The 10 Most Innovative EdTech Solution Providers 2019

The
10
Most Innovative
Microsoft
Empowering Every Student to Achieve More
Solution Providers 2019
With the evolvement of
technology ways of
learning are changing. So
both students and teachers should be
able to tap the potential of technology
in learning. Microsoft is using
evolutionary methods to educate and
empower both students and teachers
and it is playing great role in
improving the learning experience and
improving the outcomes. Mike
Tholfsen, Principal Product
Manager of Microsoft shares the
journey of Microsoft through its
contribution to the education sector.
Below are the highlights of the
interview between Mike Tholfsen and
Insights Success:
Tell us a bit about your company.
Microsoft Corporation is a company
that develops, manufactures, licenses,
supports and sells computer software,
consumer electronics and personal
computers and services. On the
education side, Microsoft creates
specific products designed specifically
for education, in addition to the
existing productivity and cloud
software we develop.
Is education technology poised for a
new wave of innovation and how?
The area I’m most excited about is
inclusive technology and accessibility.
We now have advances in areas such as
speech, reading, translation, and
natural language processing that enable
students to engage in ways like never
before. Microsoft’s education mission
is to empower every student on the
planet to achieve more, and with our
focus on accessibility and inclusive
technology, we believe some of the
most impactful advances will benefit
the students most in need.
What is the role of the technology in
creating the product that will
improve the learning experience?
Microsoft Education believes that
EdTech products should help improve
student outcomes, and contribute to a
positive learning experience. On the
educator side, our goal is to help
educators save time, be more
organized, and collaborate more
effectively, whether that is educator to
student, or educator to educator.
Technology should help facilitate the
learning process and student centered
learning, and enable educators to teach
students in new ways that weren’t
previously possible. Otherwise, in the
words of Alan November, a device is
just "A $1000 pencil".
What’s your plan to get your
product to your customer base?
We have a set of education products
that Microsoft builds, as well as
mainstream productivity products that
are used widely in the world. We are
able to deliver our products in the web,
but also on PC, Mac, iOS and Android.
Microsoft’s platforms work on every
device, and both online or offline in
most cases. You can visit
http://www.microsoft.com/education to
see the full list of education
experiences we offer.
How do you train the teachers to use
the product in the classroom? How
long does it take for a teacher to
become proficient?
There are many ways for a teacher to
learn about our products. We have the
online Microsoft Educator Community,
which is a great source of online
classes, community learning, and
engagement. We also offer "Teacher
Training Packs" to download and use
in the district. Other avenues include
Microsoft Innovative Expert Trainers,
who are located all over the world.
Finally, many teachers learn from each
other, including conferences, social
media, Professional Learning
Communities (PLCs) and Professional
Learning Networks (PLN).
How students benefits from product
of your company? What is your hook
to get students to use the tool? Can
students use this product at home?
I think the biggest "hook" for using our
tools is that they can help you succeed
and improve outcomes. We have
software that not only helps with
reading, writing, and math, but also
21st century skills such as
collaboration, communication, and
creativity. Our tools are available at
school or home, and free. The other
key aspect is that when our products
are often used in the world beyond
school. Students that move in the
workforce are prepared to use modern
productivity tools, such as Microsoft
Office or Teams.
32 | August 2019 www.insightssuccess.com