Microsoft and Enterprise MPC partner with the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) to support the ’Collaborative Technology in Languages Initiative’

Reading - UK 17 February 2006 - Microsoft and Enterprise MPC today announce the development of a Learning Gateway solution to be extended across six primary schools in Europe that will support the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) ’Collaborative Technology in Languages Initiative’ (CTLI). The CTLI project aims to help develop the teaching and learning in languages by focusing on the innovative use of technologies in primary schools across Europe.

Launched today in Granada, Spain, the CTLI is designed to help open up the doors of communication and give children and teachers across Europe access to different forms of innovative technology to link up their classrooms, enabling them to communicate, collaborate and share information, resources and techniques to support teaching of the curriculum and motive children to develop their language skills.

In the UK, the project will support the government’s plans to improve the teaching of primary modern foreign languages and to ensure that language lessons are available for all pupils in every primary school in England by 2010.

Cross border Learning Gateway
The Learning Gateway solution, developed by Microsoft and Enterprise MPC, will equip schools with a ’classroom Toolkit’ which includes a range of Microsoft products and other technologies including a collaborative learning platform and interactive platforms which will:

allow the schools to share files and educational applications and resources via the Learning Gateway;

enable teachers and pupils to talk online and learn more about their different languages and cultures;

provide secure communication, any time and anywhere, for pupils and teachers at home and at the schools;

supply teachers with training materials for teaching modern foreign languages

Stephen Uden, Microsoft Head of Education Relations, said: “It is important that schools have access to the resources and technologies that can support them in the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Foreign languages provide children with many new opportunities in life, and being proficient in a language is an important skill to help prepare them for the future.”

“The CTLI project with the Training and Development Agency for Schools will help to build a platform for schools across Europe to work together, share best practice and develop their teaching and learning techniques, and we are excited that we can be part of these developments.”

Mehool Sanghrajka, Managing Director of Enterprise MPC, commented, “This is an exciting project that will allow foreign languages to be taught in the UK in partnership with European schools. It will add a new dimension to the teaching and learning of languages; by bring collaboration and communication through the technology platform. It will be a pathfinder for other schools to follow.”

Jacquie Nunn, Head of Teacher Training Development at the TDA, said: “This project offers trainee teachers a fantastic opportunity to explore innovative ways in which they can help children develop their language skills when teaching subjects across the school curriculum. Everyone involved in the project teachers, trainees, academics and children will benefit from the chance to share resources internationally, make use of the latest technology, and to learn more about each others countries and cultures.”

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Notes to Editors
The six schools involved in the project are:
Seymour Road Primary School, Manchester, England
Christo de la Yedra, Granada, Spain
Ecole elementarie de Frointenay Rohan Rohan, France

Kings Road Primary School, Manchester, England
San Miguel, Granada, Spain
Ecole elementaire de Magne, France

About the TDA
The Training and Development Agency for Schools was established under the Education Act 2005 and was formerly known as the Teacher Training Agency. Its purpose is to raise childrens standards of achievement and promote their well-being by improving the training and development of the whole school workforce. For more information about how to become a teacher, see www.teach.gov.uk. Personal advice is available from the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 992 for Welsh speakers (minicom 01245 45 43 43). For further information on the TDA visit www.tda.gov.uk.

About EMPC
Enterprise MPC is the education division of Enterprise plc (LSE : “ETR”). Founded in 1989, Enterprise MPC is a leading provider of information, communication and technology products and services to support learning with over 15 years’ experience in the education sector providing services to more than 15,000 schools and a range of local education authorities.

In 2005, Enterprise MPC launched LP+, its learning platform built on the Microsoft Learning Gateway framework, as the first global hosted and managed Learning Gateway service for schools.
Enterprise MPC is also the leading supplier under the BECTA Laptops for Teachers and Interactive Whiteboards schemes and has recently been appointed to the BECTA and DfES education consulting procurement framework .

In education construction projects, Enterprise MPC has been lead ICT contractor on over 51 school projects.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

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