Wynberg Girls’ Junior teachers leading the way in digital education
22 October 2020
Two local teachers have been named Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE) Fellows. Gizelle Simpson and Gabriela Willis of Wynberg Girls’ Junior School (WGJS), are two out of only five teachers in the Western Cape and a total of 18 in South Africa, who have achieved the Fellow status with Microsoft in Education.
The Microsoft for Education programme offers numerous courses and self-development opportunities for educators around the globe. Through completing online courses, educators can connect with other educators in their communities, learning from each other and earning themselves the titles of Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts. The next level up is MIEE Fellows.
According to Microsoft for Education, “earners of this badge are MIE Experts who have demonstrated leadership and excellence in the MIE Expert program through coaching, mentoring, delivering presentations at conferences, and providing rich professional development to other educators. They have a strong presence on social media and are considered an expert in technology integration by their peers. MIE Fellows are awarded this special recognition through a rigorous selection process by the local Microsoft Edu team in South Africa.
“Being selected as a MIEE Fellow means that I now have a greater mandate to mentor and inspire other teachers to use and implement the Microsoft tools and platform to enhance teaching and learning and to grow and support teachers and students with the 21st century teaching and learning pedagogy,” said Simpson.
“The Microsoft Educator Community encourages professional development of teachers and this recognition as an MIEE Fellow means that as a teacher your approach to teaching and learning is innovative and you are willing to develop students and teachers to have the same approach. I will continue to advocate life-long learning and the use of the Microsoft for Education tools”.
Similarly, Willis says she loves exposing her learners to different tools and apps that connect them to cultures and communities around the world. “Microsoft for Education is a Pandora's Box that I decided to tap into a while back. The learning never stops, for both students and teachers and I am excited to see what the future holds for me in this area!”
The Covid-19 pandemic and closure of schools during the national lockdown brought about an urgent need to incorporate the use of technology into the traditional classroom setting. Principal at WGJS, Dee Cawcutt, said the pandemic highlighted the need to embrace the digital space and empower learners and staff to embrace the new hybrid style of education.
“We are incredibly proud of Mrs Simpson and Miss Willis in their efforts to continually innovate, share their knowledge and help us drive 21st century learning for our learners and broader community,” said Cawcutt. “Our vision at WGJS is to empower our young learners to be innovative thinkers, dreamers and doers – using technology and the digital landscape to imagine a better future for all.”