Microsoft Global Forum in Dubai directs next wave of innovation in education

Dubai: To be held from 22 to 23 February, the conference is part of Microsoft’s Global Event Series, designed to give policy makers, school leaders and NGOs the chance to learn about the latest innovations in the education sector and share best practices for utilising new technologies. Delegates at the Dubai event will debate how to best drive improvements in the region’s education systems by leveraging current industry trends in mobility, cloud access and learning analytics, showcasing technologies like Office365, OneNote and Azure.

Pearson, Microsoft and Steelcase showcase classroom of the future

A highlight of the two day conference will be the ‘Future Classroom’, a joint initiative of Pearson, Microsoft and Steelcase. The interactive classroom will give delegates a glimpse into what the future of learning will look like, with physical learning spaces and technological advancements pushing new boundaries to achieve maximum student results.

The pop-up classroom will bring together the latest digital learning solutions from Pearson powered by Microsoft technology, with cutting-edge classroom design and furniture from Steelcase. Craig Wilson, Director of Market Development at Steelcase Education said:

“At Steelcase, we believe active learning occurs when pedagogy, technology and space are all carefully considered and integrated to help students succeed. The Future Classroom with Steelcase, Pearson and Microsoft is a great example of how these three can coexist. Effective learning spaces connect students and instructors with each other and content to support learning”.

Fadi Khalek, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Efficacy at Pearson, will lead a discussion on the role of public and private sector partnerships in ensuring successful educational transformations. He says we should not lose sight of learner outcomes as we develop the education systems of the future:

“Education, like all areas of modern life, has undergone a rapid technological transformation that has seen changes to almost every aspect of teaching and learning. There is no doubt that many of the technological innovations being rolled out in classrooms both here, in the Middle East, as well as other regions, will bring advantages for students. However, we must be increasingly mindful of the need to ensure that the digital technologies we choose to embed in our education systems are having a positive impact on learner outcomes, and are not being invested in simply for technology’s sake. We need to do a better job of assessing how we are actually increasing learner effectiveness and taking a pedagogy first approach to implementing educational technologies. No longer is it enough to claim 'this model is good', or 'this model works'. Rather, we must be able to evidence a positive impact on learning outcomes, measured against rigorous and objective criteria”.