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Microsoft in Education - the ITWales interview

by Sali Earls

Microsoft is the world's biggest software company, and an instantly recognisable worldwide brand. The company' mission statement reads, "At Microsoft, we work to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential. This is our mission. Everything we do reflects this mission and the values that make it possible."

This mission is prevalent in the company's work in the education sector, where access to technology is only part of the solution to upskilling the workforce of the future. Microsoft acknowledges that it is equally critical to provide ICT skills training, tools, and guidance to address education challenges while improving teaching and learning opportunities.

While many schools and public sector organisations are experimenting with Open Source solutions to provide cost effective ICT provision, Microsoft continues to have a vital role to play in education.

Sali Earls spoke to Stephen Uden, Head of Citizenship, Programmes and Relationships at Microsoft; and Richard Jones, Headteacher of Malpas Church Junior School in Newport, to find out more about Microsoft's provision for schools, and the success of one Welsh project.

How can Microsoft's solutions help pupils in the learning environment?

Stephen Uden: Microsoft has been involved in the education sector for the last 12 years, and our main objective is to support schools to make the most of the technology available to them - we believe it's not just about access to computers in schools, it's about using technology effectively so that it becomes embedded across the curriculum. Microsoft is committed to helping schools make the most of the technology they have.

We offer a range of solutions, products and programmes, which have been tailored specifically for the education sector. These include solutions for improved curriculum management (e.g., Class Server), software (e.g., Learning Essentials) and encouraging new ways of teaching in the classroom such as the use of Tablet PCs.

Research has proved that, when used appropriately and strategically, ICT can be a key driver of whole school improvement. Research carried out by Becta showed that ICT can assist with all of the key factors involved in student achievement, assessment methods, motivation and behaviour, teacher workload and the efficiency of school management (Becta, What the Research Says About ICT and Whole School Improvement, 2003).

Richard Jones: The benefit to the pupils has been great, and pupils are focused and motivated; able to work independently; able to collaborate and communicate well; have high levels of ICT skills; and know when and when not to use ICT.

In what ways can Microsoft help schools prepare the workforce of the future?

Stephen Uden: At Microsoft, we believe children must be equipped with the right level of digital literacy in order to be able to contribute as future citizens and employees within UK plc. Currently 80% of jobs require the use of a computer, and this is likely to reach 100% within the coming years.

The Microsoft IT Academy programme covers over 500 centres and provides curriculum and training to enable learners to acquire relevant technology skills.

As the world's largest software company, Microsoft is in a unique position when it comes to leveraging technology expertise and we believe helping young people leave education with the right level of ICT skills is a priority. We work closely with schools, LEAs, universities and colleges to provide solutions to education issues through the use of ICT such as recent discussions with Becta about the 14-19 strategy.

Richard Jones: The future for these pupils is bright, as they have gained many transferable skills they will need in later life. They are also able to choose to use ICT for authoring, recording, preparing, researching, investigating and presenting their everyday work using the most up to date equipment and software.

What solutions do Microsoft offer educational establishments?

Stephen Uden: Microsoft offers the education sector a number of solutions, products and programmes specifically designed to support schools and colleges.

• Class Server is a web-enabled curriculum management tool that enables teachers to develop and manage e-learning content on and offline. It provides a comprehensive digital portfolio of each student's work, be it a classroom assignment or homework. It enables teachers to free-up time by automating routine tasks, such as multiple-choice marking. Planning, target setting and measurement can all be done either offline or online - allowing flexible working - and progress reports can be widely generated. Teachers can also customise lessons to the individual needs of students, helping teachers to personalise learning for students. Class Server is designed to support the National Curriculum, and teachers can link lessons and assessments to academic standards and National Curriculum objectives.
• Learning Gateway is an education portal that delivers customised information and collaboration services for teachers, students, parents and school management. The platform collates and customises all the relevant information, resources and information for individuals and groups of users (e.g., students, parents and teachers). Typically, resources and information are often stored in a variety of formats, and across a range of devices, and this can make them difficult to access. The Learning Gateway acts as an umbrella to bring them all together, and presents them to the user in a single web page, giving them everything they need in one place.
• Learning Essentials is a desktop application for students and teachers. It provides a task-based interface as an add-in to Office and offers users a customised educational view.
• Microsoft Student provides homework tools and resources for students, and enables students to have the same Office tools at home that they use at school through Learning Essentials.
• Welsh Language Pack - Microsoft offers a Welsh version of Office and XP enabling schools, homes and businesses to choose Welsh, instead of English, workstations. The package was developed in partnership with the Welsh Language Board. The Welsh LP enables teachers to create educational resources that offer the same opportunities for pupils in Welsh, as in English. It also helps pupils to expand their Welsh vocabulary, increase their familiarity with Welsh terminology and improve their spelling.

How do you ensure that teaching staff use the solutions in the best way, and how does this benefit them?

Stephen Uden: Microsoft believes that ICT can be a powerful tool for teachers and we are committed to supporting them and encouraging innovation in the classroom. We have a number of projects to do this including:

• Innovative Teachers Programme: an initiative providing online training and resources to help teachers with ICT in the classroom. The Innovative Teachers portal enables teachers to share ideas and collaborate with over 3,000 colleagues across the UK. It also provides training and access to e-resources that integrate ICT into the learning process.
• Partners in Learning: Microsoft is working with partners who are leading experts in teacher development and curriculum design from Scotland, England and Wales such as the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) and together we are developing a creative and exciting set of activities designed to bring affordable access to technology and to offer a package of skills training and CPD to ensure that teachers gets the most out of the technology available to them.

Richard Jones: The benefits to the teacher have been many from easy access to expert support and advice to having up to the minute materials to enhance their teaching. It has also enabled teachers to gain confidence; share good practice; plan together using ICT; boost their ICT skills; interact more effectively with their lessons; use ICT naturally in all subject areas; and know when and when not to use ICT.

Why have you taken this approach, and what have been the benefits to your school?

Richard Jones: At Malpas Church Junior School we have endeavoured to put ICT at the heart of the teaching and learning process, i.e. in classroom and utilised across each curriculum area as opposed to computer suites.

As the school developed this vision, it won a Becta "ICT in Practice" award and gained access to companies who could help us achieve our aims.

Microsoft keen to support us in this and we felt a partnership would benefit us both. To this end we agreed to trial some of the Microsoft products designed for school and have trialled Microsoft Class Server and are currently piloting Microsoft 'One Note' package. The fact that Microsoft were also able to support and train us in the use of these packages made it an even more attractive option for us.

Find out more about Microsoft's work in Education at www.microsoft.com/uk/education, and Malpas Church Junior School at www.malpaschurchjunior.org.uk.