Calls for a holistic digital transformation of schools for a future ready workforce on the side-lines of Microsoft Education Days
Committed to empowering students with future-ready skills, Microsoft rolled out its K12 Education Transformation Framework more widely to schools across India at the second edition of the Microsoft Education Days in Gurgaon. Microsoft Education Days 2019 brought together more than 700 school leaders, educators, students and Microsoft partners to deliberate on the future of learning. It featured sessions moderated by Microsoft leaders and Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts on using technologies like AI, Teams, Minecraft and Flipgrid to collaborate and create unique learning experiences. Teachers and students from schools across India, also demonstrated the innovative ways in which they are digitally transforming education by bringing in AI, gamification, personalization and simplifying STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) learning for students.
The Microsoft K-12 Education Transformation Framework provides a holistic framework to facilitate a comprehensive digital transformation of schools. It comprises of four pillars-Leadership and Policy; Modern Teaching and Learning; Intelligent Environments and Technology Blueprint. To help school principals initiate their journey of digital transformation, the program will offer a series of workshops based on each of these pillars. The Microsoft K-12 Education Transformation Framework is an effective, flexible platform based on the latest research and input from hundreds of academics, experts and policy makers. Education leaders in more than 50 countries have already adopted the Microsoft K-12 Education Transformation Framework to help plan their learning strategies in partnership with Microsoft.
Speaking about this, Larry Nelson, Regional General Manager-Education, Microsoft Asia, said, “The future of learning will be profoundly social, personalized, and supported by teachers and technology. This change starts with schools creating flexible environments that empower students to learn skills important in life and work – such as communication, creation, using technologies, working in teams, problem solving and resilience. Through the Microsoft Education Transformation Framework, our aim is to provide education leadership, government decision makers, teachers and most importantly learners, tools to achieve the ambitious change many schools seek, and to thoughtfully integrate technology in powerful and productive ways.”
Speaking on this, Manish Prakash, Country General Manager-Public Sector, Health and Education, Microsoft India, said, “Microsoft has deeply invested in digital transformation of the education eco-system in India over a decade long association. Our recent initiative with the government to introduce AI into schools is empowering the young children of India tremendously to build the India of tomorrow.”
Microsoft has been working across the board to transform the education ecosystem- empowering policy makers with analytics to make sustainable education investments, preparing teachers to transform learning by using technology to collaborate, innovate, and help students become life-long learners and also building integrated cloud solutions with education partners.
Microsoft Education Days 2019
The second edition of Education Days 2019 saw a participation of 700+ schools and students. It further recognized the efforts of schools on the usage of technology in day-to-day classrooms to enable the next-level collaboration. Using Microsoft tools students were able to enhance their critical thinking, problem solving, self-management and responsible decision-making skills.
Details of the winning schools and their respective projects in the different categories are as follows:
| School | Project Name | Team award and Category | Mentor |
| Maharaja Agrasen Model School, Delhi | Agri Smart – Automated & Connected Agriculture | First in Minecraft Challenge | Chandani Aggarwal |
| Delhi Public School, Bangalore | Plastic Island | Second in Minecraft Challenge | Kamal Preet |
| Hansraj Model School, Delhi | City of Perpetual Growth | Third in Minecraft Challenge | Jaya Sood |
| Kamla Nehru Public School, Punjab | AI Answers | First in Artificial Intelligence Competition | Taranjit Kaur |
| Vikas Bharti Public School, Delhi | My Personal Speech Therapist | Second in Artificial Intelligence Competition | Anni |
| Suncity School, Delhi | Aerocras | Third in Artificial Intelligence Competition | Seema |
Project details of the winners:
- created a prototype that offers smart farming solution to farmers. It was developed using various tools like Minecraft World and OneNote. The solution incorporates autonomous robotics into agriculture to increase efficiency, product yield & quality, and create connected farming using sensors, drones and IoT.
- Delhi Public School, Bangalore developed innovative solutions for problems such as environmental issues and sustainable living using MineCraft as well as IoT and AI.
- Hansraj Model School, Delhi developed alternative solutions for a sustainable earth and conserving the environment through innovative technologies using gamification tools.
- Kamla Nehru Public School, Punjab built a bot using Microsoft’s AI powered technologies.
- Vikas Bharti Public School, Delhi designed a solution for children with hearing and speech disabilities using tools like Movie Maker, O365 tools and MS Teams.
- Suncity School, Delhi are facilitating tutoring amongst students to learn the basics of programming for coding using Microsoft Azure Insights and other tools
Additionally, Microsoft also awarded educators and schools for their individual and collective achievements for outstanding work in the field of education:
| Names | Role | School | Category |
| Anamika Jha | Educator | S.D. Public School | – Highest investment in self-development and learning – Most MIE badges earned FY 19-20 |
| Nisha Batra | Educator | St. Mary’s School, Dwarka | For training most number of teachers to use technology in education |
| NA | School | Dass & Brown World School Ferozepur | School with most number of MIEs |
| NA | Bal Bharati Group of Schools | ||
| Paramjit Kaur Dhillon | School Leader | Kamla Nehru Public School | Most number of miles in Microsoft Global Learning Connection |
