Microsoft talks mixed reality, Metaverse and ‘reimagination’ at GESS 2022

Microsoft today attended the GESS 2022 education technology conference in Dubai, where the company introduced delegates to the latest innovations that support the digital transformation of teaching and learning.

“Microsoft has long been deeply immersed in the world of education”, said Ahmed Ameen Ashour, Education Director, Microsoft UAE. “We are strong advocates for life-long learning, and we have been an important voice in urging governments to turn their attention to skilling as the number-one prerequisite for a sustainable future. Additionally, our platforms, products, and services strongly support digital transformation in the classroom, including the increasing popularity of distance learning. Minecraft: Education Edition now offers more than 600 standards-aligned lessons. And innovations such as Reading Progress allow teachers to spend more of their time with students and less time crunching numbers”.

The company showcased its HoloLens mixed-reality headset at its stand. Visitors also caught a glimpse of Reading Progress, a free tool built into Microsoft Teams that supports and tracks reading fluency in classroom settings. Students record their reading on camera and submit it to teachers who assess and return work, all while data is automatically collected and presented as insights for all stakeholders. Earlier this year, two Qatar-based schools launched a pilot scheme for English and Arabic lessons using Reading Progress.

Minecraft: Education Edition was also on display at the company’s GESS 2022 stand. The Microsoft-owned gaming ecosystem, which in recent years has become an indispensable teaching tool for classrooms across the region, now has features that support collaboration, assessment, coding, and more.

Over the three-day event, Microsoft will also give a series of talks on the current trends that are shaping the regional education sector. Majed Akl, Primary and Secondary Education Director, Microsoft MEA, will give a talk on “Re-Imagining Education”, in which he will focus on how the sector’s landscape has shifted over the past two years. Microsoft MEA’s Mixed Reality Product Marketing Lead, Ksenia Ternavskykh will deliver “Bringing Innovation in Higher Education with Mixed Reality/Augmented Reality”, covering a new era of learning that embraces the metaverse.

Joining Microsoft at the 2022 edition of GESS Dubai are a select group of partners including: Classera, Creative Technology Solutions (CTS), Gamalearn, Hevolus Innovation, and Human Logic.

Over the next few days, Microsoft will use GESS 2022 to publicize a series of achievements, including celebrating its partner ‘s innovative approaches to modern education. Also on the agenda are several education-focused agreements to be signed with government entities throughout the week.