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Twitter Takeaways: Microsoft Sway in Education

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Looking for Twitter takeaways focused on Microsoft updates for education? You have come to the right place. In January, 2018, Microsoft unloaded a wealth of updates to its education suite of products. In this Twitter Takeaway, we’ll explore these updates through the lens of Microsoft Sway.

Office Sway is a presentation program. It allows users who have a Microsoft account to combine text and media to create a presentable website. Users can pull content locally from the device in use, or from internet sources such as Bing, Facebook, OneDrive, and YouTube. Sways are stored on Microsoft’s servers and are tied to the user’s Microsoft account. They can be viewed and edited from any web browser with a web app available in Office Online. They can also be accessed using apps for Windows 10 and iOS. An additional app is currently in development for Android. Source: Wikipedia

We will take a look at how others are using Twitter to share their Microsoft Sway creations. Before we do that, let’s take a closer look at MS Sway.

What is Sway?

Not familiar with Microsoft Sway? You may want to read these TCEA TechNotes blog entries about Microsoft Sway. In particular, check out Express Yourself with Sway, Podcasting with Sway, and/or Quick Ideas for Creating an eNewsletter. Each provides an insight into how Microsoft Sway can be used. You may also want to watch Microsoft Sway in the Primary Classroom video (10 mins). Microsoft Sway is available in English, French, Lao, and Spanish. That’s a reported sixty-eight supported languages, making multi-lingual creation a cinch.

My top two features of Sway empower you to record audio, including your voice or other sounds, as well as embed multimedia (e.g. videos, other Sways, and more). This makes it a fun alternative to creating narrated images. See the sway below to learn more about How to Sway.

The best way to gain insight into Microsoft Sway is to use it. Why don’t you give it a try?

Twitter Takeaway #1 – Microsoft Accessibility Features

As mentioned earlier, Microsoft has updated its education suite of products. One of the major changes it has made has been to improve accessibility features across all its products. Mike Tholfsen tweeted out the information about the following features:

  • Accessibility Checker: present in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Visio, it analyzes your material and provides recommendations alongside your document. The Accessibility Checker helps you understand how to fix errors and create more accessible content over time.
  • Alternative Text Tool: provides a description for a photo or object so that a person who is blind can understand the context.
  • Automatic Alternative Text: leverages intelligent image analysis to automatically give suggestions for alt-text descriptions for images in both PowerPoint and Word.
  • Color Filters: changes the color palette on the screen and can help you distinguish between things that differ only by color.
  • Edge Reading Mode: removes ads, banners, navigation elements, changing the background to an easier to view color.
  • Other included features include: Consistent Keyboard Shortcuts High Contrast, Keyboard Only, Live Tile sizes, Magnifier, Mono Audio, Narrator, Office Lens, Office Templates, Read Aloud, Seeing AI iOS app (free), Tell Me, Text Scaling, and many more features.

You can get more in-depth information below in the sway:

Twitter Takeaway #2 – Green Screen in the Classroom

DoInk (@doinktweets), the makers of the famous iOS app for creating green screens, shared this tweet. In it, they featured Jonathan Wylie’s Microsoft Sway focused on green screen in the classroom.

Twitter Takeaway #3 – Adaptive Technology

Technology continues to enhance student learning experiences in unexpected, powerful ways. Karen McCall’s (@karleninfo) tweet highlights the needs of special education students. In her tweet, she shares a Sway that highlights Styles in Word: A Primer for Accessible Document Design Online Course. The sway combines videos, images, and text to provide insight into adaptive technologies and resources for educators. The sway was not set up for embedded sharing.

Twitter Takeaway #4 – Digital Newsletters

Quite a few schools and entities are releasing online newsletters as Sways. These appear on Twitter periodically and are easy for others to consume. Check out these examples, including the Abbotts Hall Primary publication (@AHPAcademy) embedded below.

Some more examples that include NA Middle School, Motor Books (tweet), How To Microbit (tweet), and Islington Celebration of Computing 2018 (tweet).

Twitter Takeaway #5 – Summarizing Student Learning

“What did my child learn in school today?” One way to answer that common question from parents involves creating a Sway and sharing it via Twitter to inform them. Check out this example of how one primary school relies on Sway to capture and summarize learning in school. They are not the only ones to take advantage of Sway and tweet the resulting creation.

