"5 Ways Teachers and Students Can Use Sway in the Classroom"

shows new ways.................

By Mohammed Khurshed Alam
#MIEExpert15

Sway has become an essential and popular educational tool for teachers and students. We live in that part of the world where basic human rights are not yet established. Most of people are continuously struggling for their survival. Education is compulsory to all. We are at the initial stage of integrating ICT in Education. Still 99% teachers are not aware of Digital literacy let alone Sway. In my institution I take one class Bi-weekly by using technology. Besides these we have limited access to different productivity tool. But being an MIEExpert15, I am privileged to use latest versions of all products and education technology.  I have been using Sway in my class and with my class for the last three months. I have also introduce it to my fellow colleagues in my institution. As teacher of developing world I find Sway to be the most effective product for the resource constraint teachers and students. 

Here are the five most effective ways Sway can be used to transform education in the developing world.

  

Way # 1:  Sway can be used by teacher to plan lesson

We can plan or redesign a traditional lesson into the most effective and attractive multimedia based lesson plan.

        

  
 
Way #2 Sway can empower teachers and students to easy research.

Sway is a great tool for search and research because it brings all the sources right in our dashboard to choose and use. We can see the effectiveness and relevance of our research at once. My personal experience tells me that teachers and students show negligence of one International Law namely Copy Right Law. Bing planted in Sway teaches me and my students to be aware of this by providing us resources that are permissible.

          

Way  # 3 Sway saves a lot of time in creating lessons.

As Microsoft Innovative Expert Educator and Mentor school leader, I trained a lot of teachers, administrators and facilitators. Teachers are reluctant to integrate ICT because they have dedicate a lot of their time in preparing lessons. In our part of the world where teachers are the least paid employee hardly find time to devote in integrating ICT. Here Sway is most effective. When I demonstrate creating a lesson in fifteen minutes from the set lecture-based lesson, most of the teachers feel enthusiastic.

          

 
Way  # 4 Sway is the most effective in delivering lessons in the classroom

 In traditional lectured-based delivery students feel bored and lack enthusiasm. In Sway we can overcome this hurdle because we can incorporate multimedia even edutainment related to the lesson to make the class interesting.  

           

 
Way # 5 Sway can be a great platform to peer learning and feedback.

Peer learning happens when one student goes through the product of other student or one group of students  see the scripts or product of other group of students or the result of the performance of whole class.

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Great educators around the world have great and innovative things to present through Sway. In my classroom and outside the classroom. Sway is a necessity for the resource –constraint teachers and students of a developing country to succeed in the 21^st century.

 
Thank You ,
Microsoft in Education and Sway team for giving me such an opportunity.

  

My SWAYONENOTELOVE : A Fairy Tale

                            By 




Mohammed  Khurshed  Alam

Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert 2015

 

An open Letter to Microsoft

An open letter to

 

Dear

Best wishes for a Happy New Year. Thank you for giving us

 

 OfficeMix, OneNote, Sway, and Skype Translator as New Year’s bonanza.

It helps me a lot to make my lesson interesting and interactive. My students are also enthusiastic about these. In the coming years, it will have lasting impact on education.  I joined the Partner in Learning Network in 2013.

I did not have the slightest idea what I would have in the coming year. In 2014, I participated in

                                   Microsoft in Education Global Forum-2014.

Being a member of your family, I discovered myself in a new height. It enhanced my capacity to deepen my knowledge through the positive use of technology.  I attended all the professional development programmes that came on my way to be an innovative educator. Since then, I started using all the tools provided by Microsoft to improve the learning of my students. I was amazed by the discovery how these poor boys and girls have become the 21^st century learners from the traditional students learning by rote. The impact of changing teaching methodology gives them the freedom to search and research the Net with Bing.

They accumulate their findings with  Words and Excel and present them with amateur PowerPoint and Windows Movie Maker, and even dare to create Auto Collage to test their skills in Digital Literacy. All the tools empower my learners. My role from an authoritative master shifts to a friend of the learners, a facilitator. They start to learn and create through collaboration. With this another challenge emerges- the ownership of knowledge. I think this will sure to unlock the door to creativity for them. 

I feel proud to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert -2015. You facilitate us with such innovative tools and resources that make us go ahead of time. Having all the great educators from the world around, you create a global platform for teachers. Being a partner in learning, I have realized that my activity has global impact. Every moment it pricks me to do something good and every moment it makes me better.  I wish our efforts and activities will make the world a better place in the coming year.   

Mohammed Khurshed Alam

 

Bangladesh

Living with Windows

Living with Microsoft Windows

Windows 1.0, 3.1x, 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP, Vista, 7 and Windows 8 all these are the versions of  Microsoft Windows to many of us. But to me, these are the magical representation of dreams realized. Every upgrade version of Windows has lasting impact on me and my students. The day when I enrolled for a “Microsoft Office Management Course” in my city with Aptech Ltd, a Microsoft approved training center, my colleagues laughed at me. This was because I spent USD 500 for such a course. But I did not look back. Later when internet became available, I jumped to it. Internet Explorer became my daily companion. All these years, both in weal and woe, I and Windows remain together and pledged to remain so in the years to come. On my journey with Windows, I have run a youth training center, namely ‘Cosmopolitan Services’ for seven years from 2001-2007. I trained several hundred youths with Office course. They became self-reliant. These unemployed youths got their rightful place in the society because of ‘Office’.

At the advent of my career, I had a passion for Windows. Since then it has taken me from one experience to another and opened up opportunities. From Windows 1.00 to Windows 8 with all its upgraded versions and new features, it has changed my level of passion. Finally, through using Technology in teaching, it leads me to become a Microsoft mentor school leader. This year it creates the opportunity for me to become a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert-2015.

