2007 Microsoft U.S. Innovative Teachers Forum frequently asked questions

One of a series of regional forums taking place around the world, the U.S. Innovative Teachers Forum is designed to:

Supported by the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) and the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF), the Microsoft U.S. Innovative Teachers Forum will recognize and reward learning teams practicing the elements of 21st century learning in their own professional learning and then incorporating these skills into the student learning environment. In addition, the Forum has been designed to serve as a professional learning experience for participants.

Two attendees from the 2007 U.S. Innovative Teachers Forum were selected to represent the United States at the Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Teachers Forum in Finland in October 2007.

To learn more about the Innovative Teachers Forum and find out how to apply, please visit the Innovative Teachers Forum Web site.

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 of business was to develop a unified, collective vision on the essential skills students need to be successful members of 21st century society. As a result of this effort the partnership identified six key elements of a 21st century education outlined in the framework below as a guide for strengthening U.S. education.

Microsoft believes that students who display proficiency in these six key elements will have a foundation of skills that enable them to become life-long learners and compete in a global economy.

Learn more about the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

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 together. 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. To do so, 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. Sometimes a group of teachers of the same grade level comes together to learn. Other times it is a group of teachers from a variety of subject areas planning 21st century content. Principals are forming district-wide learning teams and taking responsibility for the learning in every school.

The flattening forces driving change at an exponential rate have redefined the necessary skills required to be successful in the 21st century. In order for today’s students to acquire these skills and be competitive in a still-evolving global economy, the learning environment within schools must become seamless and emulate the characteristics and behaviors of the outside world. Furthermore, a learning environment which is conducive to enabling students to acquire 21st century skills must not only exist for the students but also for the educators tasked with preparing the students, as they themselves must be well versed in and practicing these skills as professionals. Given the norm in U.S. education where teachers are working alone in isolated classrooms, (behavior attributed to our factory-era schools), how are educators expected to acquire these skills, let alone infuse them into their teaching and learning with their students?

Microsoft, the National Staff Development Council, and the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future support the 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 together. Groups of teachers engaged in this kind of work on a regular basis are the learning communities that make good schools great and enable sustained professional growth for educators.

The Microsoft Innovative Teachers Program has existed since 2002. The Innovative Teachers Forum was introduced in 2005 and is now an annual event worldwide.

The U.S. Innovative Teachers Forum is a two-day event. This year it was held on September 27-28, 2007. The forum is held on the Microsoft corporate campus in Redmond, Washington.

Learning teams that were selected to attend previous forums are not eligible to attend until three years have passed since attendance at their last forum.

Individual educators that were selected to attend previous forums are not eligible to attend until three years have passed since attendance at their last forum.

An independent panel of nationally-recognized education leaders selects the learning teams invited to attend the Forum. The learning teams are selected from applications submitted through an online form.

Each learning team is reviewed on the following criteria which demonstrate learning teams practicing the elements of 21st century learning in their own professional learning and then incorporating these skills into the student learning environment:

It is not. The Innovative Teachers Forum has been created to recognize and reward learning teams and their use of technology. Through the Forum and Innovative Teachers Program, Microsoft and its partners are working to create a connected community of learners who are contributing to and creating new knowledge on issues focused on student learning.

The Microsoft Innovative Teachers Program is committed to supporting U.S. educators as they develop and share successful methodology and protocols of learning teams incorporating the elements of 21st century learning into their professional learning, and then incorporate these skills into the student learning environment.

The Innovative Teachers program has three primary program offerings which educators can utilize.

The Innovative Teachers Newsletter: Receive monthly communications which provide educators with 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 then incorporate these skills into the student learning environment.

The Innovative Teachers Network: A worldwide portal allowing educators to share successful methodology and protocols of learning teams practicing 21st century learning, student learning projects incorporating the elements of 21st century learning, and much more. Coming in Winter 2008.

More information and links to resources can be found at the Innovative Teachers Web site.

If you have additional questions about the Forum, please send an e-mail to teachers@microsoft.com.