2020 has been a year of blended learning, elevating the importance of creating connections for students and inspiring them to learn from home, from class, and everywhere in between. Educators worldwide have taken on the challenge of providing new immersive and interactive experiences and Microsoft continues to partner and support them every step of the way.
It’s why I am so excited for this year’s Global Learning Connection, where our mission to connect with students to fill their hearts with optimism, resilience, and compassion has never been so needed and purposeful. 2020 represents the sixth year of the Global Learning Connection, bringing students together from all over the world to connect with other students, guest speakers, and experts in their field to inspire generations to learn empathy and open hearts and minds to help them become global citizens and change the world.
On November 10 and 11, Microsoft is inviting every student, educator, and parent to join us for 48 hours of connections, leveraging the power of Microsoft Teams, Flipgrid, and Skype to break down the walls of classrooms and homes. Grab a global virtual passport and get ready to visit places you’ve never seen before by taking virtual field trips to zoos, museums, and national parks. Talk to authors, engineers, and conservationists, and learn from Microsoft leaders. You can also connect with classrooms live or asynchronously to share stories, sing a song, dance, and even play a game of Mystery Skype or Mystery Flipgrid!
Last year’s Global Learning Connection saw students travel over 23 million virtual miles. This year, we want travel around the earth and maybe even reach the sun! By tracking the miles or kilometers traveled virtually between locations and sharing with us on the Global Learning Connection website and on social media, everyone can contribute to this global learning mission.
We know this year feels a little different for many students and educators. Educators and students may be participating in this Global Learning Connection from their classroom, or leveraging technology to connect from their homes to their virtual classroom. Either way, Teams is a great solution to help bring students together and connect across all points of the globe. This year we’ll also be hosting global live events featuring very special guests at various timeslots throughout the 48 hours. More on that shortly, but you’ll want to follow us on Twitter @MicrosoftEDU and #MSFTGlobalConnect to learn more about these exciting Teams live events.
To participate in the Global Learning Connection, take these next steps:
- Bookmark the event page.
- Start to plan out your class adventure by downloading a step-by-step activity plan.
- Schedule calls with experts and classrooms for November 10-11, 2020 and connect via Teams, Flipgrid, and Skype. Find more details here.
- Share your plans and favorite photos with us with #MSFTGlobalConnect and #MicrosoftEDU.
- Download the Teacher Toolkit filled with resources for your classroom from passports, certificates, posters, social media examples, and activities to track your miles and more.
