14 DAY TRIAL // No less than 14 winning teachers from around the world received accolades from Microsoft Partners in Learning. The Worldwide Innovative Education Forum acted as the stage for the delivery of the 2009 Worldwide Innovative Teacher Awards, designed to celebrate teachers that have enhanced student learning through the integration of technology. In excess of 250 teachers participating at the Forum from 60 countries were taken into consideration for the awards, but only 14 of them actually received a 2009 Worldwide Innovative Teacher Awards. The complete list offered by Microsoft is included at the bottom of this article.
“The Innovative Teacher Awards exemplify the dedication and imagination of the world’s most forward-thinking educators,” explained Michael Golden, corporate vice president of Education at Microsoft. “The energy and entrepreneurism of the winning teachers demonstrate the infinite possibilities that technology can create to improve learning opportunities and inspire future generations toward greater academic achievement. Microsoft remains committed to supporting the community in this quest. I’d like to extend warm congratulations to everyone who participated in this and the regional events that led up to today’s celebration.”
There are no less than four Best Practice winners for just as many main competition categories. Microsoft noted that the work done by Mandeep Atwal of England, Innovation in Community; Mark Sparvell of Australia, Innovation in Collaboration; Autumne Streeval and Harriet Armstrong of the United States, Innovation in Content; and Moliehi Sekese of Lesotho, Educators Choice deserved the top accolades.
“Winning the Educators Choice award is certainly a great honor,” noted Moliehi Sekese of Lesotho who won for her project Indigenous Plants. “Just being here and seeing how teachers from all over the world are enriching the lives of students is ultimately even more rewarding.”
Innovation in Community
• Best Practice: Mandeep Atwal (England), “Young Voices”
• First Runner-Up: Ollie Bray (Scotland), “Thinking outside the XBOX”
• Second Runner-Up: Lucrecio Filho de Oliveira (Brazil), Projeto “Barreiro”
Innovation in Collaboration
• Best Practice: Mark Sparvell (Australia), “Connecting Hearts Heads and Hands”
• First Runner-Up: Karina Batat (Israel), “The Traveling Mascot”
• Second Runner-Up (Tie): Myreia Gussinye (Mexico), “Tolerant”
• Second Runner-Up (Tie): Xiaoyong Tang (China), “Exploration of Ant Behavior”
Innovation in Content
• Best Practice: Autumne Streeval and Harriet Armstrong (United States), “US Industrial Revolution Tic Tac Toe”
• First Runner-Up: Damien Lebegue (France), “Differentiated/adapted Teaching in PE”
• Second Runner-Up: Alex Vieira dos Santos (Brazil), “Fontes De Energia”
Educators Choice
• Best Practice: Moliehi Sekese (Lesotho), “Indigenous Plants”
• First Runner-Up: Janjira Phongchoo (Thailand), “MS Excel Game Building Techniques”
• Second Runner-Up: Isabel Schapdryver (Belgium), “Secondhandshop”