Bing in the Classroom, for those that did not know, is an ad-free, safer, and private search service for schools across the nation. More than 9,000 schools will now see a new strip of educational content along the bottom of the Bing.com homepage, thanks to today’s update.
Microsoft designed this new feature to give students better access to educational resources and help them navigate the internet and develop critical digital skills. But don’t worry, if you are not in school and do not have Bing in the Classroom, you too can see a similar bar that includes the world’s top searches. Microsoft simply took out that bar to kill any distractions students would see while in class, and replaced it with rich, relevant content tailored for students.
This curated news feed will feature content ranging from educational topics to search tips to productivity resources. Students will see a regular word of the day, top education apps and digital literacy tips. They’ll also be prompted to learn how to code, how to insult a Klingon and how to say hello in Turkish. They can take a tour of the Coliseum with Photosynth, identify the world’s deepest lake with Bing’s magic answers, and convert their weight into units of stone with Bing Conversions. Stories, teasers and tips are hand-picked by the editorial team at Bing, specifically for students.
This update comes as part of a ‘digital literacy’ promise from Microsoft, aiming to help students better access educational resources, navigate the web, and develop critical digital skills – even easier than before. Does your school have Bing in the Classroom? Let us know in the comments below.
