Partners in Learning (PiL) is a global initiative designed to help increase technology access for schools, foster innovative approaches to pedagogy and professional teacher development and provide education leaders with the tools to envision, implement and manage change.

Since its inception in 2003, the PiL programme has reached more than 116 million students in 103 countries. With five years’ continued financial support, Microsoft’s 10-year investment in the initiative is approximately USD$500 million, underscoring the company’s commitment to making technology more relevant and accessible for everyone through affordable licensing programmes, training and partnerships.

In the next five years (2008-2013), Partners in Learning Phase 2 will focus on identifying, sharing and scaling practices and behaviours that improve learning outcomes through programme areas that have the greatest potential to empower and transform education. Each programme area will build upon the most effective PiL programmes of the past five years, and will empower sharing of successful tools and processes among a worldwide community of educators.

Microsoft New Zealand is supporting the professional development of local teachers in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance student learning through the provision of programmes which complement key Ministry of Education (MoE) initiatives. These programmes align to the MoE eLearning Action Plan 2005-2010 and are underpinned by a research and evaluation programme that is also aligned to MoE eLearning Research Framework.