p>Article content Joseph Filiplic flipped the way he teaches during the pandemic, and he's not turning back.
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p>Article content When COVID-19 struck and classes began to go online in 2020 the Edmonton social studies teacher realized the extent of the challenge he was facing. "When everybody was remote learning students were also working from home. My students were frequently performing additional duties at home. His J.J. Bowlen Catholic Jr High students were "bereavement assisters" for their younger siblings and others they said. "I had to make sure that I was able to reach my students. They were being pulled in various directions and doing something completely new to me.
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p>The answer is: He refers to it as an "flipped lesson style", which uses mostly Microsoft tools for education such as OneNote?, OneNote?, and Teams video-conferencing platforms. Filiplic says that he would record all his lessons and upload them to YouTube. Then the lessons would be added to Teams and OneNote?. From there the course material and assignments were easily accessible on every device.
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p>He hoped that his pupils would be able to weather the epidemic without suffering. They did more than just survive, and they did so to his delight. The kids who had succeeded in a traditional classroom were still thriving. He was now able to reach students who learned differently. Like those struggling with language barriers, learning disabilities and even shyness.
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p>"I realized at that point that I could not go back to the traditional stand-and-deliver system. From now on, it has become more interactive. It must be more cooperative," he says. The digital tools were able to keep functioning even after classes in person resumed. Filiplic continues to record his lessons in video, allowing students to respond to him using Flipgrid. His students can call or message him via Teams whenever they need to. It's a lot like an office environment that has fluid hours and self-motivated employees. https://minecraft-server-list.live/ "My students aren't locked in the four walls anymore," says Filiplic. They are aware that the learning does not stop when the bell rings. It has broken down a lot of barriers.
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p>Filiplic says that the article content was a natural choice right from the beginning. Microsoft is the gold standard for workplaces. "I thought, okay I'm teaching social studies but am I only teaching that one subject or am I instructing my students on how to be better citizens in society? What's going to be the outcome when they reach a certain age? He claims that everything points towards Microsoft.
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p>Microsoft has always been focused on education as a business. This is evident in the latest release Windows SE, a cloud-based edition of its operating system. The new platform will be made available on budget-friendly tablets and laptops from Acer, Asus and Dell, as well as Microsoft directly under the Surface brand.
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p>"Windows SE comes with purpose-built features that help students from kindergarten to eight in ways we heard our customers say they were looking for," says Paige Johnson, Microsoft vice-president of education marketing. The new interface reduces visual distractions and puts an inclusive, flexible learning tool at the top of the line. They include Microsoft Teams and OneNote?, plus features such as Reading Progress - an AI tool that aids teachers in assessing the level of fluency of students remotely - and Immersive Reader Interactive reading comprehension and learning tool that makes texts more accessible to learners of all ages.
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p>"Reading Progress is great for helping educators focus their teaching time where they need it," says Johnson. "For instance If I realized that all my kids mispronounced the word 'physical, I may realize that I'm not speaking it out loud or that I need to provide more reading materials with the word "physical" in them.
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p>Article content The company also offers free Microsoft 365 for students that includes Flipgrid and an education edition of Minecraft the renowned world-building video game.
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p>For Filiplic the new releases are bound to open new doors in a field that's full of opportunities for teachers, students and even parents who are now able to keep track with their children's progress like never before. His YouTube videos have caught on with teachers across Canada also, and he's been actively helping others change the narrative on the traditional lecture format.
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p>"I'm in my 17th year of teaching and I'm bursting with lots of energy I'm feeling like a new teacher," he says. "I'm so grateful I found these tools, because I know I'm reaching more students than I ever have before. I can't go back. I won't go back."
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p>This story was written by Content Works, Postmedia's commercial content division on behalf of Microsoft.
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