What is a Microsoft Certification Summer School?
The idea is to support your students, certify their skills on technologies like App and Gaming design, HTML 5, Networking and Security, skills that they will need as they enter further education or the workforce. MTA provides students with confidence, motivation and their first Microsoft certification. You can run specific training or the student can self-study through the free resources. You can pick a day that your students can come in and test their knowledge and skills by doing a Microsoft technology (MTA) Associate exam. MTA skills development is a great way for schools to help students to explore career paths with a modest investment of time and money. MTA Prepares students for more advanced Microsoft certification.
How do we become a 'Microsoft Summer Schools'?
What is a Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA)?
MTA certification helps prove knowledge of fundamental technology concepts. Students can learn a variety of areas that can interest them likes modern App creation which include mobile apps, HTML 5, Phone apps & Windows 8 apps. The MTA certification is mapped on the QCF at Level 2 and is a great addition to any CV, whether a student is going in to vocational or higher education or still a year or two away from their GCSE. When a student earns an MTA certification, they become a member of our global Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) community and provides progression to further professional certifications if the student wants to explore and pursue a career in IT. You can get some ideas and tips on how to plan and run these events from the Certiport MTA test Fest website here.
What MTA resources are available within IT Academy to help students and teachers prepare?
As an IT Academy Member you can access free digital Microsoft Official Academic Courseware “(MOAC)". IT Academy Members can also access e-learning content within their membership including courses for developer skills. Students can access Student Study Guides here as well as use MeasureUp practice tests here. Teachers also receive 20 free MTA Instructor Exams to support their CPD around developing ICT/Computer Science to their students. Both Teachers and Students can visit www.dreamspark.com to learn about Dreamspark a free software resource that teachers and students can access to download the relevant tools to help them learn MTA skills, like Visual Basic, Phone SDK, and Kinect SDK etc.
What are the Prizes?
The top performing student from your school will be invited to Microsoft’s UK Head Office in Reading, Monday 16th September, for an exciting “Developer skills day session” accompanied by a representative from their school. The winning students accompanied by their Teacher’s will learn about building apps and how to develop and upload to Windows Store. To learn more about building apps, please see links to Windows 8 and Windows Phone Development sites: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229512.aspx & http://developer.windowsphone.com/en-usyou can start building apps today and also participate in the App Builders Reward Competition.
The Top 3 students with the highest MTA Exam score across the participating schools will be presented with a Windows Surface RT at the “Developer skills session day” by our Microsoft Academic Service Partner (MASP) ITSkillsman
Need Help? Try a Microsoft Academic Service Partner?
ITSkillsman is one of Microsoft’s UK MASP’s. Their role it is to support and help IT Academies meet their goals with the benefits of the programme and by embedding certifications in to curriculum. ITSkillsman also offer an additional support package, the Enhanced Benefits Programme (EBP) that institutes can add to their IT Academy membership. For more details, please contact mark.evans@itskillsman.co.uk.
Terms and Conditions
When can I get started?
The competition starts now and winners will be announced Monday, 9th September 2013, through our blog http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukschools/and contacted directly by Microsoft
If you want to get your school started with the MTA exams, please contact your reseller to start the process to become an IT Academy Member or get in touch with the Microsoft Education team at educationuk@microsoft.com
To share your story and let us know when you plan to run the exams simply email educationuk@microsoft.com
Excerpt from our BYOD in education eBook written by Ollie Bray.
Have you ever thought about what happens to the computers in a school between 4pm and 8am Monday to Friday? Or at the weekends? Or over the twelve weeks of the year when the school is shut for the holidays? Have you ever thought about what happens to computers in your house when you are at work or when your children are at school? The answer is simple – nothing happens. The equipment just sits there, and, apart from the occasional automated update it is stagnant, unused and redundant.
The situation is ironic, as schools these days constantly need more ICT equipment (in particular hardware) to improve productivity, help teachers teach and help learners learn. Many students also sit in classes with powerful little computers in their pockets (their phones) or in their bag (their tablet devices and / or laptops) all of which must often remain switched off during the school day. It is strange that, at such times of austerity, the school is willing to spend valuable resource on calculators and digital cameras.
BYOD in education
BYOD or Bring Your Own Device is the simple idea that young people and school staff are allowed to bring their own Internet enabled device into school and use it to help them work, learn and (if appropriate) socialise.
