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Technology Trainer Kim James (left) is a new Microsoft Innovative Educator---an Educator visionary using technology to pave the way for peers in the effective use of technology for better learning and student outcomes.
My Advent ure at Microsof t 's Educat ion Exchange (E2) in Singapore
By Kim James
I arrived in Singapore after an 18 hour flight from Los Angeles a little tired but ready to meet colleagues I had only "met" on Twitter or GroupMe....and most of whom I had never met at all.
There were just over 400 Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts (MIEEs) from classrooms, districts, private schools, and training partners in more than 90 nations. We shared our passion for education and educational technology, even we if we did not necessarily share a language.
The mornings were filled with inspirational keynotes on topics ranging from Singapore's education journey, social emotional learning, Minecraft for Education, virtual reality, gender gaps and shifts in employability, and quantum computing. Student performances from local dancers and young engineers were my favorite. Anthony Salcito, Vice President of Microsoft in Education hosted the final morning.
Breakout sessions allowed attendees to choose from a large variety of topics of special interest: Minecraft, MicroBits, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Skype in the Classroom, workflows, voice and choice, coding, and product focus groups to name just a few. I made it my goal to become more familiar with the teaching benefits of Minecraft and am ready to talk about it now!
I learned so much from my three and a half days at E2. Some of what I learned were hard skills: coding MicroBits, sharing Minecraft with students, creating in Mixed Reality, maximizing Microsoft Teams, and of course, Microsoft Translator. But I also learned things more esoteric, or at least spiritual: we are not alone (teachers, students) and there are helpful people and resources everywhere; around the globe classrooms are more alike than they are different; students of all ages feel rich, intrinsic rewards when they discover/uncover, so don't rob anyone of the opportunity to do so; we are all creators with different levels of confidence. Finally, there were a few quotes from the keynotes that really spoke to me, and I'll sign off with just one. Jennie Ferries, Microsoft Developer but former junior high teacher, says "Take the path of possible failure." What she means is we should encourage people to take risks, do not fear failure, and build resilience. I feel like attending E2 was a risk and although I could have failed, the event was a powerful learning opportunity.
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