Interview with David Burnell - Microsoft

AJ · #1 09-Feb-2006, 09:27 PM

Dear All

I am delighted to post an Interview with David Burnell. You can read his BIOG here.

My thanks to you all who posted questions and I hope you all enjoy.

First of all David, thank you for agreeing to partake in an interview with CertForums. The questions have been put to you by the members of the forums and I know that they will find your comments both informative and enjoyable.

What impact do you feel IT is having on education, and how do you see the way that we are educated at present changing with the implementation of new technology?

ICT is having a profound impact on schools across the UK. When ICT is truly embedded in a school, it becomes a vital tool to help teachers engage with students more effectively as well as helping them deliver innovative and compelling lessons.

One way in which technology is really changing the way children are educated today is through the ability to deliver personalised learning. All children have preferred learning styles and individual students respond to a variety of different teaching techniques. The technologies and resources available today can help teachers personalise the learning process to specifically meet the needs of each child.

In the future we hope that all children will have individual learning plans that are personalised for their own educational needs; to help them learn more effectively, to choose the most effective learning pathway for their aspirations, to be assessed when ready, and to provide them with the skills that are necessary for entering the work force and life in the 21st century.

The effect of technology on schools also goes much further – it can help save teachers time, help parents become more involved in their children’s education as well as engaging children with special needs and those who have been excluded from the regular education process for one reason or another.

ICT in education is a journey. We are working towards a day when technology is not seen as separate subject, and people no longer talk about ‘e-learning’ but where technology is simply expected to be a natural part of the entire learning process - it is embedded and invisible.

IT literacy is increasing across the country / world, how can the "IT Pro's" stay one step ahead of the game when it comes to protecting systems and investments?

IT literacy has increased across the world and we welcome and encourage the rise in IT literacy. Despite real improvements in access to, and use of, ICT around the world, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that the digital divide between and within countries is growing. To help combat this we have invested cash and software in a long term initiative called Unlimited Potential. As part of this programme we have partnered with non-profit organisations such as Age Concern and Leonard Cheshire to provide needed support, such as funding for technology instructors and IT skills curriculum development, to community technology learning centres around the world.

The responsibility for protecting PCs does not just rest with IT professionals and we have been working with the Police's Virtual Global Taskforce, MSN and children's charity ‘Childnet International’, on a campaign to educate children, parents and teachers about potential risks on the internet - for example, undesirable content and inappropriate online communication. The campaign, 'Getting to Know IT All', provides advice and resources on how young people can develop safe and discriminating behaviour whilst online and enables young people to understand the basic steps of protecting not just themselves, but also their PCs.

It is also important that everyone is aware of the threats and that we all take the appropriate steps to protect ourselves. We have recently teamed up with the Government, the National Hi-tech Crime Unit, and a number of other corporate sponsors on a campaign called Get Safe Online www.getsafeonline.org which gives advice on how to protect your PC, protect yourself and protect your business from online threats.

With the use of Open Source technologies becoming more 'mainstream' how does MS plan to deal with this? In order to remain competitive should they be looking to simplify their licensing especially to the public sector when Open Source is gaining popularity?

We believe our software is great value, which is why it is used so widely and we are continuing to see schools, colleges, universities and other parts of the public sector continuing to adopt Microsoft products and solutions. Competition is good for customers and the market, as it ensures that they get a good deal and drives innovation. It’s also good for Microsoft as we relish the challenge of demonstrating why our product solutions deliver the best value to customers. We continually evaluate our products and our licenses to ensure they remain value for money.

With the great risk if virii, malware and spyware to the unprotected systems, why haven’t Microsoft bundled an effective antivirus package with the Operating System?

Building confidence and trust in our customers continues to be the single most important ingredient to our success and the success of the technology industry as a whole. Part of this effort requires that we develop a more secure operating system.

To date, we have developed easily downloadable and free security software which users can access at www.microsoft.com/security - including a tool to remove malicious code such as viruses and worms and also anti-spyware and anti-virus tools.

The next Microsoft platform, Windows Vista, will further build in better security functionality to provide a usable, consistent and manageable experience and ultimately make our customers more confident in their PC and the things they can do with it.

This will include an Anti-Malware tool, an in-built firewall, user account protection for increased resistance to malware, network access protection and enhanced Internet Explorer security. Microsoft continues to invest heavily in the security of Windows Vista, which is currently in beta stage, and plans to add additional features, including Anti-phishing tools.

