Notes

Like those Struggling with Language Barriers

Article content Joseph Filiplic flipped the way he is teaching 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 magnitude of the problem that he was confronted with. "When everyone was studying remotely, students also worked at home. My students were often performing additional duties at home. They were becoming babysitters for their younger siblings and more," he says of his J.J. Bowlen Catholic Junior High students. "I needed to ensure that I was reaching my students. They were being pulled in different directions and were doing something completely different to me.



The answer is: What Filiplic calls a flip lesson style, using mostly Microsoft education tools such as video-conferencing platform Teams as well as note-taking apps OneNote and video-discussion software Flipgrid. "I would record all my lessons and put them on YouTube, and then I would import them into Teams and OneNote," says Filiplic. The course materials and assignments could be accessed on any device from there.



He was hopeful that his students would be able to survive the pandemic without any setbacks. However, to his delight, they did far more than cope: they prospered. The students who had been successful in a traditional classroom were still succeeding. He was now reaching students who learned differently. Like those struggling with language barriers, learning disabilities and even shyness.
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"I knew at that point that I could not return to the old way of stand-and-deliver. From now on, it needs to be more interactive. He claims it needs to be more cooperative. Therefore, when in-person classes resumed, the digital tools stuck. Filiplic continues to record his lectures on video, allowing students to respond via Flipgrid. Students can also call Filiplic or text him through Teams whenever they need. It's more modern-day workplace with flexible hours and motivated workers. "My students aren't confined to the four walls anymore," says Filiplic. They know that the teaching does not stop when the bell rings. It has removed a lot of barriers.



Content for articles From the beginning, it made sense to go with Microsoft the most prestigious standard for the work world, says Filiplic. "I thought, OK I'm teaching sociology but am I only teaching that one subject, or am I also teaching my students to become better citizens in society? What happens when they grow up? Everything was pointing towards Microsoft," he says.



Microsoft has always been a proponent of education as a business. This is evident in the recent release of Windows SE, a cloud-based version of its operating system. The new operating system will be available on budget-friendly "cloud first" tablets and laptops from Acer, Asus, Dell and many more, as well as Microsoft directly under the Surface brand.



"Windows SE comes with specially-designed features that help K to 8 students in ways we've were hearing from our customers that they were looking for," says Paige Johnson, Microsoft vice-president of education marketing. The new interface minimizes visual distractions, for example and puts accessible, customizable learning tools in the spotlight. These include Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and features such as Reading Progress, which is an AI tool that allows teachers to remotely monitor student fluency and Immersive Reader which is a dynamic reading comprehension tool as well as a learning tool that makes text more accessible to learners of all ages.



"Reading Progress is fantastic for helping educators focus their teaching time on areas that require it," says Johnson. "If I observe that my children mispronounce the word 'physical' I might be able to see that I'm not saying it in a loud enough way or that I require more reading samples that contain that word.



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



For Filiplic, these new releases are sure to open new possibilities in a field rife with opportunity for students, teachers and even parents who can now follow along with their children's progress like never before. His YouTube videos have caught on with teachers across Canada, too, and he's been actively helping others change the narrative on the traditional lecture format.



He says, "I'm in 17 years of teaching and I feel like a teacher in my first year again." "I'm so thankful I've found these tools, as I know I'm reaching my students in a way that I have never before. I can't go back. I'm not going back."



This story was written for Microsoft by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division.



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