Toronto Zoo hosts its first Skype virtual field trip with
students in Port Alberni,
B.C.
TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, in celebration of
Canada's 150th
anniversary of Confederation and Microsoft's ongoing commitment to
making education immersive, inclusive, and inspirational, the
Company announced the launch of Explore. Teach.
Build. Designed for K-12 classrooms, the campaign gives
Canadian students the opportunity to learn more about their country
– without leaving their classroom.
"We believe that technology in the classroom creates new
learning opportunities, regardless of their location," said
Janet Kennedy, President of
Microsoft Canada. "In celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary,
Microsoft Canada is helping to break down barriers in an innovative
way and inspire students to explore every corner of this great
country."
In celebration of Canada's
150th, Microsoft invited students from Port Alberni, B.C. to explore in partnership,
one of Canada's premier
destinations – the Toronto Zoo – at no cost through the power of
Skype. The virtual visit provided students with an
opportunity to build a deeper understanding of Canada, and what it means to be Canadian
through an 'immersive learning adventure' with the Zoo's Great
Lakes conservation program.
"The Toronto Zoo is proud to partner with Microsoft on the
launch of the new Explore. Teach. Build. education program
that will benefit thousands of students across Canada," says John
Tracogna, CEO Toronto Zoo. "From over 4,000 kilometers away,
students connected one-on-one with the Zoo's Curator of Fishes to
learn about the importance of our Great Lakes and what they can do
in their communities to face the challenges in the coming
decades."
Using a single classroom device, teachers can take their
students to destinations around Canada and give them an opportunity to
interact in real-time with tour guides and educators at heritage
sites and points of interests – inspiring Canada's next generation of explorers and
innovators. Additionally, teachers can leverage the lesson
plans created for each location and easily integrate into their
existing curriculum.
"Our class studied salmon last year, and this year we are making
connections about fishing and salmon to our Social Studies unit on
the West Coast First Nations People," says Kristine Clark, grade 3 and 4 teacher with Wood
Elementary School from Port Alberni,
B.C. "We figured out the perfect link among programs - using
what we learn from class, to create a Minecraft First Nations
village that centres on seaside living and fishing. The students
are beyond excited about all of it!"
To continue the learning experience, students have the chance to
participate in the Explore. Teach. Build. Challenge.
The challenge allows for classrooms to create a Canadian moment or
favourite part of the virtual trip using Minecraft: Education
Edition and share them online using Office 365 Sway or Mix
presentations.
Microsoft's Explore. Build. Teach. program is endorsed by
WE.org. Microsoft will also be providing a variety of free
resources to help educators participate, including Teacher
Ambassadors who will be on hand to offer free professional
development workshops focused on Minecraft: Education Edition.
Virtual Field Trips will be available at all Microsoft Store
locations across Canada for
students to explore Canada's
history and educators will also be able to request a set of Windows
10 HP devices with Minecraft: Education Edition installed. To learn
more, visit microsoft.ca/exploreteachbuild.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985,
Microsoft Canada Inc. is the Canadian subsidiary of
Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses
realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides
nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services
in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga,
Microsoft Canada has nine regional offices across the
country dedicated to empowering innovation, prosperity and security
through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For
more information on Microsoft Canada, please
visit www.microsoft.ca.
About Toronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is Canada's premier zoo and a national leader in
saving wildlife to ensure the rich diversity of nature for future
generations. More than a tourist attraction, the Toronto Zoo
boasts a number of leading programs for helping wildlife and their
natural habitats – from species reintroduction to reproductive
research. A world-class educational centre for people of all ages,
the Toronto Zoo is open every day except December 25 and attracts approximately 1.3
million visitors each year. Toronto Zoo is accredited by
CAZA (Canada's Accredited Zoos and
Aquariums) and AZA (Association of Zoos and
Aquariums). Look for these logos whenever you visit a Canadian
zoo as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated
to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for
you, and a better future for all living things. For more
information, visit caza.ca and
aza.org
SOURCE Microsoft Canada Inc.