This self-paced course guides Washington State teachers through earning Microsoft Elevate for Educators badges and converting them into Washington State STEM clock hours via Canvas. No prior Microsoft experience is required, and all training is completed free of charge on Microsoft Learn.

Teachers work through the Explorer badge pathway (the primary focus of this course), completing two Microsoft Learn learning paths — General (5 modules covering Teams, PowerPoint Record, OneNote, Microsoft Forms, and cybersecurity) and AI (5 modules covering AI fundamentals, Microsoft's free AI tools, Copilot Chat, and accessible/personalized learning). After finishing both paths, teachers apply directly through Microsoft's Elevate site, receive a digital badge via Credly, and upload that badge in Canvas for instructor verification and clock-hour credit.

For educators who want to continue their professional growth, the course also outlines the optional Expert badge pathway (available only after earning Explorer), which adds two more advanced learning paths — Expert General (8 modules) and Expert AI (7 modules) — plus a second application and badge submission. The 2026–2027 Expert application window is open through July 31, 2026.

By the end of this course, participants will have:

• Created a Microsoft Learn account and completed 10 professional development modules
• Applied for and earned a Microsoft-issued digital badge (Credly)
• Submitted their badge in Canvas to receive Washington State STEM clock hours
• (Optionally) advanced toward Expert-level recognition

Earn Washington State STEM clock hours by completing Microsoft Elevate for Educators' free, self-paced Explorer badge training on Microsoft Learn — 10 modules covering Microsoft 365 tools (Teams, OneNote, PowerPoint, Forms) and AI in education (Copilot Chat, AI literacy, and accessibility). No prior Microsoft experience needed. Upload your earned Credly badge in Canvas to receive credit. An optional Expert badge pathway is also available for teachers who want to continue their learning.