Bangkok, April 1, 2016 – From March 8-10th, Mr. Sakda Junklun from Princess Chulabhorn’s College, Phetchaburi, and Mr. Somporn Laothongsarn from Dongbangpisai Navakhannusorn School, Mahasarakam, were among 240 talented educators from around the world who gathered in Budapest, Hungary for Microsoft’s Annual E2 Educator Exchange event. The event recognizes and celebrates the achievements of educators who combine content, pedagogy, and technology in exemplary ways to prepare students for success.
The two Thai educators were selected from ten winners of the Microsoft Thailand Innovative Teachers Leadership Awards, part of Partners in Learning program that has been running in Thailand for 12 years, and this year engaged 4,800 teachers from schools across the Kingdom. Mr. Sakda Junklun and Mr. Somporn Laothongsarn were chosen for their creative approach to apply a range of Microsoft tools to enhance students’ learning experience of chemistry and physics. Mr. Sakda integrated free applications including Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint into his chemistry lessons to sparks students ‘ creativity, while Mr. Somporn developed instructional materials using Microsoft PowerPoint to help students research and study atomic and nuclear physics. Both teachers asked students to complete their assignments in Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel.
Microsoft’s E 2 Educator Exchange 2016 brought together the most innovative educators from around the world to collaborate, create, and share their experiences on how to integrate technology and pedagogy to advance learning, achieve student outcomes, and transform education. Over the course of three days, teachers learned from each other through a variety of ways, cross-pollinating the ideas they arrived with and going home more inspired, energized, and empowered to take on new learning challenges.
“Participating in E2 event really opened new horizons for me; it was an amazing experience. In just three days we’ve learned so much from each other on how to best integrate technology in the classroom and empower our students to achieve more,” said Mr. Sakda Junklun. “Students can benefit from various Microsoft programs, such as Office365 and Skype. I also found the new features of paperless OneNote especially useful for both teachers and students. We can now turn OneNote into a virtual classroom, where teachers can oversee students’ progress and provide guidance, while the students can share their ideas and knowledge with each other.”
“Furthermore, OneNote can now help students reach beyond the classroom and use it to help their families and communities,” he added. ,
At the event various tools were introduced to make learning process more fun. Firstly, Minecraft in the classroom had amazing feedback from the educators for its ability to help students learn cooding through gaming and equipping them with computational thinking and problem-solving skills by turning themselves into the creator.
Another new tool was Microsoft’s Surface Digital Ink. The Surface digital pen allows students draw diagrams, write down equations and also serves as a great tool in an art class.
Another demonstration of how Microsoft’s technology can help teachers and students connect was a Skype-based live lesson with an Arctic Explorer, where educators had a chance to ask him questions. The live session was followed by a presentation on OneNote and new updates to the Class Notebook that now make it easier than ever for teachers to use the tool, and also feature a content library, student notebooks and a collaboration space.
Finally, in keeping with the Hack the Classroom theme, educators were asked to create a “hack” to their classroom. This was a unique opportunity for teachers from different backgrounds and cultures to work together as a team towards solving one problem. Meanwhile, the Learning Marketplace, where educators showcased their ideas, became a hotspot of activity that truly personified the name of the event—a true educator exchange
“It was really inspiring! I went home with my head full of ideas. I can see so many new ways technology can be applied to transform Thai education. Technology can help reduce gaps in education, and students in rural areas can receive the same education as those in the cities. Microsoft has a range of tools that can help students improve important 21st century skills. As for me, I will definitely integrate OneNote and Sway into my lessons, and will recommend my educator friends to do the same,” Mr. Somporn Laothongsarn added.
“Microsoft’s E 2 Educator Exchange event serves as a real example of how Microsoft’s vision to help every student and teacher on the planet to achieve more, comes to life” said Mr. Somsak Mukdavannakorn, Public Sector Director, Microsoft Thailand. “Educators are like superheroes, who strive to do great things and achieve more by breaking free from traditional teaching ways. Even if they are not computer teachers or very tech-savvy, they can still do amazing things with the help of technology. We want to build a global network and community of teachers, and can help them find new approaches to teaching and learning by using technology to create strong and sustainable education worldwide.”
“I’m also glad that Mr. Sakda Junklun and Mr. Somporn Laothongsarn had this opportunity to share their creative thoughts and ideas with educators from other countries, as well as get inspired in return. I’m sure they will use this knowledge and experience to empower their students even further,” Mr. Somsak Mukdavannakorn added.
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About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Established in 1993, Microsoft (Thailand) Limited aims to Make 70 Million Lives Better by enabling Thai people and businesses to realize their full potential through technology that transforms the way people work, play, and communicate. We offer software, services, and devices that deliver new opportunities, greater convenience, and enhanced value to people’s lives. Working with communities and the Thai government, Microsoft and its partners are committed to working closely with organizations and people across Thailand to fully harness the power of technology and innovation.
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