Microsoft, MoE and MDeC in ‘pop-up’ classroom project

• Malaysia, along with Thailand and Philippines, first countries to launch project
• Outreach workshops for school leaders and educators, government policy-makers

MICROSOFT Corp has launched what it called the first-ever ‘Pop-up Classroom’ project, in partnership with Malaysia’s Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC).
 
The project, launched in conjunction with the recent Teacher’s Day celebrations, would advance the innovative use of technology in education, the Redmond, Washington-based technology giant said in a statement.
 
Malaysia, along with the Philippines and Thailand, were the first countries to simultaneously launch the project, with outreach workshops held for school leaders and educators, as well as government policy-makers or industry influencers respectively, Microsoft said.
 
These workshops feature a blend of localised content and technology showcase to deepen understanding while driving meaningful conversations on the impact of technology in education. Educators were also show how to create effective, immersive learning experiences for their students.
 
“Technology and education go hand in hand. We can’t educate tomorrow’s leaders with tools and practices from the past,” said Bahariah Temu (pic), sectoral head of ICT Management at the Johor State Education Department.
 
“We must continue to invest in the development of better learning environments that lead to better outcomes, which is why collaborative efforts like these are of high priority to the MoE.
 
“We want to ensure that Malaysia can boast of state of the art technology within classrooms, that will be a catalyst to inspire students and improve educational outcomes,” she added.
 
The Pop-up Classroom event featured panel discussions designed to help educators grasp important technology issues and opportunities impacting education today, such as cyber security and online safety for students.
 
It also looked at how teachers can leverage social media as a classroom tool to enhance collaboration between teachers and students, Microsoft said.
 
 
Further discussion centered on helping students acquire skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration abilities, problem solving and awareness of the global community, the company said.
 
Microsoft claims that its focus on education takes a comprehensive, end-to-end approach to the learning experience in its entirety; including ensuring access to education for all.
 
“At Microsoft, we recognise that quality education is critical to economic opportunity for individuals and communities of all walks of life,” said Microsoft Malaysia managing director Carlos Lacerda (pic).
 
“With the Pop-up Classroom project, we are reaching out directly to our local educators and policy-makers with the most relevant conversations and technology demonstrations,” he added.
 
There are plans to bring the Pop-up Classroom event to more countries in Asia Pacific and expand the programme to include ‘mobile pop-up classrooms’ in schools, Microsoft said.
 
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