Notes

Like those who Struggle with Language Barriers

Article content Joseph Filiplic flipped the way he teaches during the pandemic, and he's not going back.



Article content When COVID-19 struck and classes began to go online in 2020 the Edmonton social studies instructor realized the scope of the challenge he was facing. "When everyone was learning remotely and working from their homes. My students were frequently performing additional duties at their homes. His J.J. Bowlen Catholic Jr High students were "bereavement aids" for their younger siblings and others, he stated. "I had to make sure that I was reaching my students, who were being pulled in various directions, doing something that was completely new to them."



The answer is: He calls it a "flipped lesson style" that uses a lot of Microsoft tools for education like OneNote, OneNote, and Teams video-conferencing platform. "I would record all my lessons and upload them onto YouTube, then I would add them to OneNote and Teams," says Filiplic. From there the course material and assignments were easily accessible on almost every device.



At first, he hoped his students would get through the epidemic without any setbacks. However, to his delight they did more than just cope with the illness: they excelled. Even though they'd struggled in traditional classrooms but the students were doing well. But now he was reaching students who had different learning styles as well. Many students are challenged by difficulties with language, learning disabilities, and even shyness.



"I was aware from that point on that I wouldn't be able to go back to the traditional stand-and-deliver system. From now on, it needs become more interactive. It must be more cooperative," he says. So, when in-person classes returned with digital tools, they remained. Filiplic continues to record his lessons on video, allowing students to respond to him using Flipgrid. His students can call or message him on Teams whenever they need to. It's like a modern workplace, with flexible hours and self-motivated employees. "My students aren't confined to the four walls no more," says Filiplic. "They are aware that the learning doesn't end when the bell rings. It has broken down many barriers.



Content of the article From the beginning, it made sense to use Microsoft the gold standard for the working world Filiplic says. Filiplic. "I thought, okay, I teach social studies. But am I teaching just that subject, or am I teaching my students how to contribute to the society?" What will they do when they reach the age of majority? He says that everything pointed towards Microsoft.



As as a company, Microsoft has been laser-focused on the education market, as well - especially with the release of Windows SE, a cloud-based version of its renowned operating software. The new platform will be accessible on budget-friendly "cloud first" tablets and laptops from Acer, Asus, Dell and more, plus Microsoft directly under the Surface brand.



"Windows SE comes with purpose-built features that aid students from kindergarten to eight in ways we've heard our customers say they wanted," says Paige Johnson, Microsoft vice-president of education marketing. The new interface reduces visual distractions, for example, and puts accessible, customizable learning tools front and centre. kd76 These include Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and features such as Reading Progress, which is an AI tool that allows teachers to remotely evaluate student fluency and Immersive Reader which is an interactive reading comprehension tool as well as a learning tool that makes text more easily accessible for learners of all ages.



"Reading Progress is great for helping educators focus their teaching time where they need it," says Johnson. "For instance, if I noticed that all my kids did not pronounce the word 'physical' correctly, I may realize that I'm not speaking it out loud, or that I need to give them more reading examples with the word "physical" in them.



Article content The company also offers free Microsoft 365 for students that includes Flipgrid and an education version of Minecraft the renowned world-building video game.



For Filiplic his new releases, they are bound to open new opportunities in a field full of opportunities for teachers, students and even parents - who can now keep track with their children's progress like never before. His YouTube videos are popular with teachers across Canada and he has been actively working with others to transform the lecture format.



"I'm in my 17th year of teaching and I'm having so much energy, I feel like a first-year teacher again," he says. "I'm so thankful I've found these tools, as I know that I'm reaching my students more effectively than ever before. I can't go back. I'm not going to go back."



This story was developed by Content Works, Postmedia's commercial content division on behalf of Microsoft.



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