Microsoft ways of improving education through technology

Microsoft Sri Lanka and Headstart (Pvt Ltd) recently recognized 15 local schools that have come on board their joint project of 'Teaching with Technology'.

Sixteen teachers and 13 students from these schools recently gathered at the Microsoft Sri Lanka office in Colombo to discuss the new experiences that technology has made possible in their classrooms.

The project has opened a wide array of opportunities for both, educators and students in Sri Lanka. The little boy who used to write on slates is a distant memory and the future shines bright for the students of today in the ICT (Information and Communication technology) landscape. Accessibility to com- puters and the internet have placed more information at their fingertips and given them a chance to be part of the global technology revolution, the global information-related agency said in a media release.

The project articulates the means by which teachers could search for content, prepare lessons on modern ICT tools, track student progress and hold communication discussions online. The learning kit is divided into three key main areas- teacher's essentials, teaching tools and learning tools. Under these fundamental areas, content is available in the local language of Sinhala, thus being helpful for the local community, the statement said.

For the 15 schools in the pro- gramme, the two organisers hosted a series of events and webcasts to emphasize how ICT has transformed the classroom. The students who attended this event were given a detailed explanation and were able to experience the different platforms that they can incorporate in their school work. Further to the training, each event was assisted by a support team who set up the online environment for teaching in the classroom.

In order to ensure that the project could be sustained beyond the initial phase, Microsoft and Headstart carried out follow-up visits to the schools to monitor and evaluate how they were faring.

"On behalf of the school, I would like to thank the initiators of this project. The two-day workshop was insightful and takeaway information has been helpful. We have already started to implement some of the strategies and tools given to us to use with our teachers and students," said Nilaksh Hemalatha, B/ Vishaka High School, Badulla.

Microsoft and Headstart have compiled and distributed a training pack which consists of three and a half hours of learning content on a DVD. This pack will disseminate knowledge to many teachers and students and will guide them when they use ICT in the classrooms.

"Combating the challenges faced by local schools, Microsoft together with Headstart and partners like Commercial bank have been able to enhance the lives of both teachers and students alike. The drive to transform the learning environment to a digital one is challenging yet rewarding. Teaching with Technology will pave the way for local schools and help revolutionize the classroom- creating digital areas of study in the future", the statement added.