{"id":1391,"date":"2021-01-19T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/education\/blog\/2021\/01\/19\/bettfest-2021-engaging-every-learner-anytime-and-anywhere\/"},"modified":"2024-06-03T16:42:51","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T23:42:51","slug":"bettfest-2021-engaging-every-learner-anytime-and-anywhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/education\/blog\/2021\/01\/bettfest-2021-engaging-every-learner-anytime-and-anywhere\/","title":{"rendered":"BettFest 2021: Engaging every learner, anytime and anywhere"},"content":{"rendered":"
The past year has been a time of unprecedented change, complexity, and ambiguity, and educators, students, and parents have had to embrace new ways of teaching and learning. Through it all, it\u2019s been inspiring to see the incredible work the education community has done to keep students engaged.<\/p>\n
Schools and systems had to respond to the crisis quickly, transition to the new school year, and are reimagining education for the future\u2014all with a focus on student-centered learning, critical skills, social learning, safety and security, and scalability to bring pedagogy and technology together.<\/p>\n
Today more than ever, powerful devices, collaborative environments, analytical tools, and immersive experiences are critical, and we\u2019re excited to announce new devices and features for collaboration and social-emotional learning.<\/p>\n
One of the key lessons of the past year has been that learning can happen anywhere. Affordable, easy-to-use devices are critical to empowering all students on their learning journey.<\/p>\n
In a recent survey, 61% of teachers selected \u201cBetter devices\u201d and\/or \u201cBetter internet access\u201d as a primary way to improve remote learning for students. @MicrosoftEdu<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n At BettFest, we\u2019re unveiling an expanded portfolio of new Windows 10 devices for the upcoming school year, many with LTE connectivity. These are the most affordable LTE connected partner devices in the portfolio yet, with the ability to power engaging, collaborative learning experiences anytime and anywhere.<\/p>\n The devices are*:<\/p>\n *LTE capability available at additional cost, in addition to data plan purchase. Device availability may vary by market.<\/em><\/p>\n To stay connected and engaged in remote and hybrid learning environments, students need a device with all-day battery life, an HD camera, and a high-quality mic, as well as the speed, power, and storage to keep up with their inquisitive minds. One of the most unique models in our portfolio is the new Dell Latitude 3120 2-in-1, which puts the power of learning in students\u2019 hands with the latest Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.<\/p>\n To learn more about the full portfolio of Windows 10 devices, take a look at the device catalog<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Students have become used to keyboards and touchscreens, but for tasks like working out a math problem, jotting notes, or drawing a diagram, a pen can be the best tool. In fact, research shows that student performance improved as much as 36 percent1<\/sup> when using a pen interface, compared to using only a keyboard.<\/p>\n We\u2019re excited to announce an updated Microsoft Classroom Pen. The Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 has a longer enclosure and the same great experiences you are used to, at the more affordable price of $19.99 US MSRP. Now, more students can have the option to type, touch, or write\u2014whichever works best for them and for their specific learning situation.<\/p>\n Today, more than 200 million students, faculty, institutional leaders, and teachers are actively using Microsoft Education products\u2014with Microsoft Teams for Education as the hub\u2014to engage students in remote and hybrid learning.<\/p>\n Recently, we completed a survey with YouGov2<\/sup> that asked more than 1,500 students and 1,500 teachers in the US, the UK, and India to share their perspectives about remote and hybrid learning. Teachers said that the most important information they need to support students during remote learning is to understand what complexities they face in their lives, their emotional state, and what motivates them.<\/p>\n With Reflect, an app that is available now directly in Microsoft Teams, educators can deepen the critical student\/teacher relationship and help develop social emotional skills by checking in with individual students and inviting them to share how they are feeling in general or about specific topics, such as learning from home, an assignment, current events, or a change within their community. Starting this spring, Reflect will be updated to have its own app in Teams, and will integrate with Education Insights.<\/p>\n Last year proved that everything can change without warning. In education, the importance of personal connection was highlighted, the integration of technology was accelerated, and the role of teachers was amplified. It\u2019s encouraging to see the dedication to moving learning forward, toward a future where all students have the opportunity, the support, and the tools to be creative, confident, and optimistic learners, realizing their full potential.<\/p>\n As always, we love hearing from you and value your feedback. To join the conversation, follow us on Twitter at @MicrosoftEDU<\/strong><\/a>. And register for BettFest<\/strong><\/a>, a free, three-day virtual event packed full of inspiring keynotes, professional development, and solution discovery with education leaders and industry experts.<\/p>\n Thank you for being on this journey with us!<\/p>\n\n
Adding interface options and improving learning outcomes with the updated Microsoft Pen<\/h3>\n
Prioritizing student well-being and inclusive learning environments<\/h3>\n
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