More Takeaways Featuring Sway

Would you like to see more Twitter-shared Sways? Use the Twitter Search option to help you identify relevant information. For example, you can search on “sway.com” to find more Microsoft Sways. You may also want to listen to my conversation with the Microsoft Sway development team, including Mr. Sway and company.

 

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Google Tips and TricksiOS Tips and TricksMicrosoft Tips and Tricks

Podcasting with Microsoft Sway

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Even if you’ve never created a podcast before, you can do so easily with Microsoft Sway.

You may not be aware of it, but Microsoft added some new features to the web version of MS Sway that make it ideal for audio-narrated images, also known as enhanced podcasts. Of course, Sway enables you to add tons of great content (e.g. Twitter streams, video, embedded content) aside from images and audio. However, this blog entry focuses specifically on audio and images.

Getting Started

Ready to get started recording with Sway? Follow the steps at the bottom of this blog post. For now, here are some of the features:

  • Audio recording directly into Sway
  • Pre-record audio using Audacity, Voice Record Pro (iOS), or HiQ MP3 Recorder (Android) then import it into your Sway. The main benefit of this approach is that you can incorporate audio from free sources (e.g. TableTopAudio.com). Then you can edit your audio until you get it just the way you want it.
  • You can adjust the Group and Design features of Sway to place your image and audio recordings near each other on the screen.

When creating a Sway that is going to include media, I like to map it out ahead of time. But you can also do this on the fly:

  • Title/Header card with image or video and text
  • Group #1
    • Image #1
    • Audio #1
  • Group #2
    • Image #2
    • Audio #2
  • Group #3
    • Image #3
    • Audio #3

As you can see from the outline above, it’s simple to combine images and audio to get the desired effect. You can vary your media content to suit your needs or those of your students.

Did You Know? Learn more about Microsoft Sway soon! Take advantage of the TCEA Lunch-n-Learn: Microsoft Sway taking place on March 29, 2017 from 11:45am to 12:15 PM. This is a “free for TCEA members” webinar (Why aren’t you a member yet?).

Here’s an example of combining images, video and audio in a Microsoft Sway. This particular Sway announces the upcoming, April 4th TweetMeet for Microsoft OneNote.

Tips for Audio Recording in Microsoft Sway

Option #1 – Record Audio Directly into Sway

(Steps from Microsoft Sway Support Site)

To record audio, sign into www.sway.com with your Microsoft account (Hotmail, Live, Outlook.com) or your Office 365 business, education, or consumer account. Then, follow these steps:

  1. On the top menu bar, click Cards and add the Audio card to your Sway.
  2. Click Record on the audio card.Flashing button in Sway audio that indicates recording.
  3. After a three-second countdown, the flashing button will indicate that you’re recording.Record audio in Sway.
  4. Click the flashing button when you’re done recording.
  5. Click the play button to preview your recording. If you’re satisfied, select Add to Sway; if not, click Re-record. You can also delete your recording by clicking on the Trash Can icon.Add a recording to Sway

Option #2 – Create an MP3 Audio File and Then Add the Audio to Sway

podcastingFollow these steps to create your own audio recording. Note that there are various tools available, including Audacity (featured below), Chrome’s Beautiful Audio Editor or Twisted Wave: An Audio Editor, iOS apps Hokusai or iRig Recorder, Vocaroo.com for web-based recording, and many more.

  1. Open Audacity on your Windows or Mac computer.
  2. Record your audio into Audacity, adding additional tracks for background music, etc. Most audio editors (e.g. Beautiful Audio Editor, Twisted Wave, Hokusai) have a similar look.
    podcasting
  3. Export the audio to MP3 audio file format
    podcasting
  4. Insert an Audio card into your Sway.
    podcasting
  5. Click on the Add an Audio file, then select the MP3 audio file on your computer.
    podcasting
  6. Use the Group feature to place images and audio cards together.
    podcasting
  7. When you view your Sway, you can choose a design that will enable it to look like this on the screen:
    podcasting

Tip: Persistent Audio

Here is another point to consider with embedded audio in a Sway. You could record a longer audio file at the front of your Sway. When the viewer clicks the audio, that audio will play as the viewer works their way through the content of the presentation. This persistent audio playing makes it easy to incorporate a monologue. The audio stops playing once the viewer clicks on a different media though.

