Monday, November 17, 2008

Microsoft offering Live@edu to more schools

TECH giant Microsoft is planning to expand a programme which gives students free access to super- sized e-mail accounts, online storage space and other programmes by the American software manufacturer.

The service, called Live@edu, already has about 70,000 users in Singapore, and Microsoft officials told The Straits Times last week they are hoping to extend the scheme to another 22,000.

With Live@edu, students, teachers and parents get lifelong e-mail accounts on Microsoft Exchange, the company's high-end e-mail system for corporate clients. The accounts are customised to include schools' names and can filter spam from legitimate messages.

Each account has 10GB of storage space, which is more than other free e-mail accounts. It allows students and their teachers to organise their timetables and alert one another to conflicting appointments.

The e-mail address also gives students access to other features which allow online communication and collaboration. For example, they have access to the Office Live Workspace feature, which lets users work on projects online and see changes in real time.

Users can also store and share files on Windows Live SkyDrive, and use the blog-like Microsoft Live Spaces to share their thoughts and work with others. These features provide each user with 10.5GB worth of storage space.

Users get access to instant messaging system Windows Live Messenger too.

'Students today are technologically savvy and appreciate being able to tap into other sources of information other than teachers,' said Microsoft Singapore academic programmes manager Chua Horng Shya. 'We want to be able to provide students with the tools to fit their changing needs.'

The Live@edu programme began in Singapore in 2006, the same year as its worldwide launch. It has since reached about 70,000 students from Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic and a few other schools.

With the good response, Microsoft now wants to expand the programme to an additional 22,000 students from four institutes of higher learning and 11schools.

Currently, schools use technology grants and school operating funds to buy server space to provide their students with e-mail accounts.

Ngee Ann Secondary principal Adrian Lim said he was particularly intrigued by Live@edu as it promotes self-directed learning.

'The programme gives students a personalised space for their work, where they can have the freedom to showcase their work and their interests,' he said. 'This will allow the students to learn as a community.'

Ngee Ann Secondary student Debbie Sim, 15, also welcomed the set up. Her physics teacher has started a video blog using Live@edu. He uploads videos which show physics concepts like atmospheric pressure, and gets his students to comment on them online.

'My classmates and I can be embarrassed to speak up in class. We feel more comfortable commenting online. We can also learn more when we continue the discussion, by thinking about one another's comments and coming up with our own views.'

For Singapore Polytechnic, the attractiveness of Live@edu was the e-mail accounts.

Head of computer and information systems Chang Boon Hai said Live@edu's lifelong e-mail accounts allow the polytechnic to stay in touch with students after they graduate.

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