Experience enlightens educator

Reminiscence of

Microsoft in Education Global Forum-2014

Bercelona, Spain.

My participation in Microsoft in Education Global Forum 2014, held in Bercelona Spain,from March 11- 14, 2014,  is a great event in my life and career. As Mentor School Leader, it boosts up my confidence and helps me to gain first hand experience to integrate ICT in education.

On the 10^th of March, 2014, the team headed by MS Sarana Islam, Microsoft Education Program Manager, Bangladesh, reached Bercelona, Spain. We stayed in Marriot Bercelona Ac Forum Hotel beside the CCIB convention center.

In the early morning of the 11^th March, 2014, the registration began and the session of the School Leaders and Educators started at 8.00 a.m. This year Microsoft has selected 80 schools out of 39000 applicant schools and 287 expert educators out of 23000 applicants from around 150 countries of the world. In the evening, all schools reception program was a wonderful moment of socialization for the teachers all around the world.

On the 12^th of March,2014, opening keynote session was graced by the speakers namely Jan Muehlfeit, Chairman,  Microsoft Europe, Xavier Prats  Monne, Deputy Director-General, Education of the European Commission, Montserrat Gomendio, Secretary of the State of  Education ,Spain, and Anthony Salcito, Vice President, Microsoft Education Worldwide. The opening keynote host was Eve Psalti, Global Director, Microsoft Education Strategy, Microsoft Worldwide. Among the keynote speakers Anthony Salcito’s speech

 

 and demonstration of 21^st century teaching and learning environment and the simulation of a 21^st century teacher mesmerized the audience for hours together. All keynote speakers emphasized the importance of change in education to prepare the youth force for facing the 21^st century challenges. The mentor school leaders session started in the hall number 211/212 of the convention center.

All sessions started with informal collaboration among the teachers. The mentor school track speakers were Clayton Carnes, Sean Tierney, Jeff Davis, Lisa Newland and Nasha Fitter. They are all internationally renowned scholars and educational consultants.

Nasha Fitter, the Global Head of the Microsoft K-12 Innovative School Program, chalked out the program for different sessions. Simmi Kher, our Team 8 coach, arranged a warm up meeting before every session which helped us a lot to participate actively in all the sessions. Her demonstration of using Yoga for concentration is widely accepted by the participants.Clayton Carnes moderated different sessions with his natural humour. Lisa Newland explained ‘the Function of Brain in Learning’, ‘the Neuroscience of 21^st Century Learning Design’ (21CLD) , ‘Unlocking the Origins of Creativity’, ‘Building a Performance Culture to Implement and Embed change  in schools’ and Reflective Thinking to Move Forward’ . Her explainations of teaching and learning through the Neuroscience added new dimensions in our thought. Her informal collaboration at the beginning of her session made all of us inspired learners again.  

In the hot topics sessions the panelists discussed the critical issues on “Understanding the Value of Student Data”, “Inspiring Students Learning and Creativity through Gaming” and “Building Teachers’ Capacity” . The discussion on “BUILDING TEACHERS’ CAPACITY” moderated by Chet Linton was lively and an amazing panel discussion. Panelists  Cheri Sterman of Crayola, Kathleen Schuille of National Geographic, Heather Silverman of Edmodo and Cheryl Douglas of Bishops Dioceasan College played a proactive role to engage all the educators and school leaders to participate in discussions through continuous learning activities.

On the 13^th of March 2014, “Coaching teams learning walking Bercelona” was an amazing tour to the park adjacent to Bercelona Zoo. 

Regional dinner arranged by the Head of Microsoft  APAC region in the Windsor Palace was a beautiful moment to socialize with all the educators of the region. It was full of fun. Attending Microsoft Innovative School Leaders Pitch Competition was a great event to watch the presentation of some of the world’s finest teachers. 

A new dimension of this Global Forum was the presence of Global Offperts.

 

 They are the model of inspiring students of the 21^st century. Visiting the Educators’ Exhibition was a valuable experience and Technology Showcase cocktail reception showed how the great entrepreneurs of the world realized their dreams.

On the 14^th March,2014, His Excellency Felipe de Borbon y Grecia, Prince of  Asturias,

 

closed the Microsoft in Education Global Forum-2014. His Excellency emphasized the value and importance of education and educators. Maria Garona Corces, President of Microsoft, Spain thanked all for making the Forum a success. The speech of warm hospitality of Artur Mas, President of Catalonia, was appreciated by all.  On the evening of the closing day, the sumptuous Gala dinner was held in the Banquet Hall. After that the prize giving ceremony was held in the Auditorium. The 4-day long Microsoft in Education Global Forum-2014 came to an end with photo sessions.

Participating the Forum, we learned about 21^st century learning design, 21^st century skills and, how to teach and implement them in school to prepare our future generation to face the challenges of time. We learned to use technology effectively to enhance the students’ outcome and to implement Project Based Learning and Problem Based Learning. The training in the Forum demonstrated how to get the best result from implementing innovations and creativity in the real school environment.

The members of the Bangladesh team in collaboration with othereducators gained confidence that they can perform well in any given situation having won prestigious LEARNATHON 2ND RUNNERS-UP- 2014 award competing with 27 groups of countries around the world. The experience and training, acquired from this Forum, paved the way to my future accomplishment. The greatest prize of my life I got here was the connection to all the great educators from the world around. This was a life time experience.

   With this sharing and learning-journey, I have become Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert-2015.

 

 My heartfelt thanks and gratitude goes to Microsoft for opening up the windows to the vast world of opportunities.