Final Step

Now that you’ve added and grouped images and audio together and customized the design of the Sway, you have the option to share a link with others or embed it in a web page, such as a blog. Of course, since Sways include responsive web design , this means you can put it just about anywhere!

To make it into a podcast, you will want to embed the Sway into a blog or something with an RSS feed. Unlike a true audio/video only podcast, the Sway will have to be clicked to be played or viewable. That aside, Sway makes a convenient wrapper or container for your audio that works on all devices!

 

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Microsoft’s TCEA Summer Camp

by Victoria Thompson
written by Victoria Thompson
Microsoft Education

Congratulations on completing the school year! As you slide into summer, take time to rest, relax, and consider participating in professional development that can help you prepare for the next school year. There are several opportunities available, but if you’re interested in learning more about Microsoft tools and resources over the summer, we’ve got you covered! In partnership with the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA), Microsoft Education is holding a virtual summer camp. All sessions will be held June 21-23 from 1 p.m. CT to 4:30 p.m. CT.

During this virtual summer camp, attendees will learn about how Microsoft tools can help elevate learning and leadership in the classroom, school, and beyond. Crafted with educators in mind, a unique element of this conference is that sessions will be run by our awesome Microsoft Innovative Education Experts (MIEExperts), Showcase School leaders, Microsoft Learning Consultants, and more! You’ll learn from people in education and in industry. Sessions include how to join the Microsoft Innovative Education Expert community, using Immersive Reader in STEM content and classes, using Microsoft Teams for blended learning, and how to use Reading Progress to personalize student literacy—and this just scratches the surface. Platforms covered include Minecraft: Education Edition, OneDrive, OneNote, Office 365, MakeCode, Sway, and more. No worries if you happen to miss a session – you’ll have access to the TCEA Microsoft Virtual Summer Camp series through July 27. 

We look forward to showing you how Microsoft tools can help you grow professionally! As the excitement builds, be sure to check out the event page and TCEA’s social media, and register! We can’t wait to see you there! For more information about the Microsoft Innovative Education Expert and Showcase School programs, you can find more information on our Microsoft Educator Programs website.

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Microsoft Tips and Tricks

Remote Work with Microsoft Tools

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Work from home? If you teach in K-12, probably not. But remote work is a growing trend. Let’s explore Microsoft tools that make it easier.

Let’s review statistics about remote work.

Remote Work Statistics

Here are a few studies  on people who work from home:

  • Eighty-six percent of those asked said they “hit maximum productivity” when working at home alone.
  • Thirty percent said it allowed them to do more in less time.
  • Twenty-four percent surveyed said they could do more in the same time.
  • Eighty-two percent of workers reported less stress.
  • Researchers observed a fifty percent decrease in employee turnover.
  • Eighty-seven percent of remote workers felt more connected via video chats.
  • Twenty-three percent of employees (2015) reported doing some work at a remote site.

Without technology, this kind of work would be difficult.

Remote Work with Microsoft Tools

If you work in an Office 365 environment, here are some essential tools for you.

  • Get Feedback with Microsoft Teams: Now that Teams is available for free, just like Slack, give it a try. Use Microsoft Teams to get feedback on work projects, shared documents, and more. Add tabs to Microsoft Teams to pull data from anywhere (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, Flipgrid). See TCEA Resources for Teams.
  • Make Your Digital Workspace with Microsoft OneNote: If you are not using OneNote to organize yourself, you need to start soon. Educators, take advantage of OneNote’s power. Use integrated Class or Staff Notebook functions. OneNote is the “one-stop shopping” solution to creating curated content, and more resources. View TCEA Resources for OneNote.
  • Be Mobile-Friendly with Microsoft Sway: With responsive web design, you can work alone or together. Create mobile-friendly presentations and newsletters. A clear interface makes placing audio, images, and videos a cinch. Open TCEA Resources for Microsoft Sway.

