Evaluation of the Microsoft Innovative Schools Program

Linda Shear, Barbara Means, Gucci Estrella, Torie Gorges, Patrik Lundh, Corinne Singleton

SRI is designing and directing a global evaluation of Microsoft's Innovative Schools Program, a branch of the Partners in Learning initiative, which supports opportunities for innovative teaching and learning around the world. Through its Innovative Schools Program, Microsoft seeks to promote 21st century learning opportunities for students in 12 countries around the world. In each of the countries, an Innovative School is working to design and implement new and locally-relevant strategies for technology-supported teaching and learning, supported by a local Microsoft partner and a worldwide community of practice.

The evaluation of the program uses a distributed model, with global coordination of locally-conducted evaluations through partner organizations in each country. Our goal is to synthesize findings across the 12 countries while also capturing the ways that local context influences each school’s reform goals and process. The evaluation features innovative techniques such as the examination of teacher assignments and student work collected in primary and secondary schools in each country to analyze the growth of 21st century teaching and learning practices in participating schools around the world. Additionally, researchers interview school leaders, teachers, and students to understand their perspective on the reform process; observe classrooms; collect locally-relevant student outcome data; and conduct case studies on particular topical issues of importance to the program.

Funders & Clients 

Microsoft

Partners 

Research Areas

Evaluation

Keywords 

21st century learning
21st century teaching
learning environments
school reform
technology integration