Leaders in Digital Transformation of Education
The Leaders in Digital Transformation of Education program brings together education leaders to accelerate the realization of their education transformation goals using a scalable, sustainable, and locally empowering approach.
Empowering education leaders
Members can develop a holistic digital transformation vision using the Education Transformation Framework (ETF), implement critical initiatives through transformation accelerators, and achieve results via effective capacity building and change management.
Benefits of joining the program
Establish a plan for digital transformation using ETF; accelerate results through critical initiatives enabling personalization, data-informed decisions, and skills for the future; achieve results by empowering teachers and leaders.
Who can join the program?
Education organizations leading digital transformation: national, state, province, or regional Ministries of Education; district or city education authorities; international organizations for education; large school chains or multi-academy trusts.
Program Activities: 3 comprehensive steps
Step 1: Envision and map out your digital transformation journey using ETF
Step 2: Implement key initiatives through transformation accelerators
Step 3: Build capacity to realize value through change management and empowerment of teachers and leaders
Step 1: Envision and map out digital transformation
An envisioning workshop using the Education Transformation Framework explores the art of what is possible in digital transformation and helps education organizations with vision-setting, strategy, roadmaps, and organizational alignment.
K-12 Education Transformation Framework (ETF)
ETF is a holistic and effective guide for education leaders to navigate the complexity of transformation, envision what’s possible, and develop a strategy to achieve it. The framework is grounded in research and global best practices.
Step 2: Transformation accelerators
Leaders in Digital Transformation of Education transformation accelerators are expert-led agile engagements that provide practical solutions tailored to the specific challenges each system is facing.
Transformation Accelerators inform strategies
Education Data Analytics and AI – collecting and analyzing data to maximize learning outcomes
Accelerate Learning – learning models that enable personalization and equity
Integrated Computer Science – primary and secondary school CS curriculum
Education Data Analytics and AI
Using the vast amount of educational data enables improving educational outcomes, informing policy decisions, and boosting innovation. Education systems are working to develop integrated, real-time insights using data analytics and ethical AI.
Leveraging data to fuel success
Education systems participating in this accelerator will be able to generate an array of indicators, statistical approaches, and monitoring tools to fuel the progress of their education systems as well as support national and global reporting.
The benefits of implementing Data Analytics
This accelerator helps systems solve interoperability challenges between data sources, create a sound policy framework whilst protecting data privacy, establish a data foundation, and leverage AI & machine learning to gain key insights from data.
Accelerate Learning
Education systems are committed to not only remedy the impact of the interruptions of in-person learning but to establish new learning models that enable each student to access the support they need to fully engage in learning.
Using technology to enhance learning
This accelerator explores various learning models to enhance student experience, demonstrates how to design solutions to address learning gaps and absenteeism while developing 21st century skills, and showcases how to develop teachers’ competencies.
Integrated Computer Science
As the pace of technology adoption continues to increase, education decision-makers across the world are looking at how to better foster IT skills – including STEM and AI topics – through relevant curriculum and industry-recognized certifications.
CS Curriculum Toolkit content
Computer Science Curriculum framework and guidance for students in primary and secondary school
Classroom-level content for aspects of the CS curriculum
Learning paths and materials for teachers to develop their skills in the delivery of the curriculum
Principles of the CS curriculum framework
The framework accommodates the rapid pace of technological change, taking full advantage of Microsoft’s resources, emphasizes problem-based learning to maximize skills acquisition, and is mapped to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Step 3: Build capacity to realize value
Transformation is about people. Critical to the success of any initiative in education are change-management and capacity-building strategies to enable teachers’ and leaders’ awareness and adoption of new changes.
Taking a proactive approach to change response
Leaders will explore how to develop model schools and innovative educators, accelerate effective adoption, and replicate success to enable further organic growth. The goal here is to create unique plans that work for each individual education system.
Building blocks
Systems will leverage an effective change management framework, practices, and planning tools to build the capacity of their leaders, educators, and trainers. They will also collaborate with other systems that have embarked on similar journeys.
Case studies
The City of Helsinki uses AI to maximize learning
Helsinki, Finland’s biggest school system, has been using AI and learning analytics to advance its digitalization strategy since 2016. The city has chosen Azure as the “brains” of its AI hub in order to build a secure and integrated system and leverage Azure’s extensive range of AI and other useful components. Another reason for the choice was Helsinki’s commitment to the ethical use of AI and transparent learning analytics, that ultimately would enable students to unlock their full potential.
Learner-centered solutions for 55.000 students
Global private school group Cognita uses Microsoft educational technologies to empower its more than 7,500 faculty, staff, and administrators to create learning environments for students across 82 schools in 11 countries. During COVID-19, Cognita used its online platform to encourage collaboration between educators across the entire school network in order to generate quick responses to fast-paced changes, establishing student wellbeing and the continuation of learning as its main objectives.
Georgia updates curriculum using Microsoft Toolkit
The Georgian Ministry of Education and Science began updating the ICT curriculum for primary classes: to include broader computer science concepts and computational thinking. The Ministry started a pilot program in a Gori school to test the new ICT curriculum and worked with Microsoft to introduce the Microsoft Computer Science Curriculum Framework. The project was a success, leading the team to propose the framework for the national curriculum update.