Mrs. Rahab Thitai is a Standard Four Science teacher at the Infill Academy Nairobi. Recently, she put her lesson in a presentation form and sent it to Microsoft to so that they can transform it into a digital learning exercise for her class.
Microsoft enabled the lesson to be presented on a screen/projector and accessed by the students via Mouse Mischief.
Mouse Mischief lets students use computer mice to answer questions and participate in activities teachers create in PowerPoint presentations, said Mr. Ian Puttergill, Mobile Business development Manager for Microsoft.
He says most developing countries cannot afford a computer for each student and this necessitated development of the mouse. The mouse Mischief integrates into Microsoft powerpoint 2010 and Microsoft power point 2007, letting one insert multiple choices questions, polls and drawing activity slides into the teacher’s lesson.
“The software built for teachers to develop content can see approximately 5-25 students easily participating in the lessons by using their own mice to click, circle, cross out or draw answers on a shared screen. However, if the students are many, they can always share or work in groups but must agree on an answer before it can be selected.” Says Puttergill.
Students have a chance to see visual representations of their answers on a shared screen while using mouse pointers like robots, snowflakes, guitar and other shapes.
The Mouse mischief launched in April this year stimulates the minds of the students by creating and interactive learning experience with the teachers. “One computer, a screen, a projector, between 5 and 25 mice and Mouse Mischief is what you need for your lesson, he adds.
While explaining to participants visiting the company’s exhibitions, Puttergill said that the software could be downloaded online for free by joining the partners in Learning Network and offers people a chance to win expenses paid trip to the pan African innovative teachers Forum to be held in August this year in Mombasa, Kenya.
Some of the schools that have acquired the mouse mischief include Infill Academy, State Girls High School and Magadi Secondary School, among others.
“The student to computer ratio is still very high in Kenya and there are challenges in budget limitations. Microsoft and the ICT Trust partnered to try and serve the needs of the schools by introducing the software,” says Puttergill.
The development manager says this has helped the students to build verbal and social skills thereby increasing their level of participation in global economy.
Microsoft also introduced the Windows Multipoint Server 2010, a shared computing solution that increases computing in classrooms, labs and libraries by allowing multiple users to simultaneously share one computer, using multiple screens.
Multiple user stations share one computer‘s processing capabilities. Each user station consisting of a keyboard, monitor and mouse, directly connects to the host computer. Students are able to see their own desktop and control individual work while the teacher can set up and maintain student accounts and share files with them.
Putergill says it is cost effective to use the Multipoint server and consumes less power. The software is currently being used at the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE).
Microsoft enabled the lesson to be presented on a screen/projector and accessed by the students via Mouse Mischief.
Mouse Mischief lets students use computer mice to answer questions and participate in activities teachers create in PowerPoint presentations, said Mr. Ian Puttergill, Mobile Business development Manager for Microsoft.
He says most developing countries cannot afford a computer for each student and this necessitated development of the mouse. The mouse Mischief integrates into Microsoft powerpoint 2010 and Microsoft power point 2007, letting one insert multiple choices questions, polls and drawing activity slides into the teacher’s lesson.
“The software built for teachers to develop content can see approximately 5-25 students easily participating in the lessons by using their own mice to click, circle, cross out or draw answers on a shared screen. However, if the students are many, they can always share or work in groups but must agree on an answer before it can be selected.” Says Puttergill.
Students have a chance to see visual representations of their answers on a shared screen while using mouse pointers like robots, snowflakes, guitar and other shapes.
The Mouse mischief launched in April this year stimulates the minds of the students by creating and interactive learning experience with the teachers. “One computer, a screen, a projector, between 5 and 25 mice and Mouse Mischief is what you need for your lesson, he adds.
While explaining to participants visiting the company’s exhibitions, Puttergill said that the software could be downloaded online for free by joining the partners in Learning Network and offers people a chance to win expenses paid trip to the pan African innovative teachers Forum to be held in August this year in Mombasa, Kenya.
Some of the schools that have acquired the mouse mischief include Infill Academy, State Girls High School and Magadi Secondary School, among others.
“The student to computer ratio is still very high in Kenya and there are challenges in budget limitations. Microsoft and the ICT Trust partnered to try and serve the needs of the schools by introducing the software,” says Puttergill.
The development manager says this has helped the students to build verbal and social skills thereby increasing their level of participation in global economy.
Microsoft also introduced the Windows Multipoint Server 2010, a shared computing solution that increases computing in classrooms, labs and libraries by allowing multiple users to simultaneously share one computer, using multiple screens.
Multiple user stations share one computer‘s processing capabilities. Each user station consisting of a keyboard, monitor and mouse, directly connects to the host computer. Students are able to see their own desktop and control individual work while the teacher can set up and maintain student accounts and share files with them.
Putergill says it is cost effective to use the Multipoint server and consumes less power. The software is currently being used at the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE).
Comments
Post a Comment