Keep It Organized

If Teams, OneNote, and Sway make teamwork potent, Forms and To-Do serve as organizational helpers.

Is Remote Work in Your Future?

Chances are, you will find yourself working from many places. Some may be your office or classroom. Embrace these tools. Lower your stress, connect with the team. In short, get more done.

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Turbocharge the 5E Model with Microsoft Office 365

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Ready to blend Microsoft’s Office 365 tools into inquiry-based lessons? Give those lessons a kickstart with Office 365 tools. Take your first steps with blended learning. Turbo-charge the 5E Model with Microsoft Office 365. Make learning more engaging!

Turbo-Charge the 5E Model with Microsoft Office 365

Made of five stages, the model can be better seen with specific examples. Let’s explore these below.

1- Engage

Boredom has a dire effect on learning. Bored students perform less well on tests (Source). In one study, over half of students said school is boring. The 5E Lesson seeks to engage students. This ensures they will retain learning. How can you make this happen with Office 365 tools? One way send students on virtual field trips.

Source: Dance of the Lemurs virtual field trip

Use the new Whiteboard app to speak with others at a distance. Students share ideas and images, having a visual conversation. This can happen, no matter their location (Source).

2- Explore

Empower students to curate content. Creating content on their own or in small groups becomes a natural, next step. Using OneNote Class Notebook, students can investigate aspects of a topic. OneNote makes arranging inputs (e.g. image searches, videos, text) child’s play. Learners can expand on concepts. They learn to pursue interests that deepen knowledge. Cognitive conflict forces students to engage in novel ways of thinking. One way to assist this process is to use digital breakouts. Watch this video by Nico Paphitis. It introduces OneNote Escape Rooms. Create a digital breakout using OneNote. This easy entry to escape rooms captures student interest. Students study details, like pieces of a puzzle. They work in teams, escaping school boredom as they learn.

Unsure of how to begin? View this step by step for math. Other examples abound. A few appear below. You may explore Jeanie Ingram’s ($2.00) tutorial guide. Those guides shown below are free.

Be sure to watch Jill R’s four part video series. You will learn how to craft your own OneNote, digital breakouts.

3- Explain

As learning facilitator, share your expertise with pupils. Scaffold student learning with Microsoft Sway. This can help them analyze aspects of an object, situation or event. A T-Chart makes it easy to compare and contrast ideas. You can create T-charts in Microsoft tools (e.g. Powerpoint, Microsoft Word). Available chart ideas and templates appear online. You can encourage students to make infographics. Use these Powerpoint templates to get you started.

4- Elaborate

Enrich a lesson for gifted students. Extend a lesson for students who need more. Students move at their own pace. Our lessons support them no matter their pace. HyperNotes, adapted from Hyperdocs, offer that opportunity. An excerpt from HyperNotes? Use Hyperdocs with MS Office 365: 

Ready to get hyper about Microsoft Onenote HyperNotes. These activities tap into a student’s sense of independence. They capture the fascination with multimedia. Set students up to create content. Sharing it with other learners is a click away.

5- Evaluate

Ready to measure student learning? Have students use Office 365 tools to create visual representations of their ideas. These creations can take many forms. Creations can be Microsoft Excel graphs of data. They may be live data summaries in Microsoft Forms. For example, students can design digital ebooks with Powerpoint and then export them to ePub ebook format. 5e model office 365

Putting It All Together

You may have read of all these approaches in TCEA TechNotes blog entries. Remember, the 5E Model can be combined with Office 365 tools. It’s easy to imagine any one approach as the only one to use. Blend them to create engaging lessons that showcase student learning.

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Microsoft iOS Apps on Your iPad

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“We are an Office 365 school district. Our superintendent just bought iPads. I’m coming from a G Suite for EDU background. How hard is it to use Microsoft apps on the iPad?” asked Virginia, a district instructional technology coordinator in a Texas school district. Like Virginia, I remember early difficulties with using Google Suites for Education on the iPad. Students could create work, but how would they get it off the device? With Microsoft iOS apps, those difficulties aren’t present. Let’s explore the OneDrive workflow on iOS devices.

