Microsoft launches AI busineSS

 REDMOND, WASHINGTON – Microsoft has introduced a new platform on AI education called the AI Business School, a free, on-demand, online course borne out of three years of conversations with leading AI adopters and customers across the globe.

The launch follows the release of the results of a survey conducted among business leaders in the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific, which measured AI’s impact on markets, organizations, and jobs.

“The AI Business School is a step towards helping more organizations understand AI, while also preparing or accelerating them towards adoption. We envision this platform to equip business leaders with knowledge gained from AI adopters in different industries across the globe, each with their own challenges which we hope others can identify with,” Microsoft Philippines Chief Operations Officer Christian Lim said.

Microsoft focused on four core areas for the school: strategy, culture, technology basics, and responsible AI. These are imparted through a master class series of case studies and instructional videos, with additional tools evaluating a business’s maturity for AI adoption. According to Lim, the AI Business School ultimately wants to communicate AI’s business value, guide business leaders on defining their AI strategy, and help executives create AI governance models to ensure positive impact.

In Microsoft and International Data Corporation’s (IDC) recent study, Future Ready Business: Assessing Asia Pacific’s Growth Potential Through AI1, it was found that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will allow the rate of innovation of Filipino companies to increase by 1.7 times, and nearly double employee productivity gains. The study also established that 74% of Filipino business leaders and workers view AI’s impact on jobs positively, with majority acknowledging how it can help them do their jobs better or improve business processes especially on repetitive tasks.

“Of the 109 Filipino business leaders involved in the study, only 45% have embarked on AI journeys. This reinforces the need to increase awareness and understanding of AI especially for Filipino business leaders and companies. We are positive that the AI Business School will help with that objective,” Lim concluded.

The AI Business School may be accessed through:

THE integration of technology-driven practices in the modern workplace has shined a light on a mismatch between what many companies need from employees and the work habits of many in the workforce. Recent technological innovations call for personnel who are digitally adept and can thrive in an increasingly digital environment. Thus, employers these days often face the prospect of spending considerable resources to up-skill recruits and capacitate them for the workplace. 

The country’s pioneer in online education bridges this gap between the need for digital competence much valued in new hires and the actual ability of new graduates to work in the digital workplace. While offering the same academic content as traditional brick-and-mortar universities, AMA University Online Education’s approach to the teaching process allows students to experience technology in different formats.

“Our approach to education allows students to develop the needed digital skills and competence often lacking in today’s demanding and competitive workplace,” said Dr. Amable “Miguel” C. Aguiluz IX, AMA Education System Vice Chairman and CEO.

AMA OEd is the first and only online education that offers full degree programs in the Philippines. Students who enroll in online courses are required to participate in interactive online activities, such as communicating through email, instant message, holding discussion sessions, and completing online assignments. Furthermore, AMA OEd’s corporate partnerships ensure that their graduates have firsthand knowledge and experience of how it is to work in the modern workplace.

This type of learning environment has the potential of transitioning graduates more easily into the workplace. For their employers, this means less time and resources devoted to training and up-skilling of new employees, harnessing instead their productivity from day one.

The modern workplace is also characterized by flexible shared spaces, where employers encourage their employees to have a work-life balance by allowing them to work remotely at specific times. Online education is taken and completed on the online landscape and its students have become accustomed to effectively completing courses and tasks from home. Employees with an online education are able to carry over this behavior of remotely working and effectively multi-tasking to the workplace.

Aside from a change in communication methods and work setting, behavior within the workplace is also shifting to a more collaborative approach. Traditional workplaces are built on the concept of competition, where the most plaudits go to those who successfully climb the corporate ladder. Modern workplaces, on the other hand, emphasize collaboration, with employees working together to achieve the best results. Online education exposes its students to educators and fellow students from a wide range of fields and locations, allowing them to develop a stronger affinity for collaboration. 

With the Philippine government recently enacting the Telecommuting Act (Republic Act 11165), more corporations and businesses are expected to embrace this change alongside other modern practices to improve company performance. Employers will want graduates who possess all the necessary skills to excel in their respective departments, and employers will choose graduates who may be trusted to contribute to the company’s goals wherever they are.

