Education Archives | Microsoft Devices Blog

Surface Copilot+ PCs: Built for teaching, learning and security

Sandra Andrews — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:00:05 +0000

Educators today are navigating more than ever. They are supporting diverse student needs, integrating new technologies and managing complex IT and security demands, all while keeping students engaged and prepared for a rapidly changing world. Now with the rise of AI, the expectations are even higher. School leaders and educators are being asked to define how AI will be used in classrooms to support learning, improve operations and promote equity. That journey starts with the right devices. Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PCs bring together the best of Microsoft—hardware, software and AI—to help schools rise to this challenge. Informed by educator feedback and powered by Microsoft Copilot and a built-in Neural Processing Unit (NPU), Surface enables intelligent experiences that run securely on the device or in the cloud, all managed seamlessly by IT.

What we heard from the classroom, reflected in the devices

Educators told us they need tools that feel natural to use while offering the latest capabilities. They need devices that are trusted, reliable and easy-to-manage, with experiences that support every student. That input shaped the design of Surface Copilot+ PCs, including the new Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch.

Security and trust, built into every Surface device We are making security our top priority at Microsoft, above all else—over all other features. Students, families, educators and institutions trust Microsoft to power learning and protect data. Surface devices build on that trust with enterprise-grade security, simplified management through Microsoft Intune, and deep integration with Microsoft Entra and Purview to help schools control access, safeguard sensitive information and govern AI responsibly as classroom needs evolve. Together, these tools help defend your school’s devices and data while putting the security, privacy and compliance needs of students, educators and school districts at the center.
Device experiences that support natural learning Students learn best when they can interact with content in ways that feel intuitive. Surface Pro supports digital inking with Slim Pen,ⁱ voice input with Studio Mics and natural language interaction with Copilotⁱⁱ. These features help students express themselves and stay engaged in their own way.
Reliable and adaptable for the school day Educators need devices that are fast, durable and ready for a full day of learning. Surface Copilot+ PCs are built to last and easy to repairⁱⁱⁱ. Their lightweight designs and all-day battery life make them easy to carry and use across classrooms, libraries, labs and home.
Inclusive and collaborative by design Learning is both personal and social. Surface Copilot+ PCs work seamlessly with Microsoft 365 to support collaboration through Microsoft Teams, OneNote and other familiar tools. Built-in accessibility features, along with the Surface Adaptive Kit and Microsoft Adaptive Accessories, help students personalize their experience and stay connected in any learning environment.
Ready for the tools schools already use Surface Copilot+ PCs are built to support the full range of learning needs by delivering the performance and experience required for the education tools students and educators depend on every day. Common apps like TestNav for assessments, Google Classroom for assignments, Minecraft Education for STEM, Adobe Express for creativity, and assistive technologies like JAWS are ready to use on Surface devices powered by Snapdragon X Series and Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors.

Trusted by educators, evolving with their needs

Around the world, schools that have long relied on Surface are continuing to invest in new devices that support the future of learning. Their experiences reflect many of the same priorities we heard during the development of Surface Copilot+ PCs: performance, reliability, flexibility and the ability to unlock the potential of AI in the classroom. These schools continue to choose Surface devices not just because of the technology itself, but because they trust them to evolve alongside their needs. At Royal Grammar School Newcastle in the United Kingdom, Surface is already deeply embedded in teaching and learning. Now the school is exploring how Copilot+ PCs can further enhance collaboration and student engagement through on-device AI.

“We wouldn't be doing our duty if we weren't incorporating 21st century technology into our curriculum. Educators are going to have to spend a time considering the choice of device and the applications used to harness the power of AI and the possibilities to support our student's learning. The use of the Surface device in the classroom has totally changed the dynamics.”

— Sarah Buist, Head of Digital Strategy, Royal Grammar School Newcastle

https://youtu.be/qcBPyfAi0lM In Japan, the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education has deployed Surface Pro devices across more than 200 high schools. Teachers have praised the fast-processing speed and large touchscreens, which make daily tasks like digital grading more intuitive and efficient. Combined with Microsoft 365 Copilot, they are also seeing meaningful time savings in their everyday work.

“The new Surface is easy to use with its fast-processing speed. The large screen allows simple operation by touch, making it straight-forward for digital grading. Grading previously took an hour by hand, but now it only takes about 40 minutes.” — Haruhiko Goto, Chief Coordinator of Super Science High School, Aichi Prefecture Ichinomiya High School

https://youtu.be/WoCREwm1fcg

Security and management that’s built for education IT

Surface leads the Windows ecosystem in security innovation. Designed and built by Microsoft, Surface helps schools protect student data, simplify IT management and reduce risk at every layer of the device—from silicon to cloud.

Security that starts at the core Surface Copilot+ PCs are Secured-core PCs with Microsoft Pluton built in. Pluton is a Microsoft-designed security chip integrated directly into the processor. It protects sensitive data like passwords and sign-ins, even if a device is lost or stolen. Updates are delivered automatically through Windows Update, so schools always have the latest protections without extra tools or effort.
Management designed for education With tools like Device Firmware Configuration Interface (DFCI) and Surface Enterprise Management Mode (SEMM), IT administrators can remotely control settings such as disabling cameras, USB ports and Bluetooth—even before the operating system loads. QR codes etched directly onto Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices provide instant access to serial numbers, making asset tracking, deployment and servicing faster and more accurate without manual entry.
Surface is secure by design and secure by default Every Surface device comes with Windows 11 Pro security features enabled right out of the box, which minimizes setup time and reduces risk. Firmware, drivers and OS updates are delivered through a single trusted channel, Windows Update. This unified approach simplifies management, reduces the number of tools IT teams need to support and helps schools respond to threats more quickly while staying focused on teaching and learning.

AI that works for the classroom

Transforming the classroom with on-device AI, powered by the NPU Surface Copilot+ PCs are built to meet the needs of today’s classrooms and support future AI innovations that will continue to shape teaching and learning. These experiences run locally on the device using a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which allows them to operate quickly, securely and without relying on the internet. This unlocks new ways for students and educators to enhance instruction, simplify daily tasks and create more inclusive classroom experiences. These are just a few ways Surface Copilot+ PCs bring AI to life in the classroom, with each experience powered by the NPU and with more innovations to come.

Microsoft Learning Zone: AI that empowers every educator Designed for education, Microsoft Learning Zone^iv is a free, AI-powered app coming to Copilot+ PCs, available in public preview later this year. It uses local AI processing to create personalized lessons, adapt content from trusted sources like OpenStax, generate interactive games with Kahoot and track student progress—saving time and making the classroom experience more flexible and engaging.
Click to Do (preview): Personalized support at your fingertips Click to Do^v enables students to highlight text or images and instantly receive contextual help—such as summarizing a paragraph or explaining a graph. Activated with the Windows key and a click, this AI-powered feature runs entirely on-device, using the NPU to deliver support that is fast, secure and always available when they need it.
Accessibility features: Inclusive by design and powered by AI Surface Copilot+ PCs include built-in tools that help more students participate fully in learning. Voice Access^vi now offers greater flexibility and a more natural way to navigate using speech, improving on earlier voice interaction tools with faster response times and support for conversational commands. Live Captions^vii provide real-time subtitles and translations for spoken content. Both are powered by the NPU to deliver instant performance across multiple languages, supporting more inclusive and accessible classrooms.

