Microsoft Designs a School :(

[thegathering]

Originally Posted by cnn.com

Windows HS: Microsoft designs a school system
POSTED: 9:25 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2006


PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has famously called high schools "obsolete" and warned about their effect on U.S. competitiveness. Now, his company has a chance to prove that it can help fix the woes of public education.

After three years of planning, the Microsoft Corp.-designed "School of the Future" opened its doors Thursday, a gleaming white modern facility looking out of place amid rows of ramshackle homes in a working-class West Philadelphia neighborhood.

The school is being touted as unlike any in the world, with not only a high-tech building -- students have digital lockers and teachers use interactive "smart boards" -- but also a learning process modeled on Microsoft's management techniques.

"Philadelphia came to us ... and asked us to design a school," said Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer of Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft. "We're going to take our best shot."

The company didn't pay the $63 million cost -- that was borne by the Philadelphia School District -- but shared its personnel and management skills. About 170 teens, nearly all black and mainly low-income, were chosen by lottery to make up the freshman class. The school eventually plans to enroll up to 750 students.

Sabria Johnson, a 14-year-old from West Philadelphia, said she is excited to be attending the school.

"We're getting a chance to do something new," said the freshman, who hopes one day to go to Harvard or to the London College of Fashion. "We don't get a lot of opportunities like the suburban kids."

Mundie said companies have long been concerned that schools aren't churning out graduates with the skills and know-how that businesses require in employees to compete globally -- and mental acuity is especially critical to Microsoft.

"Our raw material is smart people," he said.

School district CEO Paul Vallas said he was impressed by more than just the company's technology.

"I was also taken by their culture," Vallas said. "They created a culture within which ideas can be generated and acted upon."

At the 162,000-square-foot high school, which sits on nearly eight acres, the day starts at 9:15 a.m. and ends at 4:19 p.m., simulating the typical work day. Officials said studies show students do better when they start later in the day.

Students -- who are called "learners" -- use smart cards to register attendance, open their digital lockers and track calories they consume. They carry laptops, not books, and the entire campus has wireless Internet access.

Teachers, or "educators," rather than using blackboards, have interactive "smart boards" that allow teachers to zoom in and out, write or draw, and even link to the Internet.

There's no library, but an "interactive learning center" where information is all digital and a "multimedia specialist" will help out students.

Instead of a cafeteria, there's a food court with restaurant-style seating. The performance center -- where two sections rotate close to create a smaller space -- replaces the typical auditorium.

"This is completely different from any Philadelphia school I've ever seen," said Tramelle Hicks, 39, of West Philadelphia, whose 15-year-old daughter, Kierra, is going to the school. She said she believes her daughter would benefit from learning strategic and organizational skills from Microsoft.

The high school will use an "education competency wheel," patterned after a set of desirable traits Microsoft encourages among its employees. Officials, teachers and students are to be trained in dozens of skills, including organizing and planning, negotiating, dealing with ambiguity and managing relationships.

Students have scheduled appointments with teachers, typed into their online calendars, instead of being limited to structured times for classes. Their laptops carry software that assesses how quickly they're learning the lesson. If they get it, they'll dive deeper into the subject. If not, they get remedial help.

Lessons will have more incorporation of current events to teach subjects. For instance, a question of whether Philadelphia is safe from the avian flu will teach students about geography, science and history.

"Learning is not just going to school," said Shirley Grover, the school's energetic principal who came from the American School in Milan, Italy. "Learning is equal to life."

In addition, students at the school must apply to college to get a diploma.

This new approach to education has sparked the interest of Doug Lynch, vice dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.

"Two things are quite intriguing -- the willingness of the district and Microsoft to try something different," Lynch said. He cautioned, however, that while trying new methods may be valuable "we have to be careful because you're messing with kids' lives."

The school is being touted as unlike any in the world, with not only a high-tech building -- students have digital lockers and teachers use interactive "smart boards" -- but also a learning process modeled on Microsoft's management techniques.

Ugh... this means even more dangerous/vunerable patches for already vunerable software, BSODs from first party software, and monopolistic business practicies. -_-


Any thoughts?

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by thegathering

Ugh... this means even more dangerous/vunerable patches, BSODs from first party software, and monopolistic business practicies. -_-


Any thoughts?

