.uk

Peter Tosches, Purdue University Global, (901) 692-2220, peter.tosches@purdueglobal.edu

Maria Scrivens, Staffordshire University, 01782 294375, m.c.scrivens@staffs.ac.uk

Binda Rai, University of London, 07920476483 (mobile), 020 7862 8545 (landline), binda.rai@london.ac.uk

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

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Join Skype in the Classroom in celebrating Earth Day 2019

Skype in the Classroom will celebrate Earth Day throughout the month of April to build awareness and inspire the next generation of sustainable leaders to take action.

Look no further for exciting lessons to captivate your students’ imaginations, deepen their understanding of the environmental threats our planet faces, and empower them to take action. Use our resources to lead your students through interactive virtual field trips to parks, zoos, aquariums and connect live with experts to learn about climate change, conservation, sustainability, recycling and more.

“Environmental literacy is more important than ever, and with Skype virtual field trips, we have an opportunity to educate kids and raise awareness. After a Skype session, students realize the importance of protecting the forests, the oceans and all the amazing creatures trying to survive on the planet we all live in,” says Manuela Correia, a school teacher from Portugal.

And that’s not all for this month of celebration! Skype in the Classroom partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program for a broadcast and live chat with Dr. Jane Goodall. There will be two more live broadcasts for classrooms and families to hear from Dr. Jane Goodall on how every individual’s actions can make a big impact on our planet.

The broadcasts will air on April 2nd at 12:30 ET/17:30 UTC and April 9th at 9:00 ET/14:00 UTC and each will be followed by a 30-minute live chat with Dr. Jane Goodall and the Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots team.

You can register for free at aka.ms/janegoodall. Be sure to use the classroom preparation materials to get your students ready for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

To add to the Earth Day fun, Skype launched a collection of emoticons that you can use before, during and after your Skype sessions this month to get students excited while celebrating and learning about our planet.

The Skype team also created a Dr. Jane Goodall emoticon in honor of her Skype in the Classroom broadcasts and all the amazing work she has done to make the world a better place!

So, open your Skype, type (janegoodall) and start sharing this emoticon with your friends!

Additionally, Skype in the Classroom has collaborated with the World Wildlife Fund to launch Our Planet Live—a collection of expert speakers and virtual field trips available via Skype.  These free classroom activities are designed to build on the themes of Our Planet, the new ground-breaking nature documentary series voiced by Sir David Attenborough streaming on Netflix from April 5th. Our Planet is the story of the one place we all call home, and this collection of live classroom experiences will teach students about the different biomes and species on Earth through Skype lessons with experts from around the world. Request your session here.

We hope that you join us in celebrating Earth Day 2019 by getting involved with one or more of our activities that will bring the curriculum to life and make learning fun for your students!

And as always, share your favorite moments with our global community on Twitter (@SkypeClassroom) with #Skype2Learn #MicrosoftEDU to inspire others to connect and bring the world to their classrooms.

Ok, I am in! Are there any resources to help me get started?

  1. Once you register for the broadcast event with Dr. Jane Goodall, download our step-by-step activity plan with ideas on how to prepare your class for the event.
  2. If you are joining the event, don’t forget to download the student’s certificate signed by Dr. Jane Goodall herself!
  3. Explore and register for one of our environmental-related Virtual Field Trips at ms/SITCearthday.
  4. Download our Earth Day activity plan—full of ideas and suggestions on how to organize your Skype sessions—to guide your classroom’s celebration all month long.

How can I expand the Skype learning experiences for my students for Earth Month?

  1. Explore the Flipgrid Disco Library topics featuring Dr. Jane Goodall.
  2. Discover FREE hands-on Hacking STEM lessons that you can use during Earth Month to bring more environmental themed activities in your class!

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Educators: Bring Jane Goodall to your classroom with April 2 and 9 Skype events

Hello, changemakers and compassionate citizens!

Dr. Jane Goodall is one of the biggest changemakers in history, making huge discoveries about chimpanzees and dedicating her life to making things better all over the world. Despite growing threats to wildlife, people and ecosystems, she still has plenty of hope for the future. Why? Because she believes in the power of young people motivated to make a difference. That’s why she created the Roots & Shoots program of the Jane Goodall Institute!

So, what is it, and how did it start? It all began in 1991 on Jane Goodall’s front porch in Tanzania, when a small group of students told Jane they felt powerless thinking about the problems all around them. This is something she had heard from people everywhere she went, but what could she do? All at once Jane realized the solution was right in front of her. She encouraged the group to use their voices and ideas to address the issues they saw, the things that mattered most to them. Roots & Shoots was born.

In the 28 years since it started, Roots & Shoots has expanded its reach to over 80 countries around the globe, impacting the lives of countless young people. This very special program has been providing young people with the skill-building and tools that they need to make a positive impact in their communities.

Roots & Shoots is all about finding solutions by looking around and getting involved to address issues facing people, animals and the environment. This holistic approach, using the R&S 4-Step Formula, makes Roots & Shoots an “easy-to-adopt” framework creating a generation dedicated to building a more sustainable planet. The program operates with a firm understanding that young people aren’t waiting until tomorrow to take action, they’re facing problems today and are likewise addressing issues facing the planet head on, right now.

“More and more young people around the world are taking action now, today, on projects they are truly passionate about. I am very excited to have the opportunity to connect with classrooms around the globe for this Skype in the Classroom broadcast and to discuss how we can improve the world for people, animals and the environment we share.”

– Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, UN Messenger of Peace

You may be wondering how young people can get involved with the program. The GREAT news is that there are many ways to participate as a part of Roots & Shoots! The program has a diverse network of change-makers and allows individuals to get involved at ANY LEVEL they feel comfortable with. No action is too small! During the Skype in the Classroom broadcast, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the actions you and the young people you mentor can take today and gain the skills to continue building service-learning campaigns in your own communities.

Roots & Shoots provides resources for both youth activists and adult mentors and empowers young people to become the type of leaders who will make compassionate decisions to make the world a better place. Through the program, youth activists lead local change through service while developing the skills and traits of compassionate citizens.

Whether it’s natural disasters, homelessness, pollution or even climate change, being a part of Roots & Shoots means choosing what kind of difference you want to make. From that front porch, a new generation has emerged to create a global movement. Young people in Roots & Shoots are not only the future, they’re the present, and they’re changing the world today.

An Idea for Educators

Adult mentors interested in assisting youth activists in their journey to make the world a better place have the opportunity to participate in Roots & Shoots FREE online course for educators. Throughout the course, educators unlock the skills necessary for fostering the growth of compassionate citizens. Not only will the educators receive professional development through this course, but they will then be capable of mentoring youth in the process of designing community action campaigns using the Roots & Shoots program model.

Connecting with students through Skype in the Classroom

Roots & Shoots is so delighted for the opportunity to work with Skype in the Classroom to bring an exciting broadcast and live chat experience to your students on April 2nd & 9th. Classrooms around the world will be able to tune in to this Skype in the Classroom broadcast event as we explore together how to make a difference in our own communities! Dr. Jane and the Jane Goodall Institute team will be answering as many questions as they can in the live chat.

We’re looking forward to sharing this experience with so many change-makers!

Ok, I’m in! How can I join the event and prepare my classroom?

Share the plans on your participation and preparations for the event with us @SkypeClassroom, @JaneGoodallInst and @RootsandShoots with #Skype2Learn.