Microsoft retools 50 Nigerian teachers in 21st century digital teaching skills

To meet the demands of the 21st century
learning and teaching skills, the software giant,
Microsoft at the weekend at its Innovative
Educators National Forum held in Lagos at the
weekend retooled no fewer than 50 secondary
teachers across the nation. The forum was
organized by Microsoft to inspire the Nigerian
Microsoft Innovative Educators Community and
elevate their Skills, while empowering them to
act as evangelists for Microsoft’s education
solutions nationwide.
Speaking on the Challenges and Problems facing
Technology Integration and Professional
Development in training teachers to be equipped
with new knowledge, a School Principal and a
Microsoft Innovative Educator, Yemisi Oredugba
said that teachers of this generation are not
interested in learning modern techniques of
teaching.
According to her, “the teachers of this
generation are nonchalant about updating their
skills, and this is not due to lack of equipment.
You will be amazed that some teachers have
laptops but will rather see a movie than update
a class score sheet on an excel sheet, which is
very sad.” She added, “I implore teachers to
embrace the opportunity of being a Microsoft
Innovative Educator, so as to improve and
upgrade to the teaching techniques to the 21st
century.”
Commenting on the forum, and how Microsoft is
helping to re-shape the educational system in
Nigeria, Director, Education Industry, Microsoft
Nigeria, Patrick Onwumere said: “At Microsoft,
we help educational institutions meet the
evolving needs of education infrastructures by
offering cost-effective IT products and
technologies that help secure and manage the
business of education, in the cloud on premise.”
Meanwhile, the forum which was micture of
theory and practice had brought together no
fewer than fifty educators from both public and
private institutions across the nation. The
Microsoft Educator Network is aimed at
educators. It teaches them to use effectively
utilise technology to develop their students with
21st century skills. It offers educators a chance
to renew their skills and create new teaching
and learning skills.