Like those Struggling with Language Barriers

Content of the article Joseph Filiplic changed the way he taught during the pandemic. He's not changing it back.

Article content "When everyone was learning online, many also worked from home. I noticed that a lot of my students were taking on other duties at home. They were taking on the role of babysitters for their younger siblings and more," he says of his J.J. Bowlen Catholic Junior High students. "I had to make sure that I was able to reach my students. They were being pulled in different directions and were doing something completely different to me.

The answer? What Filiplic calls a flipped lesson style, using mostly Microsoft education tools - including video-conferencing platforms Teams, note-taking app OneNote and video-discussion software Flipgrid. "I would record every lesson and upload them onto YouTube, then I would add them into Teams and OneNote," says Filiplic. From there the course materials and assignments were available from almost every device.

At first, he wanted his students to get through the outbreak without suffering. They did more than just endure, and they flourished to his delight. Even though they had failed in traditional classroom environments, the kids were still doing well. However, now he was able to reach students who had different learning styles also. Many students have difficulty with learning disabilities, language barriers as well as shyness.

"I knew from that point that I wouldn't be able to go back to the old method of stand-and-deliver. From now on, it will have to be more interactive. It must be more cooperative," he says. So, when in-person classes resumed, the digital tools stuck. Filiplic continues to record his lessons in video, allowing students to respond with Flipgrid. And his students can still call or message him via Teams whenever they want to. It's like a modern workplace, with flexible hours and motivated employees. "My students aren't stuck within the four walls anymore," says Filiplic. They understand that the teaching isn't over when the bell rings. It has broken down many barriers.
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Filiplic says that article content was a natural choice right from the beginning. Microsoft is the gold standard in the workplace. "I thought, okay I teach social studies. But am I teaching just that subject, or am I teaching my student how to contribute to society?" What happens when they get older? He says that everything pointed towards Microsoft.

Microsoft has always been focused on education as a business. This is evident in the latest release Windows SE, a cloud-based edition of its operating system. The new platform will be available on budget-friendly "cloud first" tablets and laptops from Acer, Asus, Dell and many more, as well as Microsoft directly under the Surface brand.

"Windows SE comes with specially-designed features that aid students from K-8 in ways that we have were hearing from our customers that they were looking for," says Paige Johnson, Microsoft vice-president of education marketing. The new interface minimizes visual distractions, for instance, and puts inclusive, customizable learning tools at the forefront. These include Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and features such as Reading Progress, which is an AI tool that lets teachers remotely evaluate student fluency and Immersive Reader which is an interactive reading comprehension tool and a learning tool that makes reading easily accessible for learners of all ages.

Johnson states that Reading Progress is great for educators because it allows them to focus their time teaching where they're most needed. "If I notice that my children are unable to pronounce the word 'physical' I may realize that I'm not speaking it loud enough or that I need to provide more reading samples that contain the word.

Article content The company also offers free Microsoft 365 for students that comes with Flipgrid and an education version of Minecraft the renowned world-building video game.

Filiplic believes these new releases will provide new opportunities in a field that's rich with opportunities for teachers and students, as well as parents, who are now able to track their children's progress like never. His YouTube videos have been a hit with teachers across Canada also, and he's been actively helping others to change the paradigm on the lecture model.

"I'm in my 17th year of teaching and I'm bursting with an abundance of energy I'm feeling like a teacher who was in my first year," he says. "I'm extremely grateful that I've discovered these tools, as I'm sure I'm able to reach my students better than ever before. I can't go back. I won't go back."

This story was developed for Microsoft by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division.

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