What OneDrive looks like on an iPad. Note that Scan, Upload, Take a Photo or Video options. These allow you to create and/or save content straight to OneDrive. This saves space on your iPad.

Where to Start

One mistake often made when working with Microsoft apps is not starting with the OneDrive app. The Microsoft OneDrive app serves as a username and password clearinghouse for all the other Microsoft apps on iOS. For example, while you can attempt to open the OneNote app and access your digital notebooks, you may find this workflow easier:

  1. Open OneDrive app.
  2. Navigate to the notebook you want to open.
  3. Open it.

The OneDrive app, after verifying your username and password, will open the appropriate Microsoft app (OneNote in this example). In a few moments, the OneNote notebook you selected will begin to synchronize (or save a copy) to your device. From that point forward, you can open OneNote instead of going to OneDrive to access the notebook. If you should close the notebook or remove it from OneNote on your iOS device, you can always re-open it via OneDrive.

Let’s take a moment to explore other documents and Microsoft apps.

Microsoft OneDrive

Folks may see OneDrive as only cloud storage (like Dropbox or Google Drive), but OneDrive can do much more. Some examples of how it can be used in the classroom include:

  • Showcasing student work
  • Sharing student work as examples via a OneDrive link
  • Creating web-based documents that are shared online
  • Enabling students to start work at home/school and then finish it on the go
  • Collaborating on the same document

One important idea to keep in mind is Create your initial version of a file using OneDrive, including OneNote notebooks. In the web version of OneDrive, you are able to create all sorts of documents, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Excel Survey, Visio drawing, and link.

Since OneDrive functions as a username and password keeper for other Microsoft apps, you want to make sure to choose the correct account to use. If you are using OneDrive (and Microsoft apps) as part of your work, choose OneDrive for Business. If you are using OneDrive with a free Microsoft account (think “personal”), then choose OneDrive.

One benefit of OneDrive that is often overlooked involves how it handles photos and videos. In the iOS version, you are able to take a photo or create a video that saves directly to OneDrive. Learn more about iPad possibilities with OneDrive. Read more about OneDrive, as well as see free online courses in the Microsoft Education Community (MEC).

What Microsoft Apps Are Available on the iPad?

Now that you have some background about OneDrive, you’re ready to dive into the other Microsoft apps. Some of the apps you can get on the iPad include Excel, Office 365 Admin, Office Lens, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Sway, Teams, Visio Viewer, and Word. Get them via email or a text message to your phone.

My Favorite Microsoft Apps

Hands down, my top Microsoft apps for iPad include the following:

  • OneDrive – Store tons of resources online in OneDrive. Use it to access and open any documents stored on iOS. OneDrive’s ability to save video recordings direct to cloud storage, bypassing the limited storage on my iPad, make it a must-have app. Learn more.
  • Office Lens – Need to digitize a whiteboard diagram or capture a digital copy of a picture? Then Office Lens makes that easier. For iOS users, you have the added bonus of a built-in optical character recognition (OCR) combined with Immersive Reader. That means your students can scan a page of text and then Office Lens can read it to them. You can snap a picture of a page of text, then convert that image to editable PowerPoint or Word file. Wow! Learn more.
  • Outlook – Looking for a great email program that works with all email services (e.g. G Suite, Gmail, Yahoo, Office 365), not just Microsoft? Then Outlook is your email program. Learn more.
  • OneNote – This is a must-have notes app on any device. The ability to draw with various color pens and insert audio, images, files, links, and more are beautifully executed. Learn more.
  • Teams – The latest version of Teams boasts many features for free. The EDU version makes access to assignments, files, notes, and OneNote Class or Staff Notebooks a click away. You can even blend Flipgrid topics into the available tabs. You can create channels within a Teams’ space to organize adults or students. Learn more.

Office Lens and Immersive Reader in Action

Shown below, you will see use of Office Lens to scan a news article for use in Immersive Reader. The latter component can read the scanned document to the student:

Description: Office Lens can send a scanned page of text, including newsprint, to any of the options shown in the image above. Send it to Immersive Reader, and Office Lens will read the text to you.

Description: Ignoring illegible characters, consider the quality of the newsprint. In this screenshot, Immersive reader is reading the text aloud.

