Microsoft’s Innovative Educator Experts Share Their Experiences from the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange 2016
Microsoft’s E2 Global Educator Exchange 2016 brought the world’s most innovative and passionate educators together to share, collaborate and create solutions to address real-world classroom problems. Held from 8 to 10 March 2016, the annual conference saw 240 Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts gathering in Budapest, Hungary, to showcase how technology can be used effectively to transform education, revitalise learning and empower students all over the world.
This year, two of Singapore’s top teaching talents were chosen to represent the country at the E2 Global Educator Exchange. Hailing from Crescent Girls’ School, Jaslyn Ng and Magdalena Furtado weigh in on their experiences, takeaways and new approaches towards hacking the classroom environment.
Jaslyn Ng Simin
Art Teacher, Crescent Girls’ School
Jaslyn is a second-year educator currently teaching Art to lower and upper secondary students at Crescent Girls’ School, a Microsoft Showcase School in Singapore.
Besides having an interest in the study of design and visual art, Jaslyn also enjoys exploring the possibilities of engaging students’ learning through technology, and using technology to aid in the development of critical thinking skills. Recently named as an MIE Expert, this was Jaslyn’s first trip to the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange.
Magdalena Furtado
Teacher, Crescent Girls’ School
Magdalena currently teaches English Language and Social Studies at Crescent Girls’ School, a Microsoft Showcase School in Singapore. As an information communication technology (ICT) mentor, she is interested in the design and implementation of technology in teaching and learning, as well as for staff development.
Magdalena also has an interest in using communication and new media strategies to promote critical thinking in the classroom. Recently, she was named as an MIE Expert in Singapore, and was selected to attend the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange 2016 for the first time.
1. As one of two MIEs representing Singapore, what were some highlights from your experience at the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange 2016?
Jaslyn: It was a really exciting and nerve-wrecking experience at the same time. Everything felt surreal, from the point of being selected to become an MIE, to stepping on board a plane to Budapest. At E2, I learnt new things which I brought back to share with my colleagues, and heard from many talented educators and presenters from around the world who shared their work so passionately. Some of the breakout sessions really gave me new perspectives into using OneNote in class, and showed that there are a multitude of possibilities as to how you can apply Microsoft tools in class – it just depends on how creative you want to be. Technology has truly made a student out of every teacher.
Magdalena: Being selected as an MIE was an eye-opening experience. It was definitely a joy to meet like-minded educators who were keen on using technology to make the classroom experience a wonderful one, and I had the opportunity to share and learn about strategies other experienced teachers use. This invaluable wealth of information has enabled me to think further outside the box and be creative in the way I use technology in the classroom.
My biggest takeaway was learning how technology is being used in other countries and how privileged we are as a nation to have it at our fingertips anytime, anywhere. Sometimes, it is also good to take a step back, as the solution to a problem may be simpler than what we expect. It was also interesting to learn about new tools at the Learning Marketplace and bring those ideas back to school.
2. Tell us more about the project you presented at the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange 2016.
Jaslyn: My project uses OneNote Class Notebook to give students access to what their peers are doing, so they can gain inspiration from one another. Since OneNote has the ability to archive a large quantity of data on a single platform and has an overview function, I chose it to document the creative thought-processes of 280 students across classes. This tool also enabled students to access their drawing boards easily and conveniently, in case inspiration strikes when they are not working on the project.
I also liked the idea that I could join in the fun by commenting or adding on to my students’ ideas in real time. It takes away the physical boundaries of needing either myself or the students to be present at the same time and place.
Magdalena: The project I presented was “Leveraging on Microsoft Publisher to Teach Feature Articles”. I believe in giving students a real-world experience so that they are equipped with the necessary tools when they move on to the working world. Hence, I gave my students a feel of what it’s like to design and publish their own magazine. Although many publishing firms use the Adobe InDesign programme, I wanted to use a programme that was intuitive for the students to use; and Microsoft Publisher served that purpose! The students were able to figure out the tools in Publisher with ease and complete their task within the given timeframe.
I hope that by showing this project to other educators, it will help broaden the tool options that they can deploy in their own classrooms back in their home countries.
3. How do you foresee yourself putting what you’ve learnt into practice after coming back from the Microsoft E2 Global Educator Exchange 2016?
Jaslyn: I am really excited about Microsoft Office Mix because I can see it relieving the problem of heavy server traffic among teachers and students during our school’s eLearning week. Also, the new additions to OneNote are amazing – they make teaching and student engagement so much more interactive and visually stimulating!
Magdalena: As our school leverages on Model United Nations (MUN) and Model Governments (MG) in our Social Studies curriculum, I would like to try using OneNote extensively at the discussion stage. This will help the students to consolidate all their information and share their knowledge across “councils” and “countries” so that everyone will have the same knowledge and be on the same page, thus making discussions more constructive. Also, as our school hol
ds exchange programmes with schools from other countries, I would also like to explore using Skype video conferencing to help students interact and learn more about each other’s culture and interests before they meet in person, to make the exchange more personalised.
4. In your perspective, what is the role that technology can play in driving better teaching and learning outcomes?
Jaslyn: Technology is not meant to replace teachers or to make classroom teaching more robotic or automated. Instead, it can help to elevate issues that conventional classroom teaching has been facing, making learning possible everywhere and anywhere.
Magdalena: Technology empowers teachers to bring the world to their students and allows students to go beyond the four walls of the classroom. Teachers are better able to prepare students for real-world experiences, across borders, space and time when they use technology such as the Skype video conferencing. In addition, when students are able to come up with a common database of common knowledge, it empowers them to take charge of their own learning and discover more. Overall, technology is essential in teaching and learning when used effectively to achieve the objectives of the lesson.