Read the blog to see how Microsoft Learning Zone and other AI features from Microsoft are transforming the classroom experience.

Ready for what’s next

With Windows 10 support ending on Oct. 14, 2025, now is the time to modernize your school’s device fleet with Windows 11. The new 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro for Business, part of the Surface Copilot+ PC portfolio, will be available to education institutions starting July 22. These devices are secure by design and default with built-in security to help protect against evolving cyberthreats and include new silicon capable of 40+ TOPS (trillions of operations per second). Copilot+ PCs offer all-day battery life to support learning anywhere, powerful performance for multitasking and content creation, and AI experiences tailored specifically for education.^viii Learn more about how to get ahead of Windows 10 end of support and take the next steps. These new devices expand the Surface Copilot+ PC portfolio and give schools flexible options to match the right device to every role. Whether you are empowering IT teams, supporting educators or enabling students to learn in more personalized and accessible ways, there is a Surface Copilot+ PC to fit your needs. If you are attending ISTELive 25 in San Antonio, be sure to visit the Microsoft booth starting June 29 to experience Surface Copilot+ PCs in action, connect with education experts and explore how Microsoft is helping shape the future of learning. Visit Surface.com/Business to learn more and request a quote for your school or district through an authorized reseller. Students, parents and educators can explore the new Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch at the Microsoft Store, where they can also save up to 10% on select Surface devices and more^ix. End Notes i Sold separately ii Minimum age limits may apply to use of Copilot and certain AI features. Details iii Replacement components available through online Microsoft Store and iFixIt for out-of-warranty repair. Components can be replaced by individuals with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices following Microsoft’s Service Guide. Microsoft tools (sold separately) may also be required. Availability of replacement components and service options may vary by product, market and over time. See Self-repair information for your Surface device – Microsoft Support. Opening and/or repairing a device can present electric shock, device damage, fire and personal injury risk, and other hazards. Use caution if undertaking self-service repairs. Unless required by law, damage caused during repair is not covered under Microsoft’s Limited Hardware Warranty or protection plans. iv Microsoft Learning Zone is available with a Copilot+ PC and Microsoft Education license (A1, A3, A5). Initial availability will be English only. v Click to Do (preview) available image and text actions may vary by device, region, language and character set. Subscription required for some actions. Click to Do coming to the European Economic Area later in 2025. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs vi Voice Access with flexible commands available now on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Series processor. Supports multiple languages, some features only available in English. See what’s new in Voice Access. vii Translation for video and audio subtitles into English from 40+ languages and from 27 languages into Chinese (Simplified). See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs viii Battery life varies significantly based on usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. See aka.ms/SurfaceBatteryPerformance for details. ix Microsoft Store Education discount is available to K-12 and higher education students, faculty and parents. Education discount only valid on select products, and may not be combinable with other offers. See terms and conditions at Education & Student Discounts on Laptops, Microsoft 365, Windows, Surface | Microsoft Store

Best in class, Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 empowers every student to achieve more

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 16:00:25 +0000

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students and educators have had to navigate a wide range of learning scenarios, from remote, to hybrid, and in some parts of the world, a return to face-to-face learning. In many of these cases, schools and districts had to adopt new technologies to maintain teaching and learning efforts. Now, these institutions have an opportunity to use this technology to continue to rethink and redefine traditional classroom approaches for their students. One major way schools are making this happen already is by moving from relying on pen and paper towards empowering students and teachers to write and teach with digital ink and ink-enabled devices. Digital inking also helps schools and institutions promote sustainability by lowering paper and printer usage. Instead of having students buy and carry around notebooks for every class, or having educators print out worksheets for a given topic, everyone can write directly on their Surface device. This can make a huge difference, as an average school uses about 50 reams of paper[1]—about 2.5 trees[2]—per teacher annually. Some schools who have made the switch already are seeing impressive sustainability results. Wellington College, a boarding school in the U.K., wanted to provide the same devices to each student and faculty member on campus. Due to their two-in-one functionalities and high-performance inking capabilities, the school chose to provide each student with Microsoft Surface devices. After adopting Surface devices for their digital inking capabilities, the school calculated it was saving 3.8 million sheets of paper every school year. If you stacked those sheets on top of each other, that stack would be about 250 meters high— five times the height of Nelson’s Column in London! Leaders at Wellington College also calculated that they were able to save about £120 for each device purchased, by no longer having to purchase printer paper and toner. That’s why we set out to reimagine the Microsoft Classroom Pen. For us, reducing pen costs to meet the needs of purchasing institutions while keeping the inclusive design fit for students of any age were of utmost importance. And on April 27, to continue empowering educators and students to achieve more, we will be proud to launch Microsoft Classroom Pen 2. Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 is optimized for use with Surface Go and Surface Pro and enables students of all ages to write and draw naturally on their screens via an improved design and longer enclosure. The durable pen tip is replaceable, and it’s easy to prevent loss with a built-in slot for a tether or the clip that attaches to Surface Type Covers. And even with those improvements, the Classroom Pen 2 is only half the cost of the original.Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 will be available exclusively to education institutions starting on April 27, 2021. It will be sold in packs of 20 for a cost of $399.80 USD ($19.99 per pen) and includes batteries and replacement pen tips. Learn more about Surface in Education at Surface.com/Education and connect with a local Surface Education reseller in your market. [1] reference.com [2] ribble-pack.co.uk

Empowering educators and students with new devices, offerings

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 14:49:46 +0000

Core to Microsoft’s Education mission – to empower every student on the planet to achieve more – is working with students, teachers and school leaders on their journey to make the most of classroom time. For Surface, it’s been exciting to see the great response to some of our newest products like Surface Go and Microsoft Classroom Pen, both designed with classrooms in mind. In case you missed it, Microsoft Classroom Pen is an all-new pen designed specifically with K-8 students and schools in mind. Affordable and easy to deploy, Microsoft Classroom Pen will be available exclusively to education institutions and sold in packs of 20 for a cost of $799.80 USD (approximately $39.99 per pen). We’ve continued to see great demand for Surface in education, further bolstered by the launch of Surface Go last year. There continues to be a growing demand for devices that are lightweight and ultra-portable to make it easy for students and educators alike to work from anywhere – home, in the classroom or even on field trips. Bringing the power of Surface products to the classroom also means empowering teachers to transform their classroom with premium, reliable and easy-to-deploy technology that doesn’t waste valuable instruction time. We continue to be inspired by the ways students and schools across the world use Surface products to drive transformation in the classroom and their organizations. Here are a few recent examples:

