In today's world, having the
ability to use technology is not enough. Students must be empowered to use
technology to learn, analyse, and innovate. For a low-cost private school like
Mano Amiga, the latest technology is a luxury we do not always have access to.
Thanks to the Microsoft
Small and Midmarket Solutions and Partners (SMS&P) team, our students had
the opportunity to explore various gadgets, and experience the power of
technology to enrich and transform people's lives.
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Engaging Young Minds through Technology at
Mano Amiga Academy By Cheryll Ann Selda, Citizenship Specialist, Microsoft
Philippines
On 7 August, our Small and Midmarket
Solutions and Partners (SMS&P) team, together with Director, Diana Tibbs,
held our best Financial Year Kick-off Activity at Mano Amiga Academy.
The Mano Amiga Academy is part of a
network of over 30 Mano Amiga schools across seven countries, with a shared
mission of providing education and development services tailored to the needs
of local communities. In Taguig City, the Academy works with the
underprivileged, serving students from the most deprived sections of the
community. I have to interject with pride here that Lynn Pinugu, who founded
the Academy in the Philippines, is an alumna member of Microsoft’s Innovate for
Good programme.
For the one-day volunteering activity, the
organisation and our team decided that it would be most useful for us to engage
with the Grade Four students in play activities. We brought our personal
devices, including Microsoft Kinect and tablets, for them to have a go. It was
quite a sight to have over 30 adults teaching digital games on a work day.
It isn’t every day that the children get a
chance to try their hands on the latest technologies and gadgets, if at all.
Being able to experience the devices allowed the children to understand how to
use the technology and the ways in which technology can serve them. Hopefully,
this would be a useful step for them in learning ‘vital 21st century skills’
and content.
We had our share of learning to do as
well. Diana remarked, “Seeing how excited the children were made me realise I
have been taking technology and gadgets for granted. I am more aware now how
digital access is such a privilege.”
Joel Garcia, Server and Tools Business
Group Lead, Microsoft Philippines, commented, “I don’t know who was more
immersed in the experience — the children or me cheering them on when we were
playing our games!”
Joel Garcia, Server and Tools Business
Group Lead, Microsoft Philippines, playing digital games with the students of
Mano Amiga Academy, Taguig City
Connecting with the children at Mano Amiga
Academy represents a key step towards Diana’s goal of inculcating a ‘Culture of
Service’ within SMS&P. Diana shared, “We hope to put in place a ‘Culture of
Sharing’, with ‘Service’ forming the core of our efforts.
Our team plans to repeat this event at
least once a year, and will also pursue other volunteering opportunities
throughout the year. We are also looking at how we can provide
capacity-building support for the academy. I’m very excited by these plans, for
they show that technology can contribute to empowerment, especially when it
comes with a human touch. #
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The article was taken from Microsoft Asia Citizenship blog: http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_citizenship_asia_pacific/archive/2014/01/07/engaging-young-minds-through-technology-at-mano-amiga-academy.aspx
