To mark the celebration of 30 years, Microsoft Portugal has been carrying out several actions in the country. The most recent – the “Escola do Futuro” competition – aims to promote creative and collaborative learning experiences.
Launched to all schools in the country, the contest received more than 150 applications from students between the 1st and the 2nd cycle. Four winning projects were selected: from Escola Global, in Santa Maria da Feira, from Park International School, in Alfragide, from Instituto Duarte de Lemos, in Águeda, and from the Professional School of Instituto Nun’Alvres, in Santo Tirso.
Microsoft wanted to challenge Portuguese students to think about the future of Education, inviting them to present transformative proposals on the forms of learning and format of schools of the future.
At a time when digital transition is the key word, the winning students presented projects in which technology impacts the functioning and modernization of methodologies and teaching spaces.
When celebrating 30 years in Portugal, we wanted to enhance creativity, the capacity for abstraction, critical thinking and discovery, teamwork and the use of technology.
In response to the challenge, the schools sent us jobs that allow us to dream of a School that is almost a House, a small world and that today, in some circumstances, already exists.
Having received so many applications demonstrates the excellent responsiveness of the initiative and the quality of the projects proves that teachers and students are committed to improving the future of Education, in which automation is always present in an ethical and responsible manner Sandra Martinho, Director of the area Portugal Education and Philanthropy Institute
The proposals prepared by the students had the collaboration of the school’s teachers and the initiative highlighted four winning projects:
“Global Channel” – Global School (Santa Maria da Feira)
In the view of 1st cycle students, the “School of the Future” will have robots, flexible furniture, socio-emotional learning, without forgetting the essential role that teachers will continue to have in Education.
“Students from the future” – Park International School (Alfragide)
2nd cycle students consider that the focus in the classrooms is multidisciplinarity, with space for areas of creativity, robotics, coworking, laboratories, rest and socializing spaces and also reinforce the importance of sport in the “School of the Future”.
“Big Brains” – Instituto Duarte de Lemos (Águeda)
For students of the 3rd cycle, the “School of the Future” is modern and with a totally reinvented architecture. In classrooms, teachers will appear in holograms and there will be electronic devices and interactive whiteboards. The playground will be a different place, where students will have the opportunity to enjoy their free time in relaxing and fun spaces.
“BIBM” – Workshop – Professional School of Instituto Nun’Alvres (Santo Tirso)
Secondary students consider the “School of the Future” to be digital, inclusive and sustainable. For this, digital desks, tablets and smartwatches will help to organize schedules; in classrooms, doors will have systems that record attendance and digital boards will be able to record what is said by teachers.
And it will also have solar panels, electric buses, defense and nutrition classes. The four winning projects will receive a total of 60 certifications for teachers (Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft Certified Educator and Microsoft Fundamentals) and wireless headphones for each participant.
The future is already being built with new teaching and learning methodologies using technology that will impact society and allow to reinvent the future of Education and improve the experiences of teachers and students.
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