Yeo Valley School. Located in the United Kingdom, Yeo Valley Primary School recently transitioned to a 1:1 device pairing in the classroom, deploying Surface Go for its students. With Surface Go, the students have immediate access to more resources and can easily switch between pen and ink, touch, or typing while using the devices in Tablet Mode, Laptop Mode, or Studio Mode, depending on what makes the most sense for the lesson and their individual learning styles. Yeo Valley also deployed Surface Pro for its teachers, fostering a consistency in form factor between teachers and their students while providing teachers with devices suited to their needs.
Hillcrest Christian College. Located in Queensland, Australia, Hillcrest Christian College serves more than 1,550 students, ranging from grades K-12. The school recognized the need to provide the best learning tools to help students prepare for the digital world. The BYOD program fell well short of the school’s needs for device consistency. Hillcrest already used Microsoft Teams and OneNote and was looking for devices that seamlessly integrate with its ecosystem. After trying out a variety of devices, Hillcrest now provides Surface Pro devices for grades Pre-K through grade 4, Surface Book 2 for grades 7-12, and Surface Pro or Surface Book for teachers and administrators. Hillcrest also developed the I Love Reading (ILR) program in which students use Surface Pen and Surface Pro to develop reading and writing skills at an accelerated rate via an English phonetic code. As a result, they are “seeing children reading 12 months ahead of where they would have historically been reading,” said Michelle Cecil, Education Consultant, who helped implement the ILR program.
Blue Springs. Blue Springs Public School District has over 14,000 students in grades K-12 and as active Office 365 users, the teachers desired a lightweight, portable device that could withstand a full school day. After the teachers took a vote, the school district deployed 1,275 Surface Book 2 devices. Teachers love the ability to ink with Surface Pen and carry the device around the classroom, switching between Laptop and Tablet modes. In addition, the school district decided to move 5,000 students to a 1:1 classroom scenario, allowing teachers and students to take devices to and from school. Blue Springs purchased 5,000 Surface Go devices, telling us the size and portability, mixed with the price point, made it the perfect fit.

We aim to inspire and empower teachers to transform their classroom with reliable technology that improves valuable instruction time. That’s why we launched the Surface Donorschoose.org campaign, which enables teachers from across the United States to create a classroom project request for Surface devices. Starting today, Microsoft will match donations to help teachers add a Microsoft Surface Go for Education to their classrooms! Lastly, eligible Microsoft 365 Education customers can get up to $50 off Surface devices through June 30, 2019. For more market-specific terms, conditions and eligibility please visit here for more information on the U.S., Canada or Australia or worldwide offerings. We are constantly listening to and learning from our education customers and have an amazing team dedicated to continually improving our products and offerings. Interested in learning more about Microsoft Surface for Education? Check with your local reseller or Microsoft representative to see which devices and prices are available to your school today.Core to Microsoft’s Education mission – to empower every student on the planet to achieve more – is working with students, teachers and school leaders on their journey to make the most of classroom time. For Surface, it’s been exciting to see the great response to some of our newest products like Surface Go and Microsoft Classroom Pen, both designed with classrooms in mind. In case you missed it, Microsoft Classroom Pen is an all-new pen designed specifically with K-8 students and schools in mind. Affordable and easy to deploy, Microsoft Classroom Pen will be available exclusively to education institutions and sold in packs of 20 for a cost of $799.80 USD (approximately $39.99 per pen). We’ve continued to see great demand for Surface in education, further bolstered by the launch of Surface Go last year. There continues to be a growing demand for devices that are lightweight and ultra-portable to make it easy for students and educators alike to work from anywhere – home, in the classroom or even on field trips. Bringing the power of Surface products to the classroom also means empowering teachers to transform their classroom with premium, reliable and easy-to-deploy technology that doesn’t waste valuable instruction time. We continue to be inspired by the ways students and schools across the world use Surface products to drive transformation in the classroom and their organizations. Here are a few recent examples:

Yeo Valley School. Located in the United Kingdom, Yeo Valley Primary School recently transitioned to a 1:1 device pairing in the classroom, deploying Surface Go for its students. With Surface Go, the students have immediate access to more resources and can easily switch between pen and ink, touch, or typing while using the devices in Tablet Mode, Laptop Mode, or Studio Mode, depending on what makes the most sense for the lesson and their individual learning styles. Yeo Valley also deployed Surface Pro for its teachers, fostering a consistency in form factor between teachers and their students while providing teachers with devices suited to their needs.
Hillcrest Christian College. Located in Queensland, Australia, Hillcrest Christian College serves more than 1,550 students, ranging from grades K-12. The school recognized the need to provide the best learning tools to help students prepare for the digital world. The BYOD program fell well short of the school’s needs for device consistency. Hillcrest already used Microsoft Teams and OneNote and was looking for devices that seamlessly integrate with its ecosystem. After trying out a variety of devices, Hillcrest now provides Surface Pro devices for grades Pre-K through grade 4, Surface Book 2 for grades 7-12, and Surface Pro or Surface Book for teachers and administrators. Hillcrest also developed the I Love Reading (ILR) program in which students use Surface Pen and Surface Pro to develop reading and writing skills at an accelerated rate via an English phonetic code. As a result, they are “seeing children reading 12 months ahead of where they would have historically been reading,” said Michelle Cecil, Education Consultant, who helped implement the ILR program.
Blue Springs. Blue Springs Public School District has over 14,000 students in grades K-12 and as active Office 365 users, the teachers desired a lightweight, portable device that could withstand a full school day. After the teachers took a vote, the school district deployed 1,275 Surface Book 2 devices. Teachers love the ability to ink with Surface Pen and carry the device around the classroom, switching between Laptop and Tablet modes. In addition, the school district decided to move 5,000 students to a 1:1 classroom scenario, allowing teachers and students to take devices to and from school. Blue Springs purchased 5,000 Surface Go devices, telling us the size and portability, mixed with the price point, made it the perfect fit.

Owning Surface just got easier with the new Surface Plus Program

Mollie Ruiz-Hopper — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 13:00:15 +0000

Surface is designed to help people better create, collaborate, learn, and get things done. Beginning today at 9:00 a.m. PT, we're excited to announce the availability of Surface Plus and Surface Plus for Business; flexible financing options designed to help more people and businesses take advantage of the power of Surface. Available exclusively in the U.S. at Microsoft Stores and online at Microsoft.com, here’s all that Surface Plus and Surface Plus for Business can do for you: With school starting soon, there’s never been a better time for students to find the best Surface that’s right for them. Whether it’s a Surface Laptop, Surface Pro, Surface Book or Surface Studio - Surface Plus provides a simple, no-hassle plan to help students unlock their productivity and be more creative with Surface.

Surface Plus benefits include:

Low monthly payments: Customers can purchase a Surface device with an easy, 24-month payment plan at 0% APR.¹
Device upgrades: Customers can upgrade to the latest Surface after just 18 months.²
Dedicated Service & Support: Surface Plus offers best in class service and support from Microsoft Stores. Customers also have the option to add the Microsoft Complete extended service plan.
Microsoft Store benefits: All customers who shop at Microsoft Store enjoy access to benefits like a 30-day hassle free return policy, a Surface training and health check as well as a year of free in-store support and technical assistance.

For more information about Microsoft’s full suite of offerings and deals for students and teachers, check out today’s Windows Experience Blog post.

Surface Plus for Business

We’re also excited to announce Surface Plus for Business. Small and medium-sized businesses that are currently enrolled in the Surface Membership program will now enjoy the same enterprise-grade services and support under the Surface Plus for Business plan. Surface Plus for Business will offer new and existing customers:

Multiple Surface models: Customers can add as many devices as they want into a single agreement and can have a mix of models across the Surface portfolio.
The latest devices: Previously unavailable, customers can now finance a 55” Surface Hub in addition to the new Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Surface Book, and Surface Studio to unlock the power of the group in their businesses.
Office 365 for Business:. For an additional $8.25 per user per month, businesses can enjoy the ultimate productivity experience on Surface.
Flexible Terms³. Businesses can choose flexible 18, 24 or 30 month periods, with the ability to upgrade devices after just 12 months on the 18-month term (or after 18 months on the 24-month term). Businesses can also expand or reduce their device fleet mid-term.*
Device Protection: Surface Plus for Business offers peace of mind with the Microsoft Complete for Business extended service plan with accidental damage protection.