Much as I try to avoid Microsoft's products, I don't think this is such a bad idea. Sure, it's got a little more technological glitz than the average school, but Microsoft hasn't become as big as they have without knowing a thing or two about how to run an organization and how to train a group of people. If they're willing to share some of that, I'm willing to let 'em.

Now if only the registrar's office at USC would get that memo about students performing better later in the morning. (Stinkin' 8:00 AM classes! I haven't had classes that early since fifth grade!)

[Cuog]

Sounds dangerous.

Now lets see what the Linux run school looks like

[Alexa Stott]

I would love to attend that school.




Just so I can install Ubuntu on the laptop for the school.

I guess this would be the first school closed due to a BSOD...

[Madison]

(I'm biased.)

The company is making an active, legitimate effort toward doing something about reforming a failing system of public schools and the best we have to offer for discussion is some ill-formed jokes about software crashing? Weak.

[artdutra04]

Even though Microsoft has its ups and downs when it comes to software, I would attend a school like this. Any corporation as large as Microsoft has the money and resources to help devise better ways to educate students. Even if these students are using Windows and Office software, the end result will be students who are much more competant in areas such as computers, business, leadership, technology, current events, etc. than other students the same age in other schools.

Sometimes in life you need to overlook the short term to see the long term potential.

[thegathering]

Originally Posted by M. Krass

(I'm biased.)

The company is making an active, legitimate effort toward doing something about reforming a failing system of public schools and the best we have to offer for discussion is some ill-formed jokes about software crashing? Weak.

feel free to provide a discussion then


I see this as another attempt to expand the Microsoft monopoly. They've already tapped the government, which then ran Windows in the school systems. This is just an attempt to further guaruntee Microsoft's future by teaching students to rely on "Microsoft koolaid" as our team leader at TKC Communications likes to say.

[Koko Ed]

Corporate sponsored schooling.
I don't know if it's a good or bad thing.
It would be intersting for FIRST teams. They'd have built in sponsoring.

[Cuog]

It is certainly a good idea that microsoft wants to help up the technology in schools but the problem is i know people. A High tech school is a playground for computer-able pranksters hackers whatever you want to call them. I know for a fact with the limited technology in my school(Just desktops in comp labs) students still find ways to cause problems.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

Corporate sponsored schooling.
I don't know if it's a good or bad thing.
It would be intersting for FIRST teams. They'd have built in sponsoring.

It would be cool if the school had a shop, that's for sure.

It seems to have lots of opportunity and potential, and students who want to be in the program. I'd like to hear from some of the teachers regarding the training and the expectations and how all of it is applied.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Jane

It would be cool if the school had a shop, that's for sure.

It seems to have lots of opportunity and potential, and students who want to be in the program. I'd like to hear from some of the teachers regarding the training and the expectations and how all of it is applied.

It'd be nice if we could have a shop at our school....

[Andrew Blair]

Sounds like this school:

http://www.ossm.edu/index.htm

I met a kid from there- really, really smart. I think these schools are doing something right- not everything can go perfectly. Also is like the school Oprah did a special on that had a FIRST team.

But I agree- they should have a shop.

[thegathering]

Originally Posted by Andrew Blair

Sounds like this school:

http://www.ossm.edu/index.htm

I met a kid from there- really, really smart. I think these schools are doing something right- not everything can go perfectly. Also is like the school Oprah did a special on that had a FIRST team.

Perhaps, but that is a science and mathematics school, this is a corporation ran school. I go to an IT school that has all the comforts of a modern day corporate server room, but we're ran by the government, not a software company.

[Joe Matt]

Originally Posted by M. Krass

(I'm biased.)

The company is making an active, legitimate effort toward doing something about reforming a failing system of public schools and the best we have to offer for discussion is some ill-formed jokes about software crashing? Weak.

Well done Microsoft for brining your products and excellent services to the Philadelphia school system. As their recent great advertising states, "Your potential, our passion," you are fully determined to bring your award winning, easy to use software and products to let our kids meet their potential.

Thanks.

[Mike]

Hey, I like stereotypes!

Everything Microsoft does is wrong.
All Apple users wear black turtlenecks and sip Starbucks.
Linux users are arrogant snobs who are convinced their product is superior.



Lets just disregard the fact that Bill Gates is one of the largest philanthropists since Andrew Carnegie.