Microsoft iOS Apps

Now that you’ve had a chance to get answers to your question, what are your preferred Microsoft apps on iOS?

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2018-2019 TCEA Microsoft Professional Learning Opportunities

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you an Office 365 school district and wondering how to maximize professional learning opportunities? Then bookmark this blog entry so you can check what exciting professional learning opportunities are upcoming this spring and summer. In this blog, I’ll share some of the events taking place that you will want to attend. Remember that in addition to these activities, you can always request a dedicated session, like Area 2 has done for a two-day Minecraft: Education Edition Academy.

Did You Know?

Want to sign up? Go to http://ly.tcea.org/attend to register for Lunch and Learns! TCEA Lunch and Learn events do require a TCEA membership ($49). If you have one, then the event is free.

Benefits of Attendance

What is in it for you? Attending TCEA Microsoft workshops and academies garner several benefits, including:

  • Membership in the free, Texas-wide community of Microsoft Innovative Educators (MIE). You get to interact with educators in public/private schools, as well as Microsoft, who are committed to accelerate your learning. Come learn with us!
  • Earn digital badges and certificates via the Microsoft Educator Community (MEC). All workshops, academies, and events earn you points that enhance your status in the MEC. And those certificates and badges can be easily printed to share with your employer.
  • Share your insights with others about using Microsoft products in your work. How are you using Microsoft Teams to transform communications in your district? Assist others as you learn more yourself.

If those aren’t enough reasons, you will also get access to a wealth of professional learning via TCEA, a non-profit education association dedicated to advancing teaching and learning through the use of technology.

Did You Know?

Join the TCEA MIE Facebook Community and connect to Texas educators from all around Texas, as well as Microsoft folks.

2018 Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities

Attend these regional events in Fall, 2018. Registration is open now. Click links to access information form and registration link for each session.

October, 2018

November, 2018

Questions about content?

The facilitator for all sessions listed above is Miguel Guhlin, MIE Certified Master Trainer. Reach him via email at mguhlin@tcea.org or on Twitter @mguhlin

Professional Learning for Summer 2018

Robyn Hrivnatz, Keynote Speaker, 2018 TCEA Microsoft Academy

An amazing amount of TCEA learning opportunities abound. Let’s focus in on a few where Microsoft professional learning will be available.

Webinars

Not able to join us for face to face sessions? Then be sure to jump start your learning with online professional learning offerings via our Lunch and Learn series as well as other offerings. See you soon!

Did You Know?

TCEA features a team of MIE Certified Master Trainers, Certified Minecraft Trainers, as well as Google Certified Trainers and Administrators. They are ready to help you learn, whether that involves a technology audit or amazing professional learning experiences.

But wait, there’s more! Check out this collection of one hour, free webinars from Microsoft on a variety of popular topics. Topics include the following:

  • Six Steps for Building a Collaborative Classroom with Microsoft Teams
  • Bring the World to Your Students with Skype in the Classroom
  • Build a Digital Classroom with OneNote
  • Authentic Assessments with Forms, Sway, and More
  • Ten Things You Can Do with Office 365 Online that You Never Knew

Don’t wait. Time to get busy learning.