Surface Plus and Surface Plus for Business is ownership, re-imagined. For customers in the U.S., we invite you to visit your nearest Microsoft Store for a device fitting or enroll online today to choose the best Surface for you. ¹ Promotional 0% APR available to qualified customers and subject to credit approval by Klarna. Non-promotional balances with Klarna are 19.99% APR after 24 months. Financing issued by WebBank, member FDIC, and serviced by Klarna. Subject to Surface Plus Terms and Klarna Credit Terms.** ² Upgrade subject to device availability and eligibility requirements, including an account with Klarna, Inc. in good standing, the return of the functional device to Microsoft in good condition, and new 24-month payment plan and credit agreement with Klarna.** ³The 19.99% interest rate is specific to individual Surface Plus customers financed via Klarna. Surface Plus for Business financing is provided by LiftForward and does not incur interest rates. *Updated to reflect Surface Plus for Business length terms and financing details. **Updated 8/16/17 for clarity.Announcing Surface Plus and Surface Plus for Business, available for customers and businesses exclusively at U.S. Microsoft Stores and online at Microsoft.com. Surface is designed to help people better create, collaborate, learn, and get things done. Beginning today at 9:00 a.m. PT, we're excited to announce the availability of Surface Plus and Surface Plus for Business; flexible financing options designed to help more people and businesses take advantage of the power of Surface. Available exclusively in the U.S. at Microsoft Stores and online at Microsoft.com, here’s all that Surface Plus and Surface Plus for Business can do for you: With school starting soon, there’s never been a better time for students to find the best Surface that’s right for them. Whether it’s a Surface Laptop, Surface Pro, Surface Book or Surface Studio - Surface Plus provides a simple, no-hassle plan to help students unlock their productivity and be more creative with Surface.

Surface Plus benefits include:

Low monthly payments: Customers can purchase a Surface device with an easy, 24-month payment plan at 0% APR.¹
Device upgrades: Customers can upgrade to the latest Surface after just 18 months.²
Dedicated Service & Support: Surface Plus offers best in class service and support from Microsoft Stores. Customers also have the option to add the Microsoft Complete extended service plan.
Microsoft Store benefits: All customers who shop at Microsoft Store enjoy access to benefits like a 30-day hassle free return policy, a Surface training and health check as well as a year of free in-store support and technical assistance.

For more information about Microsoft’s full suite of offerings and deals for students and teachers, check out today’s Windows Experience Blog post.

Surface Plus for Business

Multiple Surface models: Customers can add as many devices as they want into a single agreement and can have a mix of models across the Surface portfolio.
The latest devices: Previously unavailable, customers can now finance a 55” Surface Hub in addition to the new Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Surface Book, and Surface Studio to unlock the power of the group in their businesses.
Office 365 for Business:. For an additional $8.25 per user per month, businesses can enjoy the ultimate productivity experience on Surface.
Flexible Terms³. Businesses can choose flexible 18, 24 or 30 month periods, with the ability to upgrade devices after just 12 months on the 18-month term (or after 18 months on the 24-month term). Businesses can also expand or reduce their device fleet mid-term.*
Device Protection: Surface Plus for Business offers peace of mind with the Microsoft Complete for Business extended service plan with accidental damage protection.

Microsoft Surface launches a warranty primed for schools and education

Mollie Ruiz-Hopper — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 17:00:16 +0000

Microsoft was founded on the principle that people can do remarkable things when technology is within reach. Core to our mission – to empower every student on the planet to achieve more – is working with educators, with students, and with school leaders on their journey to redefine learning. And we continue to be inspired by the ways our Surface devices are helping to drive that transformation. Students like Kody Peralta are changing the way they learn and schools like Franklin Classical Middle School are changing the way the teach. Over the last 24 months, we’ve seen great demand for Surface in education, which has nearly doubled its presence in classrooms around the world. Bringing the power of Surface devices to the classroom also means creating flexible and robust warranty programs that help schools more easily manage and deploy Surface. [wb_blockquote]Today, we are excited to announce the Surface Complete for Education warranty for schools and educational institutions.[/wb_blockquote] Available for both K-12 and Higher-Ed institutions in the U.S. starting tomorrow and expanding to Surface markets internationally on September 30, Surface Complete for Education is a warranty offering designed to give schools and educational institutions access to accidental damage protection, claims sharing, exclusive end-user device training tailored to education, and onboarding resources. In the U.S., Surface Complete for Education will start at $225 USD for Surface Pro 4 and $359 USD for Surface Book. Pricing will vary in additional markets based on purchase volume.

Accidental damage protection and claims pooling

One of the biggest concerns schools face when rolling out new devices? Students (and even teachers from time to time) can be a little clumsy with their devices. No problem. Surface Complete for Education allows school IT departments to pool accidental damage claims up to 100% of devices purchased, independent of which device user requested a new claim. For example, if your school decided to purchase 250 Surface Pro 4 devices with the Complete for Education warranty bundle, your school would be eligible for up to 250 accidental damage claims across ALL your devices. This means warranties don’t have to be tied to a specific device which allows for more than the traditional 2 accidental damage claims (with Complete for Business) to be made on a Surface device. And with the accidental damage protection benefit, schools can be rest assured that if a student or staff member has an unfortunate spill or drop with their Surface, they will still be eligible for a replacement, and the process will be seamless and easy. We love hearing how schools are using Surface to make learning more dynamic and versatile, with Pen and touch, the Microsoft Office suite with programs like OneNote, and full Windows on such a thin and light device. And we’re excited to bring this enhanced offering to existing and new schools in Surface markets worldwide. Interested in learning more about Surface Complete for Education? Check with your local reseller or Microsoft representative to see which SKUs and prices are available to your school today! Microsoft was founded on the principle that people can do remarkable things when technology is within reach. Core to our mission – to empower every student on the planet to achieve more – is working with educators, with students, and with school leaders on their journey to redefine learning. And we continue to be inspired by the ways our Surface devices are helping to drive that transformation. Students like Kody Peralta are changing the way they learn and schools like Franklin Classical Middle School are changing the way the teach. Over the last 24 months, we’ve seen great demand for Surface in education, which has nearly doubled its presence in classrooms around the world. Bringing the power of Surface devices to the classroom also means creating flexible and robust warranty programs that help schools more easily manage and deploy Surface. [wb_blockquote]Today, we are excited to announce the Surface Complete for Education warranty for schools and educational institutions.[/wb_blockquote] Available for both K-12 and Higher-Ed institutions in the U.S. starting tomorrow and expanding to Surface markets internationally on September 30, Surface Complete for Education is a warranty offering designed to give schools and educational institutions access to accidental damage protection, claims sharing, exclusive end-user device training tailored to education, and onboarding resources. In the U.S., Surface Complete for Education will start at $225 USD for Surface Pro 4 and $359 USD for Surface Book. Pricing will vary in additional markets based on purchase volume.

Accidental damage protection and claims pooling

Surface 3 is a hit in schools… and now at a 30% discount

Thu, 04 Feb 2016 16:00:46 +0000

Surface 3 has been a hit with teachers and students who tell us they love the portability, the tablet and laptop form factor, and most of all… the Pen and ability to move to a paperless classroom with digital ink. And since we launched Surface 3 last May, we’ve seen increasing numbers of schools – across elementary, high school, and university – adopting Surface 3 as their 1:1 computing student device. Broadclyst Primary School, the ROC of Amsterdam, the Ministry of Education Luxembourg, Hillcrest Christian College in Australia as well as Chino Valley Unified School District in the U.S. were among the first to buy and deploy Surface 3. It’s so rewarding for us to see videos like these in classrooms at Sarasota County Schools and Wymondham High Academy where teachers and students are doing great things with Surface 3. On the heels of attending the BETT conference in the UK, we are excited to welcome even more schools to the Surface family including United Arab Emirates-based Mohammad Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme, Western Sydney University, Fulton County Schools, and many more. “Without digital ink we would use the computers as a typewriter or for research…but we would never use it for math, science, or art.” — 2015 IDC Survey of US Educators These educational institutions and others are experiencing how Surface helps teachers and students be more product with pen and digital ink, plus a click-in keyboard. So, in an effort to empower even more schools with Surface we are offering a new 30% discount on our Surface 3 Education Bundle.

New discount for schools adopting Surface 3

Given the positive response to Surface 3 from schools, and to help even more schools experience the benefits of Surface in the classroom, we are offering the Surface 3 Education Bundles at a 30% discount* for Education customers until June 30^th. The Surface 3 Education Bundles include the device, keyboard and pen, and beginning February 1^st, orders will ship with the new Surface Pen.

Welcoming more than 23,000 new students and educators to the Surface family

The K-12 focused, United Arab Emirates-based Mohammad Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme was among the first educational institutions to see what a uniquely flexible tool Surface can be for their classrooms. They have deployed more than 10,000 Surface Pro devices to empower each and every student to learn in an interactive, engaging environment and ultimately prepare them to become future leaders and innovators in their respective fields. “The goal of the Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Program is to empower our students to realize their full potential as future leaders. We do this through the application of world class teaching techniques and innovative technology, and we are proud to partner with Microsoft Surface on the next phase of the program.” – HE Mohammed Gheyath, Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program Western Sydney University in Australia continues to work tirelessly to provide a more personalized, flexible learning environment for its students: “Several years ago WSU became one of the first universities to provide devices for students, but our 5,000 Surface device distribution takes that a step further,” said WSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Glover. “This marks the beginning of a unique device approach developed through consultation between industry and Deans across all faculties, empowering students with a relevant device specific to their course curriculum.” Fulton County Schools is one of the oldest and most diverse school districts in Georgia, with a history of technology innovation in learning. For the 2016 Academic Year, Fulton County will be deploying Surface 3 to all students and teachers in in five of its schools. “We promote the seamless and effective use of technology to support student learning. And versatile devices that support digital inking, like Surface 3 allow our teachers and students to more deeply integrate technology into instruction and learning activities.” – Serena Sacks, CIO Fulton County Schools Many schools are empowering teachers and students themselves to select their own teaching and learning devices. Omaha Public School District is a great example of this – see how Wakonda Elementary School structured its device selection process here. Shireland Collegiate Academy, a Microsoft Showcase School, uses Surface 3 to do flipped learning and improve pupil engagement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6inRum2FTrg Special Education departments across the world are adapting to diverse student learning needs by taking advantage of the versatility of form factor and the multiple input/output modes Surface has to offer. https://youtu.be/FR2aGCB3aJQ And with the recently announced new Learning Tools for OneNote, we’re even more excited to be able to provide Microsoft hardware and software solutions that provide accessible learning for all students.

New study shows Surface Pen and digital ink can positively impact teacher productivity

Adding to the existing research that shows handwriting as an important factor in memory retention and student learning, IDC recently completed a study which looks at how handwriting is used by educators as a teaching tool. When considering some of the key findings in this study, it’s clear why Surface is developing a strong fan base among educators.

90% of teachers using a digital inking device agree it allows them to increase the quality of their curriculum.
2 out of 3 teachers using a digital inking device agree it saves time when preparing materials and grading homework.

Quotes from educators participating in the study are also telling:

“Digital ink is transformational in terms of the way feedback for students occurs. Often the feedback takes the form of simple annotations, markups and highlights.”
“Last year I printed out about 900 pieces of paper per student. This year I’ve printed out a total of about 40 pages per kid. That’s a massive reduction”
“I don't bring paper home to grade anymore. It's all on my computer.”

A white paper outlining the results of this study can be found here. We love to hear stories of schools adopting Surface, so keep them coming! And we hope that with this new discount, even more schools will be able to take advantage of the Power of the Pen with Surface 3! *Final price will come from the authorized reseller. The offer applies to Surface 3 Education bundle SKUs only. Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and non-bundle SKUs are not included in this promotion. Surface 3 has been a hit with teachers and students who tell us they love the portability, the tablet and laptop form factor, and most of all… the Pen and ability to move to a paperless classroom with digital ink. And since we launched Surface 3 last May, we’ve seen increasing numbers of schools – across elementary, high school, and university – adopting Surface 3 as their 1:1 computing student device. Broadclyst Primary School, the ROC of Amsterdam, the Ministry of Education Luxembourg, Hillcrest Christian College in Australia as well as Chino Valley Unified School District in the U.S. were among the first to buy and deploy Surface 3. It’s so rewarding for us to see videos like these in classrooms at Sarasota County Schools and Wymondham High Academy where teachers and students are doing great things with Surface 3. On the heels of attending the BETT conference in the UK, we are excited to welcome even more schools to the Surface family including United Arab Emirates-based Mohammad Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme, Western Sydney University, Fulton County Schools, and many more. “Without digital ink we would use the computers as a typewriter or for research…but we would never use it for math, science, or art.” — 2015 IDC Survey of US Educators These educational institutions and others are experiencing how Surface helps teachers and students be more product with pen and digital ink, plus a click-in keyboard. So, in an effort to empower even more schools with Surface we are offering a new 30% discount on our Surface 3 Education Bundle.

New discount for schools adopting Surface 3

Welcoming more than 23,000 new students and educators to the Surface family

New study shows Surface Pen and digital ink can positively impact teacher productivity

90% of teachers using a digital inking device agree it allows them to increase the quality of their curriculum.
2 out of 3 teachers using a digital inking device agree it saves time when preparing materials and grading homework.

Quotes from educators participating in the study are also telling:

“Digital ink is transformational in terms of the way feedback for students occurs. Often the feedback takes the form of simple annotations, markups and highlights.”
“Last year I printed out about 900 pieces of paper per student. This year I’ve printed out a total of about 40 pages per kid. That’s a massive reduction”
“I don't bring paper home to grade anymore. It's all on my computer.”

Advice for the empowered intern

Wed, 26 Aug 2015 18:59:58 +0000

Through my role as product marketing manager for Surface, I strive to help students identify technology that is the right fit for their busy lives. My own career path from pre-med to Microsoft finance intern to today allows me to offer a unique perspective on how technology can not only help you succeed, but sometimes open unexpected doors for your future. One such unexpected opportunity arose when we partnered with Marie Claire this summer and asked some of their interns to test out our Surface 3s. As part of our work together, I participated in Marie Claire’s @Work Event where I shared four pieces of advice for interns going into the work place with summer interns from various Hearst magazines. My guidance pulls from experiences here at Microsoft and parallels that of building a product. As summer internships wind down and school or new jobs are on the horizon I left the interns with this: Don’t limit yourself to existing categories. Be open-minded. You start building a successful product by not limiting yourself to existing categories. Don’t go in with preconceived notions of what success looks like. If Microsoft Surface had, we would’ve built either a tablet or a laptop. Instead we built a device that has the best of a laptop and the best of a tablet. Having a successful internship is the same. Don’t go in thinking you know exactly what you want, exactly how to get it, and exactly what success looks like – be open-minded, brainstorm ideas and learn new functions. You’ll likely end up with a better opportunity in the end, than if you had come in narrow-minded. Once you know what you want to do, test it out. Put yourself out there in the world. After we think we have an idea of what to build, we tirelessly test – and put it out in the world. Often what you think is the best, may not necessarily be. Consider, Microsoft’s first Surface, it had a one-angle kickstand. In testing we realized multi-position kickstands make more sense for different scenarios, so for future product versions we adjusted to include a continuous kickstand. Similarly, once you think you have an idea of what you want to do with your life, test it out. Don’t sit back and hypothetically think “well maybe this job would be cool.” Leverage your network to get out and speak with the person who does the job you want today. Try it for yourself by job shadowing. Test it out. Learn how to take feedback. During the testing process, you have to also be okay with feedback. You have to learn how to accept it. I remember the first time someone said “the keyboard is great – but I wish it came in purple” and I wanted to breakdown and quit. We’d already built black keyboards and felt black was the right fit for everyone. I struggled with that feedback. But, feedback is how you get better. Be open to it, welcome it, and really internalize it. That’s not to say every piece of feedback is warranted – but kind of like a bad joke, there is some truth to most feedback. You have to take the time to consider feedback and handle it with grace. Capitalize on your strengths, don’t fix weakness you have. The last bit of advice I have is to capitalize on your strengths and don’t try to fix every little weakness you have. An internship is an opportunity to build your individual strengths into a personal brand, something you’re known for. At Microsoft for example, instead of trying to mimic competitors, we identify what we’re really good at – making people productive. So we spend our energy there; enabling people to make it happen is our superpower. We built our entire Surface brand around that notion – the most productive devices on the planet. Remember, everyone will have shortcomings – even you – so depart your internship with a superpower and an imprint of that one thing you do better than anyone else. That’s when you know you have truly made your mark. Through my role as product marketing manager for Surface, I strive to help students identify technology that is the right fit for their busy lives. My own career path from pre-med to Microsoft finance intern to today allows me to offer a unique perspective on how technology can not only help you succeed, but sometimes open unexpected doors for your future. One such unexpected opportunity arose when we partnered with Marie Claire this summer and asked some of their interns to test out our Surface 3s. As part of our work together, I participated in Marie Claire’s @Work Event where I shared four pieces of advice for interns going into the work place with summer interns from various Hearst magazines. My guidance pulls from experiences here at Microsoft and parallels that of building a product. As summer internships wind down and school or new jobs are on the horizon I left the interns with this: Don’t limit yourself to existing categories. Be open-minded. You start building a successful product by not limiting yourself to existing categories. Don’t go in with preconceived notions of what success looks like. If Microsoft Surface had, we would’ve built either a tablet or a laptop. Instead we built a device that has the best of a laptop and the best of a tablet. Having a successful internship is the same. Don’t go in thinking you know exactly what you want, exactly how to get it, and exactly what success looks like – be open-minded, brainstorm ideas and learn new functions. You’ll likely end up with a better opportunity in the end, than if you had come in narrow-minded. Once you know what you want to do, test it out. Put yourself out there in the world. After we think we have an idea of what to build, we tirelessly test – and put it out in the world. Often what you think is the best, may not necessarily be. Consider, Microsoft’s first Surface, it had a one-angle kickstand. In testing we realized multi-position kickstands make more sense for different scenarios, so for future product versions we adjusted to include a continuous kickstand. Similarly, once you think you have an idea of what you want to do with your life, test it out. Don’t sit back and hypothetically think “well maybe this job would be cool.” Leverage your network to get out and speak with the person who does the job you want today. Try it for yourself by job shadowing. Test it out. Learn how to take feedback. During the testing process, you have to also be okay with feedback. You have to learn how to accept it. I remember the first time someone said “the keyboard is great – but I wish it came in purple” and I wanted to breakdown and quit. We’d already built black keyboards and felt black was the right fit for everyone. I struggled with that feedback. But, feedback is how you get better. Be open to it, welcome it, and really internalize it. That’s not to say every piece of feedback is warranted – but kind of like a bad joke, there is some truth to most feedback. You have to take the time to consider feedback and handle it with grace. Capitalize on your strengths, don’t fix weakness you have. The last bit of advice I have is to capitalize on your strengths and don’t try to fix every little weakness you have. An internship is an opportunity to build your individual strengths into a personal brand, something you’re known for. At Microsoft for example, instead of trying to mimic competitors, we identify what we’re really good at – making people productive. So we spend our energy there; enabling people to make it happen is our superpower. We built our entire Surface brand around that notion – the most productive devices on the planet. Remember, everyone will have shortcomings – even you – so depart your internship with a superpower and an imprint of that one thing you do better than anyone else. That’s when you know you have truly made your mark.

