Tag: Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts

A choice, a voice, and a place to make learning come to life

by Microsoft in Education Canada Team Posted on

When we first tell people that we're using Minecraft: Education Edition in our grade 9 Science and Geography classrooms, we often get the same reactions. Do you really let them play Minecraft in the classroom? What are they actually learning playing video games? Do you worry that students won’t speak to each other if they're playing Minecraft? It doesn’t take long to... Read more

Adding a new dimension to history

by Microsoft in Education Canada Team Posted on

When you think of areas of study that benefit from 21st-century technologies, what comes to mind? Math? Science? Coding? Given education's renewed focus on STEM, these disciplines are obvious choices. However, the impact of current technologies isn’t limited to STEM. In the field of history, cutting edge technologies not only help us evaluate sources, but also provide new... Read more

Sam’s coding success story

by Microsoft in Education Canada Team Posted on

Sam is a Grade 6 student who is identified with a learning disability.  Since the beginning of the school year, he has been intrigued and inspired by my coding classes—so much so that he asked for a coding kit for Christmas.  At times, Sam finds his class work to be challenging. He becomes easily overwhelmed and sometimes shuts down.  However, during our coding classes... Read more

Empowering the BYOD space with OneNote

by Microsoft in Education Canada Team Posted on

One of the most challenging debates in education revolves around the issue of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in the contemporary classroom. BYOD is a policy which enables students to bring their own devices to school for use in their learning. While this sounds like a great opportunity for learners, the practice is not universally supported. Teachers are concerned that devices... Read more

Empowering students through computer science

by Microsoft in Education Canada Team Posted on

Recently, we had the chance to sit down with Canadian Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert Lee Martin and talk about his experience with coding in the classroom. He's a leader in bringing computer science to his young students to unlock their creativity in some surprising ways. They took so strongly to the technology that they entered and won our nationwide Make:Change... Read more

The story of our connections: Combining Skype with personal story

by Microsoft in Education Canada Team Posted on

Story is everything. I am mindful of how important each student’s story is when they walk into my class each day. I'm equally mindful of trying to show them that they can write the lines of their stories on any inch of the planet they share. To that end, while studying ecosystems, our classroom community opened itself up to a Skype Virtual Field Trip to Yellowstone... Read more