Lab Credits and First course

Hi Joe,
I’m a Microsoft Learn for Educators (MSLE) Community Manager, and I’d be happy to share how you can achieve your goal. If you’d like to take advantage of the Labs benefit, please let me know which institution you represent. 

1. Use MSLE Labs for Core Curriculum

• Deliver the official Microsoft course content (e.g., AI-900) using Skillable labs provided through MSLE.
• These labs are structured, mapped to certification objectives, and cost-free for students.
• Benefit: Students get guided, hands-on practice without needing to set up their own Azure environment.

2. Assign Projects Using Azure for Students

• After completing structured labs, encourage students to sign up for Azure for Students (free $100 credit, renewable annually).
• Use this for:
  • Capstone projects (e.g., build a chatbot using Azure Cognitive Services).
  • Exploration beyond labs (e.g., experiment with AI services not covered in MSLE labs).
• Benefit: Students gain autonomy and experience managing real Azure resources.

3. Blend Labs and Personal Accounts in the Same Course

• Start with MSLE labs for foundational skills.
• Transition to Azure for Students for open-ended assignments or group projects.
• Example: Week 1–4: MSLE labs → Week 5–8: Students deploy their own AI solution in Azure.

4. Teach Cost Management Skills

• Use Azure for Students accounts to introduce budgeting and resource hygiene:
  • Show students how to monitor credit usage.
  • Teach best practices like shutting down VMs and deleting unused resources.
• Benefit: Adds real-world cloud cost awareness to the curriculum.

5. Certification Prep + Real-World Practice

• MSLE labs prepare students for certification exams (AI-900).
• Azure for Students projects give them portfolio-ready experience.
• Combine both for maximum employability impact.