Advertisment

Microsoft takes on Obama's ConnectED Challenge with partners

author-image
Soma Tah
New Update

WASHINGTON, USA: Lowering the barrier for public school districts nationwide to make the digital transition to state-of-the-art technology, Microsoft Corp. announced a new educational offer to increase access to - and lower the cost of - Windows-based devices for U.S. public school classrooms nationwide.

Advertisment

By injecting more than $1 billion in savings into the system over the course of this year, the offer helps solve issues of access and affordability in education as most K-12 schools seek to transition to more technology-enabled, data-driven academic environments.

Through this program, access to unique offerings that before were only available to financial need-based institutions will now be available for all U.S. public schools. This includes hardware, collaboration software and teacher training resources.

The offer includes access to the latest Windows 8.1 devices and also includes essential software and services necessary to create immersive, personalized learning environments for today's classrooms.

Advertisment

Judson Althoff, president of Microsoft North America said, "With this new Microsoft education offer, we are responding to the president's challenge to ensure all students have access to the technology devices and services they need to succeed."

Microsoft's education offer will be available immediately to all U.S. K-12 public schools and available through Microsoft original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners Dell, Lenovo and others.

Specifics of the offer include the following:

Advertisment

Operating system: Windows 8.1 Pro enables students and teachers to use education apps and Microsoft Office and to search for information across their devices and the Web, and it is optimized for touch and digital inking, critical keys to better learning outcomes.

Communication and collaboration: U.S. K-12 schools can access Office 365 online for free. And now, with Student Advantage, Office 365 Education customers can access Office 365 ProPlus, receiving all the familiar, locally installed, full Office applications for students at no additional cost.

Teacher training and resources: The Partners in Learning Network provides teachers professional learning through a network of nearly 1 million educators from more than 130 countries. It offers them a forum where they can share ideas, find free lesson plans to inspire classroom learning and develop professionally.

Advertisment

Ad-free search: Bing for Schools is an ad-free digital literacy platform aimed at helping students learn important digital skills with a connected computing device, daily lesson plans, and a safer, more private search environment.

Student training and resources: Microsoft IT Academy. The program provides roughly 2,000 high-needs academic institutions and their educators, students and staff with digital curriculum and certification for fundamental technology skills.

Broadband as a critical component to connected learning: Microsoft's nonprofit partner EveryoneOn is offering home Internet service for as low as $10 to the 36 million low-income families and individuals in America.

School participation and eligibility: All U.S. public schools are eligible for this unique education offer and can contact their technology reseller or Microsoft for additional details or to access an official Letter of Eligibility.