Announcing early adopters and a 10% discount on Surface 3 for Education

Wed, 22 Apr 2015 16:09:28 +0000

We all know education is changing. More and more, desks in today’s classrooms are grouped together in clusters for better collaboration and project-based learning. Tablets, phones and laptops are becoming fixtures on student desks – replacing many of the ‘analog’ teaching and learning tools of the past including textbooks, notebooks, paper handouts and tabbed folders to carry and organize everything. For most schools, the vision of a completely Digital Classroom is still just a vision. But with the 1:1 computing trend growing in schools (FutureSource estimates half of all K-12 students will have access to a 1:1 device by next academic year), more and more classrooms will be going paperless. In order to make a full transformation to a digital classroom, a tablet needs to support not only reading and typing input, but also writing which is a critical part of the learning experience. There have been multiple research studies published on the importance of handwriting to education. We all recognize intuitively that the act of writing helps us process ideas and information in a way that typing on a keyboard cannot. Think about a student labeling a diagram of the human body; sketching the effect of magnets on each other; doing side calculations to solve a math problem; or simply creating art. These are just a few examples that help to illustrate how Surface can make a lot of sense for schools. In fact, response from customers like Cincinnati Country Day School, Cicero School District, and others have been very positive around Surface Pro 3 as an educational device. And we’ve also heard from some schools that they would be interested in a more affordable choice that would allow them to take advantage of all the flexibility that Surface Pro 3 offers. With Surface 3, we now have that option -- an outstanding tablet for education that offers a premium touch and inking experience, along with great portability and great battery life, at a more affordable price. 10% Discount for Education on Surface 3, Type Cover and Surface Pen Surface 3 brings all the benefits of the Surface Pro 3 – best-in-class digital inking, touch-screen tablet, and fully productive laptop running full Windows 8.1 – at a more affordable price point. We have already been offering a 10% discount to educational institutions purchasing Surface Pro 3. Now, to make Surface even more affordable for schools as a 1:1 device, we are extending a 10% discount to educational institutions purchasing Surface 3, Type Cover and Surface Pen. This discount is available from our commercial resellers and Microsoft Store. In addition, we are offering a unique Surface 3 configuration exclusively for educational institutions with 32GB storage capacity and 2GB memory. Schools are committing to Surface 3 even before availability We are excited to announce that schools such as Broadclyst Primary School and Shireland Collegiate Academy in the UK, the ROC of Amsterdam, the Ministry of Education Luxembourg, Hillcrest Christian College in Australia as well as University of Phoenix and Chino Valley Unified School District in the U.S. have already committed to buying and deploying Surface 3. The examples below include a bit more detail about why schools are excited about Surface 3 and how they expect the device to have a real impact on how they teach and the ways students learn. Wymondham High Academy in the UK is deploying Surface 3 for its student and faculty devices, “With the superior inking capabilities and the use of OneNote in the Classroom, Surface 3 will truly begin to empower teachers to integrate the use of technology in the classroom across the curriculum.” – Kevin Sait, Head of IT Strategy Sarasota County School District has been a long-time fan of Surface – having deployed Surface RT, and Surface 2 throughout schools in the district. Now, they are adopting Surface 3 for their freshman and sophomore class at Suncoast Polytechnic High School – as shown in the video below-- and in other schools across the district. Accessories complete the solution for Surface 3 in schools We have worked with leading accessory manufacturers to create solutions that help protect Surface tablets against accidental damage and help to keep Type Covers and Surface Pens readily accessible for student use. We have a full range of accessories that are proving popular with schools that have selected Surface as their student and faculty device – including rugged and protective cases from Incipio, M-edge, STM and UAG; charging/securing/storing carts from Anthro, and pen storage solutions from Cleanstylus. Surface driving positive transformation in schools While some of us may reminisce about the smell of mimeograph machines, the fear of never filling in the bubbles completely on scan-tron forms, or the happy excuse of the dog eating homework, the classrooms of today are an amazing place where students and teachers are using technology to explore ideas, challenge themselves through personalized learning paths, and collaborate and express themselves in ways we never thought possible. With Surface 3, we’re excited to be a part of helping more schools take advantage of precise digital inking capabilities and providing a rich experience that really delivers on the idea of preparing students with 21st Century skills, catering to any learning style and activity, and helping teachers and administrators drive positive transformation of learning in classrooms around the world. For more details about Surface in education, please go to: www.surface.com/education We all know education is changing. More and more, desks in today’s classrooms are grouped together in clusters for better collaboration and project-based learning. Tablets, phones and laptops are becoming fixtures on student desks – replacing many of the ‘analog’ teaching and learning tools of the past including textbooks, notebooks, paper handouts and tabbed folders to carry and organize everything. For most schools, the vision of a completely Digital Classroom is still just a vision. But with the 1:1 computing trend growing in schools (FutureSource estimates half of all K-12 students will have access to a 1:1 device by next academic year), more and more classrooms will be going paperless. In order to make a full transformation to a digital classroom, a tablet needs to support not only reading and typing input, but also writing which is a critical part of the learning experience. There have been multiple research studies published on the importance of handwriting to education. We all recognize intuitively that the act of writing helps us process ideas and information in a way that typing on a keyboard cannot. Think about a student labeling a diagram of the human body; sketching the effect of magnets on each other; doing side calculations to solve a math problem; or simply creating art. These are just a few examples that help to illustrate how Surface can make a lot of sense for schools. In fact, response from customers like Cincinnati Country Day School, Cicero School District, and others have been very positive around Surface Pro 3 as an educational device. And we’ve also heard from some schools that they would be interested in a more affordable choice that would allow them to take advantage of all the flexibility that Surface Pro 3 offers. With Surface 3, we now have that option -- an outstanding tablet for education that offers a premium touch and inking experience, along with great portability and great battery life, at a more affordable price. 10% Discount for Education on Surface 3, Type Cover and Surface Pen Surface 3 brings all the benefits of the Surface Pro 3 – best-in-class digital inking, touch-screen tablet, and fully productive laptop running full Windows 8.1 – at a more affordable price point. We have already been offering a 10% discount to educational institutions purchasing Surface Pro 3. Now, to make Surface even more affordable for schools as a 1:1 device, we are extending a 10% discount to educational institutions purchasing Surface 3, Type Cover and Surface Pen. This discount is available from our commercial resellers and Microsoft Store. In addition, we are offering a unique Surface 3 configuration exclusively for educational institutions with 32GB storage capacity and 2GB memory. Schools are committing to Surface 3 even before availability We are excited to announce that schools such as Broadclyst Primary School and Shireland Collegiate Academy in the UK, the ROC of Amsterdam, the Ministry of Education Luxembourg, Hillcrest Christian College in Australia as well as University of Phoenix and Chino Valley Unified School District in the U.S. have already committed to buying and deploying Surface 3. The examples below include a bit more detail about why schools are excited about Surface 3 and how they expect the device to have a real impact on how they teach and the ways students learn. Wymondham High Academy in the UK is deploying Surface 3 for its student and faculty devices, “With the superior inking capabilities and the use of OneNote in the Classroom, Surface 3 will truly begin to empower teachers to integrate the use of technology in the classroom across the curriculum.” – Kevin Sait, Head of IT Strategy Sarasota County School District has been a long-time fan of Surface – having deployed Surface RT, and Surface 2 throughout schools in the district. Now, they are adopting Surface 3 for their freshman and sophomore class at Suncoast Polytechnic High School – as shown in the video below-- and in other schools across the district. Accessories complete the solution for Surface 3 in schools We have worked with leading accessory manufacturers to create solutions that help protect Surface tablets against accidental damage and help to keep Type Covers and Surface Pens readily accessible for student use. We have a full range of accessories that are proving popular with schools that have selected Surface as their student and faculty device – including rugged and protective cases from Incipio, M-edge, STM and UAG; charging/securing/storing carts from Anthro, and pen storage solutions from Cleanstylus. Surface driving positive transformation in schools While some of us may reminisce about the smell of mimeograph machines, the fear of never filling in the bubbles completely on scan-tron forms, or the happy excuse of the dog eating homework, the classrooms of today are an amazing place where students and teachers are using technology to explore ideas, challenge themselves through personalized learning paths, and collaborate and express themselves in ways we never thought possible. With Surface 3, we’re excited to be a part of helping more schools take advantage of precise digital inking capabilities and providing a rich experience that really delivers on the idea of preparing students with 21st Century skills, catering to any learning style and activity, and helping teachers and administrators drive positive transformation of learning in classrooms around the world. For more details about Surface in education, please go to: www.surface.com/education

