- This year, Microsoft has received 113 submissions from teachers vying to become Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts – an exclusive initiative in which educators share their thoughts and best practices on how they effectively use technology in education. The strategic partnership with MoE and MARA has resulted in this four-fold increase in comparison to the previous year, which saw 22 submissions
- 26 MIE Experts were certified from this year’s pool of submissions, out of which four MIE experts were chosen to represent Malaysia at E2 2016 in Budapest, Hungary, joining 300 other educators from around the globe
- A recent Microsoft Asia EduTech Survey 2016 shows that 100 percent of educators surveyed agree that technology will play a bigger role in transforming and improving education systems in the future
KUALA LUMPUR, 18 February 2016 — Microsoft Malaysia today announced that its collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) has certainly reaped rewards – resulting in 113 submissions from teachers aiming to become Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts. This exclusive program, in which educators share their thoughts and best practices on how they effectively use technology in education – has seen a four-fold increase in comparison to the previous year, which saw 22 submissions.
Microsoft Malaysia’s strategic partnership with MoE and MARA has also increased the number of MIE Experts – in which 26 were chosen amongst this year’s pool of 113 submissions, versus the 11 MIE Experts selected the year before.
Out of the 26 MIE Experts, four were chosen to represent the country in Budapest, Hungary from 8-10 March, at the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange (E2) 2016. The three-day event will showcase the amazing work of some 300 of the world’s most innovative educators, giving them the opportunity to learn, collaborate and celebrate with their peers. The event will culminate in the Global Educator Challenge awards – recognizing educators who have shown exceptional innovation in their fields and during competitive sessions at E2.
The announcement of Malaysia’s class of 2016 MIE Experts was made at the MIE Boot Camp (meant to help and prepare the selected MIE Experts for the upcoming E2) at Microsoft Malaysia’s headquarters in KLCC. The four MIE Experts representing Malaysia this year for E2 are:
- Nur Riza Alias from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaaan (SMK) Tanjung Datuk, Johor
- Hemawathi Gopinathan from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaaan (SMK) Yam Tuan Radin, Negeri Sembilan
- Mohd Norhafeez Jusoh from Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Tun Mustapha Tawau, Sabah
- Azizul Othman from Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Johor Bahru, Johor
Also present at the announcement made at Microsoft Malaysia were representatives from MoE and MARA, who shared how these ministries are working hand-in-hand with the tech giant to train the next generation of innovative educators towards the successful adoption and use of technology in classrooms through the MIE Expert program.
Puan Maimunah Mohd Tahir, Principal Assistant Director, Educational Technology Division at MoE said, “21st century learning and technology-enabled teaching & learning is about producing students who drive their own learning, thinking critically and being creative. Our educators are keen to achieve this. The MoE is committed to providing all kinds of support to our educators to ensure successful practices in classrooms that link technology, pedagogy and 21st century skills. We are glad that Microsoft has taken this proactive approach to support our educators via the MIE Expert Program.”
Encik Kamaruzaman bin Jaffar, Director, Education Technology Division, MARA also added, “Teachers need to be comfortable and confident with the use of technology – which is why we have been encouraging educators not only to adapt, but to adopt 21st century technology. Initiatives such as the MIE Expert program has proven to be a great resource for our teachers to practice innovative educational approaches in order to prepare their students for today and tomorrow,” he said.
Nik Ariff Nik Omar, General Manager, Public Sector Group, Microsoft Malaysia echoed Puan Maimunah and Encik Kamaruzaman’s sentiments. “We believe that technology alone cannot build 21st century skills for students. We believe in the power and impact that educators can have when they are brought together and recognized for their achievements. Educators in Malaysia are cognizant that technology has the power to expand the impact of education and accelerate the growth potential of every youth. However, technology itself is a means – not an end. Thus, it is important for us to also lend our expertise to governments, organizations and schools in Malaysia to help them build a technology roadmap to support the nation’s vision in becoming a developed nation by the year 2020,” he said.
About the MIE Experts program
Aimed at self-driven educators who are passionate about their careers with a true collaborative spirit, the MIE program was started by Microsoft in 2003 to recognize global educator visionaries who are using technology to pave the way for their peers in the effective use of technology for better learning and student outcomes.
Every year, Microsoft selects MIE Experts who pave the way for their peers to share ideas, try new approaches and learn from each other to be part of this exclusive global community. Participating in the program will allow educators to build their capacity for using technology in both the classroom and curriculum to improve student learning. They will also advise Microsoft and educational institutions on how to integrate technology in pedagogically sound ways, as well as functioning as advocate at conferences, events and trainings for how technology can improve teaching and learning.
This year, Nur Riza Alias and Azizul Othman from Johor will be amongst the four Malaysian MIEs carrying on the torch for this year’s E2. For Riza, the opportunity to represent the country next month will be a life-changing experience for the educator from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaaan (SMK) Tanjung Datuk, Johor. “I’m truly grateful for this opportunity presented by MoE, MARA and Microsoft Malaysia. I can now represent my school and country at such a prestigious event, and I look forward to this once-in-a-lifetime chance to team up with peers from diverse parts of the world to discover new ways in which technology can help my students to do more, and be more!”
According to Azizul from Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Johor Bahru, Johor, the program was a chance for him to explore opportunities in terms of using technology in the classroom and the potential to tap into the minds of teachers from around the world, “Being part of the program means I am instantly a part of a like-minded community who supports each other as we continue to discover, and challenge ourselves to grow. Eventually I hope to be able to contribute back to this community with my own innovation, and E2 will be where I start.”
21st century skills important for 100 percent of educators in transforming education systems
The need for 21st century skills in the modern workplace drives the demand for highly equipped educators today with the ability to personalize their education approach – while using mobile and cloud platforms to provide access to resources wherever and whenever.
In fact, findings from its inaugural Microsoft Asia EduTech Survey 2016 which polled close to 200 educators in the Asia Pacific region, revealed that while almost all educators (96%) are already influencing technology decisions in their work, nearly all of them (97%) wish to do more. In fact, they unanimously (100%) agree that technology will play a bigger role in transforming and improving education systems in the future.
The survey was conducted on-site during the Bett Asia Leadership Summit 2015 held in Singapore last November, with respondents that included teachers from across all levels from pre-school to post-graduate, as well as policy makers involved in education from across 18 countries in Asia Pacific[1]. To help schools understand the best practices for successful pedagogy transformation for the 21st century, the Microsoft Education Transformation Framework outlines 10 best practices they need to ask to help fast track system-wide transformation by summarizing decades of quality research.
About the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange
E2 is part of the Microsoft in Education initiative that offers a range of professional development programs to bridge the gap between technology skills and innovative teaching. These programs reach beyond traditional software training to provide a scaffold that supports educators and school leaders of all skill levels on their learning journey. Through these programs, Microsoft have trained more than 10 million educators and reached more than 200 million students since 2003 worldwide.
For more information on Microsoft in Education, visit http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_in_education/
[1] Respondents of the Microsoft Asia EduTech Survey 2016 came from 18 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.