“At AMA, we take pride not only in teaching the youth but also in educating the workforce needed by today’s economy,” says Dr. Aguiluz IX. 

“We hope to see more of our youth more capably take on the modern workplace, fully realizing their potential in the digital age.”

The roots of this homegrown approach to Math started from a country with a population that struggled with Mathematics. Like most developing countries, they depended on textbooks and curriculum from foreign publishers. Recognizing the important role of Math education in shaping the citizens’ global proficiency, the Ministers of Education decided to take charge of the country's learning roadmap and developed an approach never before used in the world.

Enter Singapore Math, a teaching method that places emphasis on mathematical fluency through problem-solving without the need for rote learning and memorization. Fewer topics are introduced per level but discussed in greater detail, allowing deeper understanding and creating a strong foundation for higher math learning.

This change in direction proved effective as the country reaped its benefits. Since 1995, Singapore has consistently ranked first (or in the top three) in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The tables suddenly turned and Singapore Math became the resource and standard of effective approaches to learning Math. Now, over 25 countries including USA, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, and Israel (including the Philippines) have incorporated Singapore Math into their textbooks. 

As one of the pioneers in advancement in learning, Galileo Enrichment Learning Program was the first to introduce Singapore Math as an after-school program and the first to hold Singapore Math Festivals in the Philippines. The Galileo Singapore Math Program aims to enhance the Math skills of students aged 6-12 through the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) Approach. This learning strategy allows the student to represent math concepts first through actual and concrete objects, then reinforced with a visual method called bar modeling, before finally progressing to mental solving techniques.

To strengthen its Singapore Math Program, Galileo has partnered with Add-Venture Learning, a publishing and training company headquartered in Singapore. Add-Venture Learning specializes in making Singapore Math an enjoyable experience for students through their game packages, apps, magazines, and training. Behind their products are prominent figures in the world of Singapore Math and are recognized for their contribution in shaping and training Singapore teachers of the Ministry of Education.

The two educational think tanks have shared teaching and learning philosophies which complement their approach to making learning fun and meaningful through play. Both Galileo and Add-Venture believe that a child learns best by enjoying what is taught. Both companies employ game-play elements and a variety of activities to bring amusement, wonder, and knowledge in every engagement of any child.

To introduce the partnership, Galileo and Add-Venture Learning held a special event entitled “Awesome Singapore Math Add-Ventures.” The event discussed the hows and whys of Singapore Math by demonstrating how to unlock sample Math problems. The discussion was handled by Dr. Queena Lee-Chua, one of the leading minds in Math and an advocate of Singapore Math. She was joined by Scott L. Chua, who shared his experiences of transitioning into a Singapore Math program and how it helped shape his Math skills.

For more details on the Singapore Math Program and the Add-Venture Learning materials, contact the Head Office at 845-1234 or select centers: Galileo Legaspi, Makati City (810-8506); Galileo Better Living, Parañaque (846-5398, 0998-793-9363); Galileo Malabon (362-3154); Galileo Parada, Valenzuela (291-1136, 0948-365-2970); Galileo Sta. Rosa, Laguna (502-7023, 0988 554 8101); and Galileo Bacolod (433-4713, 0917-801-0338).

VIRTUAL reality (VR) is one of the most exciting advancements of our time. It can transport people with no barriers in time or space, and make learning more fun and engaging. 

Thanks to VR, Filipinos can now experience and explore history through immersive storytelling tools that are optimized to what the younger generation is looking for.

In collaboration with VR content provider I AM Cardboard Philippines (IAC PH), Ayala Museum was able to launch two virtual reality dioramas that depicted significant events in Philippine history. By merging technology and history, these organizations have successfully harnessed the true power of VR – moving people by telling compelling stories.

“Virtual reality presents great opportunities to the world of museums, galleries, and archives. Using it as a tool to tell stories can really entice the younger generation to visit museums more and learn our history in an immersive way. We’ve partnered with Ayala Museum again on another virtual reality diorama, and we’re hoping for more industries, not just museums, to embrace this kind of technology,” Ibba Rasul, CEO of IAC PH shared.

