In 2017 I began my journey with Microsoft Edu professional development when TRSD rolled out their transition to Office 365. Being a Google-girl up to this point (I even hold my Google Educator Level 1 Certificate) my journey was initially touch-and-go. As I've familiarized myself with their platform I have become increasingly impressed with their initiatives and have completed the Microsoft Innovative Educator Training Academy and am working on completing my training hours this year.
As we progress through the school year I'd like to facilitate a Microsoft Series that discusses aspects of their Office 365 suite, where to find professional development, accessibility tools, and how these tools can be used in the classroom. Each component of this series will link to FREE professional development opportunities available through the Microsoft Educator community so, without further adieu, lets get this series started!
What is the Microsoft Educator Community??
This FREE online community platform in which educators can participate in Microsoft-based professional development, connect with other educators, access virtual field trips, book Skype sessions (guest speakers, Mystery Skype, etc), and more!
Introduce yourself to Microsoft Educator (and account creation) in the following video below:
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| Microsoft Educator Community Screenshot. (2019). Available online at: https://education.microsoft.com/ |
Introduce yourself to Microsoft Educator (and account creation) in the following video below:
Learn more about the Microsoft Educator Community through:
1. Introductory Professional Development
1. Introductory Professional Development
Each post in this series will include information on available professional development. Some pages showcase available presenter-led sessions. Feel free to reach out to me if you'd like me to facilitate a session!
Independent professional development is also linked through the Microsoft Educator community (once you've created an account). These sessions can be completed at your leisure, in multiple sittings, and can help you earn professional development certificates, badges, and other achievement notifications.
A recommended independent professional development module that will introduce you to the Microsoft Educator PD platform, and assist you with your tech integration, is the Teaching with Technology Learning Path on Microsoft Educator.
2. Microsoft Educator Playlist on YouTube
A selection of 6 videos pulled from a variety of YouTube channels.
*Please note, this playlist begins with the same video as shared above, but includes 5 additional different videos.
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Are you part of the Microsoft Educator Community?
What aspect(s) of it have you found beneficial to your practice?
View the other posts in our Microsoft Series: