MICROSOFT EDUCATION
solutions , everything is built by design for accessibility . So , we are providing that access , but it ’ s up to the country , the state , the city to provide the devices and bandwidth .”
The power of data and data analytics In addition to being central in advances in AI , Microsoft is at the forefront of data and analytics . Its recently-launched Fabric solution – an end-to-end , unified analytics platform that brings together all the data and analytics tools that organisations need – is a game-changer when it comes to data analytics in the education world .
“ At Microsoft we are at the forefront of data and analytics . We ’ ve had open education analytics , we have tools . Now , we ’ ve just announced Fabric , which is game changing : it takes in all these functionalities and puts it under one hood .”
As Sacks-Mandel explains , data analytics can be used not only to provide a more personalised experience for students but also to identify students and educators who might be at risk .
“ We can look at the data and see where the students are . Have they been engaged in their learning ? I don ’ t mean just asking , ‘ are they sitting in a seat ?’. We want to understand our absentee rate , but are they engaged in their learning ? Are they answering questions ? Are they performing ? Are they making progress ? Are you seeing growth ?
“ Rather than having what we call summative assessment at the end of the year or semester , all of these data points along the way can give us insight as to what the student is doing on a daily basis ,” Sacks-Mandel explains . “ You have to understand each student ’ s interest and give them reading material that ’ s going
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