Since the launch of the two dioramas, Ayala Museum has recorded a notable increase in foot traffic in their museum. More Filipinos have been attracted to go out of their homes and take on a virtual reality tour. VR, according to IAC PH, does not aim to lessen or replace real-life experiences. Its goal is to enhance and add context to the stories. VR fosters curiosity among audiences, which then inspires them to seek more information after seeing and experiencing this technology in museums.

“We are giving our Filipino museum-goers a whole new perspective as to how these important events in our history have transpired by putting them in the shoes of these remarkable figures. We want to enable them to have deeper connections with our exhibits and we have achieved that by using technology and innovation, specifically virtual reality, as a tool,” said Ms. Mariles Gustilo, Senior Director, Arts & Culture of Ayala Museum.

Being always at the forefront of innovation, Ayala Museum recognizes the importance of technology in enhancing the traditional museum experience, and how it can give a different flavor to heighten the curiosity of Filipinos in learning history and art. Ayala Museum is continuously pushing the boundaries of the role of Philippine museums by embracing and utilizing Virtual Reality in their dioramas.

“Museums are a very important part of our community. More than just being repositories of our nation’s history, arts, and sciences, we are finding innovative ways on how these stories of the past can be used to move Filipinos to actively participate in our society. We are in a constant search to balance the excitement that technology brings and the meaningful experience that museums create,” added Ms. Gustilo.

The Emergence of the Filipino Nation is the second VR content made by IAC for Ayala Museum, that comes after the successful launch of “The Future of History” in 2017 which dramatized Jose Rizal’s execution in Bagumbayan. The Future of History was recently awarded a Silver Boomerang for Visual and Audio Excellence under the Digital Craft category during the 2018 Boomerang Awards.

THE Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) in partnership with CloudSwyft Global Systems, Inc., one of Asia’s Leading Learning-as-a-Service Microsoft partner, launches the IBPAP Learning Switch portal. 

This online learning site serves to provide open access to hundreds of Microsoft’s current, in-demand modern workplace technology courses in eight learning tracks such as Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, DevOps, Cloud Administration, and more. This allows the industry’s workforce to acquire emerging skills based on global industry trends and provide them with an opportunity to take on more expansive roles.

The IBPAP Learning Switch platform also has built-in automated environments, supplementary to the course materials, that serve as virtual playgrounds and offer course-based assessments, practical exercises, modular quizzes and hands-on lab activities anywhere and anytime. Users also have the option to get globally-recognized certificates, issued and verified by Microsoft directly at the end of the courses, or gain a full Microsoft Professional Program Master Certificate once a full track is completed. These two features are available to IBPAP members and affiliates at a discounted price. 

“Human Capital is one of the key priorities we have identified in our Roadmap 2022. It’s also one of enabling conditions that will fuel our industry’s growth trajectory for 2022. With this, IBPAP has developed several programs focused on upskilling and reskilling our workforce to ensure that they can adapt to the ongoing digital transformation. Programs such as this will aid the industry’s pivot to higher value jobs and services,” explains IBPAP president and CEO, Rey Untal.

CloudSwyft provides technology learning through hands-on exercises that increase the knowledge transfer rate exponentially as well as make technology learning accessible to everyone. CloudSwyft also deploys courses focusing on modern trend technology skills. These courses are developed by Microsoft, in partnership with various universities and subject-matter experts, to ensure that the content is industry-level, up-to-date and applicable to end-user’s career needs.

With over one million Filipinos employed in the IT-BPM industry, IBPAP considers upskilling and reskilling the workforce a top priority. It aims to help local talents embrace new technologies and develop new skills to adapt to today’s digital transformation through the IBPAP Learning Switch portal. 

To date, CloudSwyft deploys as much as 160+ technology courses to cater to different levels of learners, from Higher Education students all the way to seasoned professionals and has helped certify more than 500 individuals in various courses in 2018. CloudSwyft also launched learning portals for various universities and companies in Southeast Asia namely for top schools in Malaysia, Singapore as well as in the Philippines.

“Through our partnership with CloudSwyft, we hope to reach and encourage more Filipinos to take the initiative to learn and improve themselves. We have provided the necessary tools for them to succeed in the IT-BPM industry and we look forward to them taking advantage of this opportunity,” adds Untal. 

To access the portal, visit https://ibpaplearningswitch.cloudswyft.com/.

###