Having been a board member on CC4G, how do you see the role of women within the IT industry developing in the future? Especially with the recent media speculation of there being a shortage of women being attracted to IT as a career path.

At Microsoft we are committed to ensuring we have a diverse workforce, recruiting employees with a range of skills and backgrounds. However, we acknowledge that we are not there yet and we are committed to working with other companies in the IT industry to address the diversity issues. We also need to ensure that more women see choosing IT is a valid career path.

We are aware that because IT is now a core part of any organisation and career, we have a responsibility to work with the IT industry to ensure that both girls and boys of schools age are equipped with skills that prepare them for the world of work.

In the past it was boys who traditionally moved into the IT profession and took key IT roles. However, with the uptake of computer games, mobile phones and the internet more girls have become interested and are realising the potential of this sector and forming an appreciation of the importance of proficiency in IT. We want to encourage this, and one of the ways in which we do this is through CC4G. I am proud to be personally associated with the great work of CC4G.

Institutions such as schools / colleges seem to value academic qualifications over professional certifications. How does one go about proving the value of being professionally certified rather than just academically educated?

The 21st century workplace is a fast moving and hi-tech place, and it is therefore important that all children are equipped with the essential IT skills for entering it, whether they are leaving school, university, or further education.

Academic learning has enormous value. But I frequently hear feedback from around industry that many school leavers today lack the personal and vocational skills they need to be truly effective in the modern workplace.

Closer collaboration and engagement with industry would help schools and colleges to understand the value that such professional certifications bring. Employers need to know that those joining their ranks can apply their knowledge in a work environment, and this is the value that professional certifications can provide.

We do not advocate transforming the education system into a vehicle to solely meet employers’ needs, but a genuine partnership between education and industry to create a system that enables learners to acquire quality, relevant, transferable skills would really help. The challenge is to create a system where vocational skills can be provided without compromising the integrity and independence of the education system.

Mapping our various levels of MCP and office certifications to the existing vocational qualifications has been a massive commitment from Microsoft over the last several years. We built partnerships with people such as SQA, City & Guilds, OCR and EdExcel, all with the aim of embedding the curriculum and certifications from Microsoft in the publicly available courses such as E-Quals, I-Pro with validation by QCA against the national qualification framework.

Taking this to the next level in support of Government policy, we have joined forces with Foundation Degree Forward (FDF) to raise awareness of the benefits of vocational qualifications and help to increase the number of IT workers in the UK. Foundation Degrees are innovative degrees designed and delivered in partnership with employers to equip people with the relevant knowledge and skills for business, and I believe this will help in shaping work-based education and develop students’ skills, so they can meet the demands of the workplace. We are also working with e-SKILLS on the ITMB, it diploma and ITQ.

Microsoft has recently introduced the MS Academy which integrates their materials into academic teaching, but what motivation is there to take the materials that one step further and get certified rather than simply getting academic credit for it?

In 2002 we set up a national network of Microsoft IT Academies which now numbers over 500. These are providing training on IT user skills and up to level 3 professional skills in IT. Microsoft supplies the IT Academies with curriculum, advice and support to enable them to offer quality training. The Academies teach the user skills that are now vital to anyone entering the current job market.

Many people who leave higher and further education have to take further industry exams that demonstrate their practical knowledge in order to enter the IT workforce. Microsoft is working with awarding bodies to embed industry qualifications such as Microsoft Certified Professional into the existing qualifications frameworks. Clearly, we have to do this in a responsible way that does not compromise the integrity of the educational experience. Yet often the changes required are relatively minor and result in courses that lead directly to employment, which is surely a worthwhile goal.

With Vista and Longhorn getting closer, do you plan to alter the way you provide certifications for the support of these? Microsoft claim to be offering software in a whole new way now - will certifications be affected in the same way?

Microsoft’s new generation of certifications reflects the changing IT environment, the needs of the individual and employer. By focusing on specific job roles the new certification framework is much more in line with the professional expertise of IT professionals and the requirements for business. As Microsoft technology evolves so will Microsoft certifications.

And finally, a question that probably sums up the collective Community spirit that we have here at CertForums – do you have a life outside of IT? More importantly, do you drink beer?

I am keen on sports (follower of rugby, football, the world rally championship and F1). I am also a classic car rally enthusiast, and have taken part in a number of European rallies, including the famous London to Monte Carlo, raising considerable funds for the NSPCC along the way. I also get out for the occasional mountain-biking session and round of golf, and socialising goes hand in hand with this! Yes, I drink beer, but I prefer a good red wine!

David Burrows, Director of Education