Past Events

  • 9/27/2018 – 1-Day Physical Computing and Its Role in Education – FREE EVENT
     Location: Arlington, TX
  • 9/13/2018 – MIE 1-Day Office 365 Teacher Academy (BYOD) – FREE EVENT
    Location: Arlington, TX
  • 9/1/2018 – MIE 1-Day Office 365 Teacher Academy (BYOD) – FREE EVENT
    Location: Edinburg, TX
  • August 2-3 – Two-Day Minecraft Education Edition Teacher Academy: This exciting two-day event, closed to the public, will be available for Burleson ISD teachers. If you would like a similar event for your district, please let us know. Location: Burleson, TX
  • July 12-13 – 2018 TCEA Microsoft Academy: The keynote speaker will be Texas educator and Microsoft Fellow Robyn Hrivnatz. In addition to sessions that will have an immediate impact on your classroom and use of Microsoft tools, attendees at the Academy will also be able to earn badges. Digital badges will be available in the Microsoft Education Community. Two  six-hour academies will be available. The first is the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Certified Trainer six-hour session. The second is the Minecraft: Education Edition Certified Teacher. Location: Austin, TX
  • July 17-18 – Minecraft Teacher Academy: Attend one of the all-day Minecraft: Education Edition academies being held at the Denton ISD Technology Integration Academy (TIA). You can register online at the TIA Conference website.
  • July 24-26 – Technology Learning Extravaganza: Come join us for three days and gain a wealth of knowledge and first-hand learning experiences in our Technology Learning Extravaganza in San Angelo, July 24-26. The sessions will provide educators learning opportunities to enhance knowledge in a variety of Microsoft-related areas such as Office 365, OneNote, Minecraft, Makecode, and more. Location: San Angelo, TX
  • July 31 – MakeCode for Micro:bit and Minecraft: Education Edition: The micro:bit is sweeping the globe as an accessible, inclusive approach to computing education that combines the magic of making with the power of code. The maker education movement has proven to engage and interest girls and other nontraditional CS student populations through creative, personally meaningful projects. Learn how combining the maker mindset with computational thinking can result in transformational learning experiences for all students.By the end of this session attendees will know how to construct and download simple programs to their micro:bit, and they will know where to find curriculum & resources for their classrooms. You will also learn how to use MakeCode to control the Agent in Minecraft: Education Edition. This is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) hands-on session for all levels (no prior computer science experience required). Location: Austin, TX
  • June 4 – MIE 1-Day Teacher Academy: Ready to begin your journey as a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE)? You will get certified as an MIE and receive support and guidance on this journey. Location: Laredo, TX (Area 1)
  • June 10-12 – Elementary Technology Conference: Read more about this conference online. There will be several Microsoft sessions offered at this event. Location: Galveston, TX
  • May 9 – PBL in the Minecraft: Education Edition Classroom: In this session, you’ll learn how to design Problem/Project-based Learning (PBL) experiences in virtual worlds like Minecraft: Education Edition. Participants will also experience PBL lesson-based design opportunities. They will develop a lesson plan, build a sample student product, and engage in world building. Location: Amarillo, TX (Area 16)
  • May 15 – Productivity Tools for Administrators: This conference will feature a variety of Microsoft tools that can enhance your productivity as an administrator, an administrative clerk, classroom teacher, or docent. Sessions offered will allow you to earn MEC points and/or digital badges and certificates. Location: Austin, TX (Area 13)
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Our 2017 Microsoft Resource Roundup

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

It’s that time of year again. The holiday season is here and soon 2018 will be upon us. However, before we jump ahead to 2018, let’s review some of the great Microsoft resources from 2017 on our blog that you might have missed. From Photos to Minecraft to OneDrive and all of the tools in between, these are resource-rich posts that you simply must read!

Our 2017 Microsoft Resource Roundup

Below, you will find a roundup of 2017 blog posts relevant to Microsoft divided into several categories.

Learning in Motion

Supporting Classroom Connections and Creativity

  • Creating Six-Word Memoirs: Student creation of six-word memoirs can help form powerful connections to learning. Discover some technology resources to help them.
  • HyperNotes? Use HyperDocs with MS Office 365: Take Hyperdocs to the next level by creating hypernotes with MS Office 365 or OneNote and ensure that students have access to the information they need.
  • Checklists: Scaffolding Metacognitive Awareness: Available on all devices, Microsoft OneNote brings a host of features to the table. In addition to all the features that Google Keep has (albeit with no reminders feature or grab image text in the free OneNote version), OneNote has many more. Recently, it underwent a radical simplification from OneNote 2016 to the free OneNote app.
  • Creative Commons: Make OER Copyright Simple: Open Educational Resources and Creative Commons licensing have truly opened up the world of publishing and free resources for students and their teachers. Microsoft Onenote can be one of the digital textbook creation tools you and your students use.
  • Podcasting with Microsoft Sway: Podcasting is an amazing way for students to showcase their learning. Use Microsoft Sway and you have a final product that is beautiful and easy to do.
  • Enhancing Parental Access with OneNote Class Notebook: Microsoft listens to teachers and adds three new features. One of the notable features includes enhanced parent access to student work in OneNote.
  • Multimedia ELL Assessments: Using technology for multimedia assessment makes sense. And with OneNote, teachers can easily make Anecdotal Records Assessments for ELL students.
  • Visualizing Our Understanding with Graphic Organizers: Visualizing our learning is a powerful way to ensure retention of what has been learned, and graphic organizers make that happen.

