So what is DreamSpark? You may have seen a selection of DreamSpark related content on the blog throughout the week. In the event that you missed them, here are a couple of slides on Slideshare to give you the basics.
If you are after a more detailed overview of the programme, this is the blog post for you. Here goes in more detail!
DreamSpark is the first step for students, educators and institutions to make learning software development from the basics eg KODU, to full on App development with Visual Studio more motivating, relevant, and engaging for today’s students by providing no cost access to professional-level development, design, and gaming software.
DreamSpark is:
For Students
DreamSpark is simple; it's all about giving them our professional-level developer and designer tools at no charge so they can chase their dreams and create the next big breakthrough in technology - or just get a head start on your career.
DreamSpark gives Students the chance to develop world class software, web applications, cool and creative designs as well as amazing games. Microsoft believes that students can do amazing things if they only have the right tools. Check out the DreamSpark getting started-guide on Slideshare.
For Academics
DreamSpark is about giving educators no cost access to the same professional-level developer, designer and gaming software so you can reach, motivate, and ensure students achieve their greatest potential. DreamSpark gives you the software and resources to ensure classrooms always have the latest technologies to challenge, motivate, and keep students engaged in new ways. Plus DreamSpark Premium has a few more products in it!
Learning must be relevant, exciting, and engaging. DreamSpark is aligned with universities, associations, and employers to ensure that educators are able to discover, create, and deliver courses to students that lead to increased technical proficiency, employability and of course creates the next generation of technical leaders. Again on Slideshare DreamSpark & EES licensing.
If you want to talk with us locally then but all means email us at ukst@microsoft.com, or @msukstudents on Twitter or of course www.facebook.com/microsoftukstudents. We’d love to hear your success stories through using DreamSpark.
DreamSpark Pricing Model and usage
For more details regarding Microsoft DreamSpark offering contact the DreamSpark support team.
NB. Licensing does not allow for the products to be used in class, and FREE licensing does not cover educators
Changes to licensing and costs
DreamSpark for Schools, College and Universities subscription is now available and priced at $99 FREE for EES customers – This change allows all DreamSpark software to be installed for teaching and learning on Institutional Lab machines and it’s a campus license as per EES so you only need to purchase 1 license and not 1 per school or faculty and if you’re an EES subscriber its included for FREE. It now covers educators and students for personal non-commercial usage and is available for all taught discipline, previously this only covered students usage and not licensed for intuitional equipment.
DreamSpark Premium – Previously MSDNAA - includes more products including Visio, OneNote and Project and is aimed at STEM FE and HE institutions and all IT Academy Subscribers. The cost has been reduced to $499 from £1000+ (it now covers educators and students for personal non-commercial usage and all lab installations).
More information on this can be viewed/downloaded below.
Microsoft was started when many of the founders were still students so we know that anything is possible. To make this happen, we are aligning with universities, associations, and other communities around the world to make sure that DreamSpark reaches everyone as fast as possible.
Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.