Microsoft hosted its fifth annual Education Exchange (E2) conference in Paris this week, with educators and school leaders from around the world exchanging ideas to develop innovative experiences in classrooms, as well as explore emerging trends in education that support inclusive classrooms, promote collaboration, and advance modern teaching and learning techniques.
Over the course of three days, Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts were recognised and celebrated for their achievements for combining content, pedagogy and technology in exemplary ways to prepare students for success in the digital age.
As part of the event, educators from around the world formed teams and competed in the Global Educator Challenge. Participating teams were tasked with working together to develop potential classroom lessons that encompass the event’s key themes of creativity, inclusion, student voice and collaboration.
Five teams in total were named winners, and of the 70 outstanding Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts from the Middle East and Africa who attended the event, seven were recognised as members of each of the winning teams.
Among them was South Africa’s Chanille Viviers. She competed in the Global Educator Exchange as part of Team 14, who came first place for creating a classroom lesson that promoted Inclusion.
Other teachers from Middle East and Africa who were part of the winning groups recognised for outstanding work during the Global Educator Challenge are Saudi Arabia’s Wejdan Alfaraj (Overall winning team) and Ibrahim Aljabri (Team 46 – 1st place in Creativity), Kenya’s Ronald Kibet (Team 44 – 1st place in Collaboration) and Israel’s Zorit Varmaz Jassin (Team 13 – 1st place in Student Voice). Turkey’s Uğur Sarıçam and Saudi Arabia’s Maha Alghamdy worked with Chanille as part of Team 14.
“Every educator is a changemaker, making an imprint on the lives of the students who will be the leaders, innovators and creators of the next generation,” said Anthony Salcito, Vice President of Microsoft Education. “But some like Chanille truly go above and beyond, pushing into unknown territory to bring new technology and techniques into their classroom to inspire and engage their students and prepare them with the skills they’ll need to thrive in the jobs of the future. It is a joy to host this event each year to celebrate educators who are changing education and changing lives.”