In this episode of the Microsoft Today Podcast, we discuss Microsoft 365 Education, Office 365 Education, Minecraft Education Edition, Skype in the Classroom, Skype Translator, OneNote Class Notebooks, FlipGrid, Intune for Education, Microsoft Innovative Educators (MIE), Microsoft 365 Education Hardware, Microsoft Store STEM Saturdays, Government Grants and Funding, Microsoft Inclusive Education and much more.

Bill Gates

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have made improving K-12 education in the United States a priority mission.

• Summit Innovation in Education


• Bill Gates on improving K-12 Education


• Bill Gates TED Talk, Teachers Need Real Feedback (April 2013)


• Teachers get very little feedback


• US is tied for 15th in reading, but 23 in science and 31 in math


• Bill Gates against Common Core


• Bill Gates on his Education Mission

Khan Academy

Is a non-profit educational organization created in 2008 by Salman Khan with the goal of creating a set of online tools that help educate students

• Received significant funding early on from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and has received more than $9 million in funding from the foundation overall


• Microsoft has developed and released Khan Academy Universal Windows Platform Apps


• Bill Gates on Khan Academy (2010)

Microsoft Imagine (Formerly DreamSpark)

Dream it. Build it. Live it. Enter your tech project in the 2019 Imagine Cup for the chance to bring your innovation to life and win up to USD100,000!

• DreamSpark was originally announced by Bill Gates in 2008


• Free training — Azure Labs Computer Science training on GitHub


• $100 in free Azure Credits


• Imagine Webstore — Obtain software through your school at now cost

Microsoft Small Basic

Is a programming language and associated IDE for Microsoft’s simplified variant of the BASIC programming language, intended as an easy programming language for beginners

• Released in October of 2008

Kodu and Kodu Game Lab

Kodu is a visual programming tool (like Scratch) which builds on ideas begun with Logo in the 1960s, and Kodu Game Lab is the integrated development environment (IDE) by Microsoft’s FUSE Labs

• First released in June 2009


• Still actively updated

Project Spark

Was a game platform build on the foundations of Kodu, that allowed players to create game using the platform and programming language and share them with others

MakeCode

Microsoft MakeCode brings computer science to life for all students with fun projects, immediate results, and both block and text editors for learners at different levels

• Microsoft created MakeCode utilizing their Touch Develop technology

They have partnered with many different companies and brands to create fun and engaging coding tracks for students, including:

• micro:bit — a tiny programmable computer, designed to make learning and teaching easy and fun!


• Circuit Playground Express — An introduction to electronics and programming from adafruit


• Lego Education (Mindstorms) — Allows one to program the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 using Blocks or JavaScript


• Cue the Robot — Provides a transition from block-based code to state-machine and text-based programming


• Grove Zero — Are color-coded and magnetic electronic modules that teaches students about programming, electronics, design thinking, and logics


• Chibi Chip — The Love to Code (LTC) system is designed for beginners of all ages and backgrounds to try out programming without the frustration of installing software

Resources

• MakeCode Website


• MakeCode YouTube Channel

Microsoft Stores

Microsoft provides many learning and education initiatives through their retail stores

STEM Saturdays — Teachers, students, and parents are welcome to drop by their local Microsoft Store to participate in these learning experiences. Projects are designed for 11- to 14-year-old students but can easily be completed by younger students with parental support

• Intro to Robotics with Ohbot


• Free new coding workshops


• Free Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit workshop


• How Do Sharks Swim? (build a joystick)


• Make hustle happen

Start your own business or champion a cause — Learn from