Surface supporting bilingual education

Fri, 20 Feb 2015 14:00:23 +0000

Learning in a language that isn’t your native tongue is hard. Anyone who’s had the experience of sitting in the back of a classroom only catching every few words as the teacher explains a concept, and seeing the rest of the class nodding their heads, knows what I mean. Language can not only be an impediment to learning, but it can also erode a students’ sense of self-confidence. And it is this sense of “I’m not good at school” that can persist, even after a student has mastered the language. One of the benefits we’re seeing with more and more technology being brought into the classroom, is helping ‘language learners’ assimilate more quickly into class instruction, by removing this language impediment. A great example of this is at Cicero School District, just outside of Chicago. More than 50 percent of the Cicero’s students speak Spanish as their first language and are learning English as a second language while attending school. Cicero’s Superintendent, School Board members and Administration were looking for innovative ways to help their ESL (English as a Second Language) learners not only keep up with classwork, but also give them an advantage in the competition for the jobs of tomorrow. They looked at various technology solutions with the objective of finding something that would easily augment their existing bilingual education program with video, audio, and visual learning, while simultaneously helping teach students real-world technology skills they will need in the workforce of tomorrow. Watch their story here: Some of the language solutions called out in the video include: BrainPOP ESL – a comprehensive English language learning program that uses engaging animated movies to model conversational English. Read&Write Gold – With Text to Speech, content is read aloud with highlighting. Individual words are highlighted in one color as they are spoken while the sentence is highlighted in another color. World Book – World Book Discover offers engaging reference resources for reluctant readers, ELL, ESL, and adult literacy students. OneNote – Embed audio, video, pictures, and text into your OneNote Classroom Notebooks. Allow students and teachers to ink, annotate, draw and highlight. In addition, there are many other tools that can help Teachers with differentiated learning when it comes to secondary language learners, including:

Translator – The Translator App by Microsoft is your companion when you need to quickly translate what you are looking at. Use your camera, say phrase or just type the text you want to translate.
Microsoft Accessibility – Accessibility features and settings are built into the Windows and other Microsoft software programs. These features can be adjusted to meet vision, hearing, dexterity and mobility, language, and learning needs. For example, in Windows 8.1, you can change the font size and color, and mouse pointer size, color, and movement options. Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office 365, and Microsoft Internet Explorer include additional accessibility features and settings that can be adjusted to make the computer easier to see, hear, and use.

When it comes to personalized learning that caters to the individualized learning abilities of all students, including language learners, Surface is a great device option due to its versatility – students can touch, type, write, watch, speak and listen in a variety of different positions. We’re excited to see stories like Cicero emerge, and eager to support schools doing amazing things with technology in the classroom to help their students realize their full potential. Learning in a language that isn’t your native tongue is hard. Anyone who’s had the experience of sitting in the back of a classroom only catching every few words as the teacher explains a concept, and seeing the rest of the class nodding their heads, knows what I mean. Language can not only be an impediment to learning, but it can also erode a students’ sense of self-confidence. And it is this sense of “I’m not good at school” that can persist, even after a student has mastered the language. One of the benefits we’re seeing with more and more technology being brought into the classroom, is helping ‘language learners’ assimilate more quickly into class instruction, by removing this language impediment. A great example of this is at Cicero School District, just outside of Chicago. More than 50 percent of the Cicero’s students speak Spanish as their first language and are learning English as a second language while attending school. Cicero’s Superintendent, School Board members and Administration were looking for innovative ways to help their ESL (English as a Second Language) learners not only keep up with classwork, but also give them an advantage in the competition for the jobs of tomorrow. They looked at various technology solutions with the objective of finding something that would easily augment their existing bilingual education program with video, audio, and visual learning, while simultaneously helping teach students real-world technology skills they will need in the workforce of tomorrow. Watch their story here: Some of the language solutions called out in the video include: BrainPOP ESL – a comprehensive English language learning program that uses engaging animated movies to model conversational English. Read&Write Gold – With Text to Speech, content is read aloud with highlighting. Individual words are highlighted in one color as they are spoken while the sentence is highlighted in another color. World Book – World Book Discover offers engaging reference resources for reluctant readers, ELL, ESL, and adult literacy students. OneNote – Embed audio, video, pictures, and text into your OneNote Classroom Notebooks. Allow students and teachers to ink, annotate, draw and highlight. In addition, there are many other tools that can help Teachers with differentiated learning when it comes to secondary language learners, including:

Translator – The Translator App by Microsoft is your companion when you need to quickly translate what you are looking at. Use your camera, say phrase or just type the text you want to translate.
Microsoft Accessibility – Accessibility features and settings are built into the Windows and other Microsoft software programs. These features can be adjusted to meet vision, hearing, dexterity and mobility, language, and learning needs. For example, in Windows 8.1, you can change the font size and color, and mouse pointer size, color, and movement options. Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office 365, and Microsoft Internet Explorer include additional accessibility features and settings that can be adjusted to make the computer easier to see, hear, and use.

Celebrating Music Education with the GRAMMY Foundation

Markus Weickenmeier — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A couple of months ago we started working with the GRAMMY Foundation. The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. This year the GRAMMY Foundation awarded the first annual Music Educator Award. The awards aims to recognize the important role that teachers play in the appreciation of music. More than 50,000 teachers were nominated online in the past year and 10 finalists were announced in December. This week the GRAMMY Foundation announced that Kent Knappenberger of Westfield Academy and Central School in Westfield, N.Y., is the recipient of the first annual Music Educator Award. The Surface team is a proud sponsor of this award and we want to congratulate Kent on his achievement. Knappenberger has been a music teacher and choir director at Westfield Academy and Central School for 25 years. He holds a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia and a master's degree in music education, harp performance and literature from Eastman School of Music, and he is a member of the National Education Association. In Kent’s own words: "I am extremely humbled and honored to be the recipient of the first-ever Music Educator Award. I believe that this award has already been and will continue to be a tremendous encouragement to all music educators. Besides the attention it has brought to many fine teachers, it brings attention to the importance of music education in general." Kent and the other 9 finalists of the first annual Music Educator Award are all receiving cash contributions from the GRAMMY Foundation and Recording Academy to their music programs. In addition, we are thrilled to work with each of these teachers to share the Surface Music Kit with them. I am looking forward to sharing with you the experience of seeing all 10 teachers and their students creating music, remixes, and mash-ups using the Surface Music Cover in the coming weeks. Again congratulations to Kent and his fellow finalists. A couple of months ago we started working with the GRAMMY Foundation. The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. This year the GRAMMY Foundation awarded the first annual Music Educator Award. The awards aims to recognize the important role that teachers play in the appreciation of music. More than 50,000 teachers were nominated online in the past year and 10 finalists were announced in December. This week the GRAMMY Foundation announced that Kent Knappenberger of Westfield Academy and Central School in Westfield, N.Y., is the recipient of the first annual Music Educator Award. The Surface team is a proud sponsor of this award and we want to congratulate Kent on his achievement. Knappenberger has been a music teacher and choir director at Westfield Academy and Central School for 25 years. He holds a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia and a master's degree in music education, harp performance and literature from Eastman School of Music, and he is a member of the National Education Association. In Kent’s own words: "I am extremely humbled and honored to be the recipient of the first-ever Music Educator Award. I believe that this award has already been and will continue to be a tremendous encouragement to all music educators. Besides the attention it has brought to many fine teachers, it brings attention to the importance of music education in general." Kent and the other 9 finalists of the first annual Music Educator Award are all receiving cash contributions from the GRAMMY Foundation and Recording Academy to their music programs. In addition, we are thrilled to work with each of these teachers to share the Surface Music Kit with them. I am looking forward to sharing with you the experience of seeing all 10 teachers and their students creating music, remixes, and mash-ups using the Surface Music Cover in the coming weeks. Again congratulations to Kent and his fellow finalists.