BYOD is an emerging education technology trend that is gaining in popularity in many parts of the world, and one that needs to be treated more seriously by schools and school systems.
This practical guide to BYOD (embedded below) has been written and designed to get you thinking!
Excepts from the eBook will be shared on the blog throughout the rest of the week and the full eBook can be viewed/downloaded below.
The Windows in the Classroom event proved very successful with teachers in the Midlands and due to popular demand is back in the Summer. Microsoft Education are looking forward to running another ‘Windows in the Classroom’ seminar with the Learning Technologies Team in Wolverhampton.
What’s the session about?
Find out how to make the most of your Windows experience with the latest free software from Microsoft. Maximize the potential of Office and be introduced to our best kept secret the Learning Suite. It’s all free and it’s stuff you can use straight away in your classroom the very next day!
Not only that, but we have found there is a lot of interest around Windows 8 and how it can be used in the classroom; so there will be an opportunity to see Windows 8 and Win8 Apps in action with a live demo.
How do I apply?
To apply for this free event simply email A.Walker@wolverhamptoncyp.org.uk before the closing date: May 31st 2013, who will send through registration details to secure your place. Please include details of your school, subject expertise and pupil age range and how many places you want. Places will allocated on a first come first served basis.
This is free CPD at it’s best! PLUS: you will be accredited with the official Windows in the Classroom professional development badge from Microsoft as clear recognition for your attendance.
I am not an ICT teacher is it worth me applying?
Absolutely, this is event is targeted at all primary and secondary educators in and around the Midlands, who are interested in teaching and learning, and how technology can support that, rather than the technology itself. This event is for ALL subject specialists including, Special school settings. The only criteria we have is a willingness to learn!
What will I need to bring?
We expect you to bring some of the tools you are using already:-
- A laptop running Windows Vista or Windows 7
- A headset with a microphone or Headphones and a Microphone (if you have one)
- Office 2007 or 2010 (not essential)
We will send you a list of free tools to download and install when we confirm your attendance.
What next? – Email Alex: a.walker@wolverhamptoncyp.org.uk and secure your place NOW!!
All information and resources can be found on the Partners in Learning Network – Join for free today.
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The popularity of tablet devices in education is rising as students and staff require portable devices that can be used for both content consumption and content creation on campus, and beyond.
In a recent Principled Technologies Labs test, commissioned by Intel, a core device in the Shape the Future portfolio, the Acer W510, was benchmarked against the Apple iPad. The test looked at key scenarios, such as opening email, opening and editing documents, connecting to network file shares and collaborating with colleagues and found that the Windows 8 tablet was able to better meet the needs of a typical worker while the iPad presented a number of obstacles to completing even basic tasks.
With findings such as the Windows 8 tablet devices (W510) being able to open a large Excel file in only 7 seconds compared to 4 minutes for the iPad, the report discusses the need for tablets to make life easier and not add roadblocks to perform everyday activities and, in my opinion, this is particularly the case in education.
The full report can be viewed/downloaded below and offers an overview of the full range of scenarios addressed during the lab test.
Check out some of the Hot Topics / Leaders to select from below:
Larry Rosenstock is the founder and CEO of High Tech High, a public charter school that redefines the meaning of quality education. There are no bells, there are no security guards, but there is a methodology that includes project based learning, internships, and an education that prepares students for the workplace.
Student centred personalisation is at the core of Dan’s philosophy for education. He has gained international recognition for his work in the field of school transformation, envisioning and assessment which is founded in student centred personalisation. He has provided keynotes and workshops in over 30 countries on large scale change management.
Michael Furdyk is the Co-founder of TakingITGlobal (www.tigweb.org), which provides innovative global education programs that empower youth to understand and act on the world's greatest challenges. In the past, he turned his interest in technology into several successful online companies, including MyDesktop.com, which sold to Internet.com in 1999.
Donal Brinkman manage games for learning and digital humanities programs for Microsoft Research. Projects include Just Press Play (play.rit.edu), Reality Ends Here (reality.usc.edu), ChronoZoom (chronozoomproject.org) and Open Badges (openbadges.org).
You can find out more about the range of programmes Microsoft Education has to offer teachers through the Partners in Learning Network. Join for free at www.pil-network.com
As discussed by Sir Mark Grundy during the UK launch of Shape the Future at Shireland Collegiate Academy late last year, by putting a device into the hands of children and their families, everyone will better understand what you need to do and how you need to do better. As a result, you have youngsters who are more engaged and feel that learning is more meaningful.
