As more U.S. schools look to incorporate the Internet into lesson plans, Microsoft is rolling out a program that lets students surf and search the web in the classroom through a filtered lens that blocks adult content and ads.
Called Bing in the Classroom, schools can now sign up for the free service that populates Bing search results with content that is appropriate for students. The concept is part of a larger effort to promote digital literacy in the classroom.
Last year, the company ran a pilot program with five of the largest schools in the U.S. and has since introduced the program to 5,000 schools. Now, Bing in the Classroom is open to all K-12 schools.
During a demo in Brooklyn, New York on Wednesday, former teacher Jenna Bush Hager — daughter of President George W. Bush and contributing correspondent for the "Today Show" — showed how Bing's vision could be used in education. At Public School 205, Bush led a 30-minute lesson plan in front of a classroom of 25 third-grade students about Shakespeare. She encouraged the students to use the Microsoft Surface tablets on desks to search for inquiries she gave related to famous playwright, such as who he is and when his works were written.
"With budget cuts these days, not all schools have the same access to technology," Bush said during the event. "But research shows how vital it is for students to be literate in technology in order to compete in today's workforce. As a correspondent for 'Today,' I've seen the rapid evolution of technology — it literally changes every day — and we must provide access and keep up."
Bing also supplies lesson plans each day for teachers based on the Bing homepage image. In addition, teachers who use Bing in the Classroom are awarded points for each search and activity they do, similar to a frequent flyer program. Points go toward earning Microsoft Surface tablets for students to use during lessons. Any Bing user can also earn and donate points for the school of his or her choice.