Frequently Asked Questions
How do I become a member of the Innovative Teachers Network?
Becoming a member of the Innovative Teachers Network is simple and free of charge. Just visit the registration page to fill out a brief form providing your name and email address, and creating a user name, password and security question.
Although it’s not required for registration, if you also fill out your Network profile then other teachers who are interested in the same topics as you will be able to find you on the Network.
What benefits does registering for the program provide?
Registering for the Innovative Teachers Network allows you to access all of the Network resources and the public communities. You will also be able to personalize your home page (MySite), submit your own resources for possible publication, and take part in other community activities such as peer review of content.
How much technology experience do I need to have in order to benefit from the program?
The Innovative Teachers Network provides benefits to teachers of all experience levels. The resources available through the program include information on 21st century learning and tutorials and lesson plans for teachers who are new to using computers in the classroom, and more advanced resources for more expert technology users. The tools are simple to use and enable beginners to learn from their more experienced peers.
Do I need to be using the latest hardware and software to use your resources?
You do not need to have the latest hardware and software to use Innovative Teachers Network resources. We recommend that you have access to computers running Microsoft Windows® 98, Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows XP, and Microsoft Office 97 or later software. High-speed Internet access will make downloading the resources and participating in communities easier.
Can I share the resources from the Innovative Teachers Network with other teachers at my school?
Supporting learning teams is one of the missions of the Innovative Teachers program. You may use all resources from our Web site with your colleagues. Please feel free to download program resources such as Virtual Classroom Tours or tutorials to use in team meetings and planning sessions, or for faculty-wide technology training sessions. We also hope you will use the classroom resources with your students.
What are the elements of 21st century learning and why are they important?
In 2002 the Partnership for 21st Century Skills was created by education leaders, policy makers, and the business community as an advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st century skills into education. The Partnership’s first priority was to develop a unified, collective vision on the essential skills students need in order to be successful members of 21st century society. The Partnership identified the following six key elements of a 21st century education:
Core subjects: English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics, government, economics, arts, history and geography
21st Century Content: Global awareness, financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy, and health and wellness awareness
Learning and Thinking skills: Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, communication skills, creativity and innovation skills, collaboration skills, contextual learning skills, and information and media literacy skills
ICT literacy: Use of technology to develop the skills in the 21st century framework
Life Skills: Leadership, ethics, accountability, adaptability, personal productivity, personal responsibility, people skills, self-direction and social responsibility
21st Century Assessments: Balancing high-quality standardized testing and effective classroom assessment
Students who display proficiency in these six key elements will have a foundation of skills that enables them to become life-long learners and compete in a global economy.
What is teaming and why is it important?
The growth of collaborative teamwork has rapidly accelerated the quality of health care, engineering, law and software development. There is growing consensus that teaching, even good teaching, is better when teachers have the support of their colleagues and opportunities for continual reflection, inquiry, problem solving and learning. Groups of teachers engaged in this kind of work on a regular basis are the learning communities that make good schools great.
There are many ways learning communities can work, but one hallmark is a sustained shared commitment to improving student outcomes. Teachers and school staff come together in a variety of configurations to develop lesson plans, examine student work, monitor student progress and assess the effectiveness of instruction. They also evaluate their own skills and knowledge and seek professional development in areas where the team lacks expertise.
What is the Microsoft Innovative Teachers program?
The Microsoft Innovative Teachers Program is committed to supporting U.S. educators as they incorporate the elements of 21st century learning into their professional learning, and then into the student learning environment.
The Innovative Teachers program has three primary program offerings which educators can utilize:
• The Innovative Teachers Newsletter: A monthly e-newsletter which provides news about the program, pedagogical thought leadership, professional development resources, and classroom resources
• The Innovative Teachers Forum: An annual event recognizing and rewarding learning teams which practice the elements of 21st century learning in their own professional learning and incorporate these skills into the student learning environment
• The Innovative Teachers Network: A place where teachers can share successful methodology and protocols of collaborative 21st century learning, share student learning projects incorporating the elements of 21st century learning, develop virtual project teams, and much more.
Whom do I contact if I have more questions?
If you have additional questions about the Innovative Teachers Network or the Innovative Teachers Program, please send an e-mail to teachers@microsoft.com.
Encourage your colleagues to join the Innovative Teachers Network so they may access all the site's outstanding resources themselves!