Shape the Future can help realise this vision, by offering the device, Windows and Office etc for an unbeatable education specific price.
We are deeply passionate about the programme and the difference it can make to the learning experience for students. The teachers and students are the best advocates, though, and the following videos build on the top level overview about the programme shared by Kirsty Tonks, Sir Mark Grundy and some of the Shireland students during yesterday's blog post.
To start out on your own Shape the Future journey, visit the RM portal to get access to the full range of devices and the programme criteria.
If this sounds like you… earn the official Microsoft Innovative Educator badge now!
What you need to do:
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
we are always on the look out for Innovative educators and if you want to further enhance your professional development experience with Microsoft please take a look here on how to become a Microsoft Expert Educator.
As we have seen throughout our week dedicated to easy and more affordable ways of achieving 1:1 Computing, technology is a strong enabler to helping learners improve attainment via increased engagement and higher levels of responsibility.
Shape the Future, through its commitment to helping to equip learners with essential 21st skills and stimulate social mobility, is designed to help create an environment where 1:1 computing is part of everyone's lives, rather than just the privileged. Furthermore, with the unique education pricing that is at the heart of all Shape the Future solutions, the programme ensures that 1:1 access is put in the hands of the person rather than the school. In essence, Shape the Future offers a way in for a whole generation to embrace the benefits of anytime, anywhere computer access.
The Shape the Future movement has started. Learn from Kirsty Tonks, Joice Fernandes, Mike Allen, Vanessa Pittard, Sir Mark Grundy and, most importantly, the learners about how and why you should join in the following video.
To start out on your own Shape the Future portal journey, visit the RM portal to get access to the full range of devices and the programme criteria.
Students around the world need advanced skills to succeed in the globalized, knowledge based world of today. 21st Century Learning Design, or 21CLD, professional development helps teachers redesign their existing lessons and learning activities to build students’ 21st century skills. It can be linked to your national or local curriculum standards. The program is based on rubrics developed and tested internationally for the Innovative Teaching and Learning (ITL) Research project.
‘‘21st century skills mean I know when my young people leave me, they will be in the best position to achieve embrace current and future skills to successfully develop our future generation’’ Scott Wieprecht MEE Teacher
DOWNLOAD BOTH 21CLD Rubrics:
21 CLD Learning Activity Rubrics ›
21 CLD Student Work Rubrics ›
See example learning activities Educators from around the world have submitted learning activities they have used in their classroom that exhibit strong 21st century skills in practice: see examples
School leaders
21st Century Learning Design professional development can be used in conjunction with the Partners in Learning School Research. The School Research measures innovative teaching and 21CLD supports teachers adoption of innovative teaching practices.
You can find out more about the range of programmes Microsoft Education has to offer teachers through our Partners in Learning Network. Join for free at www.pil-network.com
Building on our 1:1 computing in education introductory post, the next in our series of blog posts looks at Shape the Future more specifically and the thinking behind the programme, itself.
To put the programme into context with regard to the UK, the UK has a government-wide campaign, led by the Cabinet Office and DWP and championed by Martha Lane Fox, to bring all citizens into the digital society. As part of this focus, equality of opportunity and the economic imperative for digital inclusion is also keenly addressed with a particular emphasis on consumer savings, education, skills, better health and well-being for the individual.
To help address these goals, Microsoft has launched a global programme, Shape the Future, that aims to bring everyone online, better equip them with the skills and confidence needed to succeed and enhance the global competitiveness of the UK. The UK flavour of Shape the Future is directly targeted at students, the long-term unemployed and older techno-sceptics.
From an education perspective, though, Shape the Future can help schools embrace 1:1 computer access and enhance their teaching and learning strategies. Research supporting this is documented in more detail in an earlier post this series, but on a practical basis Shape the Future can help makes 1:1 computing more affordable.
Shape the Future offers a great device, such as the Acer W510, combined with Windows 8 and Office 2013. A rich mix of additional education software is also offered as part of the programme. These include the following:
What makes Shape the Future particularly compelling, though, is that the programme offers the device, Windows and Office etc for an unbeatable education specific price.
For a comprehensive overview of Shape the Future, the video below outlines the core concepts of the programme. Additionally, to help kick start your Shape the Future movement, visit the RM portal to learn more.