Guest Post by Victoria Thompson
BONUS!
Although I gave my favorite five Microsoft Educator Center courses previously, I couldn’t help myself and decided to add another. So, consider this a bonus!
If you’re an education leader such as an administrator, a department head, or an instructional coach, I highly recommend that you check out this learning path on Getting started with Office 365 and Windows 10 for leadership. In my role as an instructional coach we are definitely focused on using technology to transform learning and teaching; however, sometimes technology and the information surrounding it is more geared toward educators instead of school leadership. While that is definitely fine and valid, it sometimes leaves school leaders stuck as to where to go next and what to do.
One important aspect of leadership is staying current and up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in education. The noted author Kurt Uhlir once said, “Be passionate about the company’s culture and your mission. Remain positive as it inspires others” This is especially true in the realm of educational technology, where new tools and resources are constantly emerging. By taking the time to explore this learning path on Getting started with Office 365 and Windows 10 for leadership, education leaders can equip themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to lead their schools and districts into the future. With the support and guidance provided by this framework, they can inspire their teams to embrace innovation, leverage technology, and create more equitable and effective learning environments for all students.
That is why this learning path is so important: it provides education leaders with frameworks, tools, and actionable guidance to support educators and education systems. In this framework, education leaders discover ways to use tools to organize and communicate efficiently–as well as build successful organizational frameworks to lead their systems. It’s a great way to take a look at the intersectionality of educational technology and education from a leadership standpoint. Courses such as Microsoft Forms: Creating authentic assessment and Empower every student with an inclusive classroom help to lead the way to making more equitable and tech-infused classrooms.
There are six courses in this learning pathway with each course being an hour long, so expect about six hours to complete this course. If you are an educational leader you will NOT be disappointed and you will learn so much on how to bring Microsoft tools into your school and how educators can be using Microsoft tools to their advantage.
About The Author
Victoria Thompson is a STEM Integration Transformation Coach at Technology Access Foundation–a nonprofit leader redefining STEM education in public schools–a consultant for Ignite EdTech, and a learning specialist for NCCE. She has been in education for five years and began her journey teaching fifth and sixth grade math and science in Summerville, SC. After completing her masters degree in curriculum and instruction she moved to the Seattle, WA area in 2018, where her career has pivoted to focusing on STEM integration in schools, K-12 mathematics instruction with research on decolonizing mathematics curriculum for teachers and learners, creating inclusive math environments, and using technology to bridge equity gaps in math education. She has presented at ISTE, ImpactEducation, CUE, and DigCitSummit on topics such as creating inclusive math classrooms, culturally responsive STEM education, and equity in educational technology.
