Microsoft Teacher Professional Development Workshop - Curriculum and Support Materials

Thank you for your interest in these resources for teacher professional development.  This document outlines the content Microsoft is making available to help support teacher professional development, specifically content to enable the delivery of hands-on, project-based learning workshops for K-12 teachers.  

This content resides in the Microsoft Partners in Learning Network http://us.partnersinlearningnetwork.com/, Microsoft’s free online community site within a new community called “Microsoft Teacher Professional Development” community.  Here is a direct link to this community. Be sure to click "Join Now" on the right side to access the content as this will be the place for the latest updates and community-contributed best practices for training teachers.
 
The workshop curriculum is designed and organized as hands-on, project-based learning activities that are designed to be delivered to by a teacher leader (i.e., train the trainer).  The workshops integrate Microsoft Office, Web 2.0 tools and a number of free tools Microsoft provides to create and inspire teachers to develop student-centered activities that use technology in relevant and real-world ways in the classroom. 
 
All of the materials are provided for free to teachers and teacher leaders to use within their professional development practices within the schools and districts.  Any of the content can be customized for use within your schools and districts.
 
There is content to support four workshops designed for K-12 teachers in the four folders provided.  Each workshop is designed to run about 3 hours. Each folder contains all of the digital assets you will need - all you need to provide are the teachers!  :)
 
This content was developed by Knowledge Network Solutions (KNS) in close collaboration with Microsoft. KNS is a dynamic group of ex-teachers who are experts at applying technology in effective and relevant ways in the classroom aligned to academic and technology standards.
 
To help you navigate the workshop content, here are some tips & tricks to sorting through the below resources and suggestions for use.  
 
There are 4 workshops, each with its own curriculum organized in these folders:
 
1.	Tools for Engaging All Learners in the Classroom
2.	Using Collaborative Tools in the Classroom
3.	Effective Communication Tools for Teachers
4.	Classroom Organization Tools for Teachers
 
Each of the above workshops includes the following resources to support the workshop.  The below table provides an overview of the resources for each workshop and suggestions for how these can be used.
 
Resource	Description	Tips for Use	
Workshop Overview	•	1-2 page summary of the workshop, including learning objectives and intended outcomes for teachers and students
 
•	Detailed overview of the Microsoft products used in each workshop	•	Familiarize yourself with the overall objectives of the workshop
 
•	Use to provide an overview to teachers who will attend the workshop
 
•	Use to promote the workshop	
Narrated PowerPoint Presentations	•	Expert audio-narrated PowerPoint presentations produced by the creators of the workshop curriculum
 
•	Labeled as "Mod 1, Mod 2…" each workshop has 4 narrated presentations
 
•	For each module there is a presentation that provides:
1.	Workshop Overview
2.	Workshop Learning Objectives
3.	Workshop Preparation Guidance
4.	Tips & Tricks for Delivering a Successful Workshop	•	Intended to be used by those planning to deliver a workshop to help them prepare	
Participant Manuals	•	For each workshop there is a detailed manual to print and provide for each workshop participant
 
•	The manuals provide step-by-step instructions for each project-based learning activity
 
•	The manuals also include tips for how to apply projects across the curriculum	•	Print and provide to each workshop attendee
 
•	Use to gain an in-depth understanding of the detailed projects and technologies used in each workshop	
Workshop Software Set-up spec	•	Listing of the necessary hardware and software needed to run the workshop	•	Understand the software necessary to complete the activities
 
•	It is important that participants create a free Windows Live ID prior to attending a workshop, as this account will gain them access to a number of  Web 2.0 tools used in the workshop
 	
Presenter PPT Intro	•	Presentations for anyone to use (and customize) to support their delivery of the workshop	•	Use as a baseline to guide the workshop  
 
•	Teacher leaders can customize and develop their own presentations using these  as a "jumpstart"

Participant Sample Files	•	Sample files used by the workshop participants to complete the in-workshop activities
 
•	Files include ppts, video, audio, images,  and sample data	•	Files should be pre-installed on all workshop PCs	

We hope that you find these materials useful to engage other teachers and enable them to use technology in successful and innovative ways in the classroom that makes sense in their curriculum and within the learning goals in their classrooms.

For more information and resources for training teachers visit www.microsoft.com/teachers and follow us on Twitter @TeachTec or on TeachTec Facebook to stay current on the latest resources, lesson plans and how-to information for using technology in the classroom.
 
Thank you,
The Microsoft Education Team