During his visit to Chile, Anthony Salcito, vicepresident of Global Education at Microsoft, analyzed the link among technology, education and work.  

Salcito visited Chile as a keynote speaker for educational communities and secondary education institutions, during the first seminar of “Education Technologies”, developed by Seminarium Certificación and sponsored by Microsoft.

The most interesting concepts of his keynote sessions were the following.

According to the expert, one of the main obstacles for digitalization in schools is the fact that critical thinking and innovation have been left aside.

“If we want to adapt to new technologies, we must start teaching under a logic that we call the “four C”, people who can become competent communicators, creators, critical thinkers and collaborators”.

Salcito added that “only those who are not afraid of failing and are willing to introduce new technologies in teaching processes, are capable of promoting the change that the region needs. STEM professions, which are Basic Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are still dominated by men”.

Classrooms throughout Latin America must evolve and offer children and young adults lessons with the support of technology, aiming at developing processes that shall provide students with adequate training for getting a job in the digital era: certain jobs that children and youngsters shall have in the years to come, just do not exist yet.

To achieve this, collaboration and join efforts are needed. Educators, parents and companies have the responsibility of providing the best education and tools to make that future a reality. Technology is the key to help students succeed, think creatively, and create a better world.

The executive stated that Microsoft was founded based on the idea that people can make great things when technology is at their reach, and that is precisely the approach we must take.

One of the ways we suggest to innovate is to promote coding and computer science training, turning them into basic subjects in school, such as mathematics or geography. Learning to code enables developing useful skills for the labour market and, therefore, expands the employment opportunities that young people may have in the future.

This initiative would reduce youth unemployment rate in Latin America, which has grown dramatically during 2017. It started in 3% to go up to 15.1%, and to end up in 18.3%.

Teachers play a key role, which can be adapted to the needs of this new type of students, who require guidance to strengthen their motivations and interests. Teachers are the engine in this path, as they support students as they learn to learn, and determine about 30% of learning success. The use of technology in the classroom is key to enable linksters (young people born by the end of the 90s, and the beginning of the 00s), to learn the skills and knowledge required for the future of work.

One of our best experiences has been with “Minecraft: Education Edition”, which is an open world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is the imagination. This learning platform offers an innovative way to inspire students to learn to code, and other skills that foster their passion for learning, as well as learning to share experiences with people from other countries and cultures. This edition is continuously updated thanks to the feedback of over 120,000 students and teachers, and is currently used in over 100 countries throughout the world.

At Microsoft, we are confident that digital transformation is an ongoing process, and we provide every resource for teachers, so they can guide future professionals. Office 365 for Education, is a set of services that enables the education field to collaborate and share the work done at schools. Paint 3D is another example, as it provides students with a completely new learning experience to increase their creativity. Skype in the Classroom, is an online community that connects students and professors from all over the world to learn, share experiences, and collaborate.

Our accessibility tools for education help make learning more accessible for students with needs linked to dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, hearing disorders, or unspecified learning difficulties. The tricks and advices of OneNote, Learning Tools, Windows Ink or Office, help students transform their lives thanks to technology.