Scaffolding Learning with Minecraft: Education Edition

  • Five Steps to Game-based Learning with Minecraft: If you want to effectively begin using game-based learning with your students and ensure engagement, there’s no better way to start than with Minecraft.
  • Minecraftian Strategies with Marzano: New trends in educational technology can easily work with the research from Marzano on classroom instruction that works and Minecraft: Education Edition.
  • Fantastic Voyage-Minecraft Lesson Planning: Add project-based learning components to these Minecraft lesson plans and see learning and engagement soar in your classroom.
  • Virtual Space Construction Workers: If you are an eligible school district, learn how to get Minecraft: Education Edition FREE for one year with a new Windows 10 device.
  • Creating Worlds of Tomorrow: Wish you had a digital assistant to help you build a virtual world? Now you do. Minecraft: Education Edition (also known as MCEE and in use in 100 countries) now has a mod known as Code Builder, which makes building and creating in the online virtual world as easy as drag and drop.
  • Designing Minecraft Spaces: Encouraging students to design Minecraft spaces allows them to ponder the possibilities of changing their physical world as well.

Tips for Tools You Can Use

  • Seven Keys to Blended Learning: If you’re dipping a toe into the blended learning waters, here are some great ideas to take with you as you help students master core content.
  • Engaging Learners with Microsoft Forms: Dump those old paper rubrics and flip the learning! Empower yourself and your students to use Microsoft Forms for the quick evaluation of academic work. This makes grading easy and simplifies the process for students. Let’s explore some ideas for using Microsoft Forms, as well as review Forms features, in the classroom and/or for professional learning.
  • Windows Tips & Tricks: Want to make your Windows 10 device faster, safer, and smarter? These five tips with assorted tricks will get you started and moving in the right direction.
  • Five OneDrive Tips You Can’t Live Without: Looking for ways to increase your productivity and save time? These five tips for OneDrive, a free resource, can help.
  • Use OneDrive to Back Up Your iOS Camera: Need to backup your iOS photos and videos? Consider using OneDrive as an easy way to store, interact with, and share your camera roll.
  • Get Organized-Productivity Tips for Onenote:  Need help organizing the vast mounds of paperwork generated by your campus? Try using OneNote and the chore becomes a breeze.
  • New PowerPoint Translator Makes Captioning Possible: Accessible learning becomes a reality with Microsoft’s newest offering. See how making same language subtitles make learning accessible.
  • No More Death by Powerpoint: PowerPoint doesn’t have to mean a boring presentation. Learn some new ways to keep your audience engaged and even moved during your presentations.
  • More Free Powerpoint Templates: Find the perfect template to ensure that your presentation is a powerful story that resonates with your audience and achieves your desired goals.
  • Digitizing Paper: In this blog, learn about four powerful tools for iOS to use when you’re ready to digitize the papers in your classroom or office. Office Lens became my new favorite free app, not only because you can scan to a variety of online spaces, but because it now includes immersive reader.
  • Farewells, Docs.com, Hello Enhanced Onenote, Forms and Flows: Learn about the latest Microsoft updates to OneNote, Forms, and Flow and the ending of Docs.com in this must-read blog for MS fans.

Deepening Professional Learning

  • Get Current on Tech Learning: Need to update your college learning? Avoid paying expensive college course fees. In this TCEA Responds, we explore how to make lifelong learning possible, including the Microsoft Education Community.
  • Gamifying OneNote Learning: Take your professional learning to a new and fun-filled level with this game board on OneNote. Gamification makes it easy to master new skills!

Wrap Up

As we move into 2018, don’t forget to stay tuned to more fabulous posts on our 2017 EdTech’s Must-Read K-12 IT Blog! In addition, be sure to join our email list to ensure the hottest new content gets delivered right to your inbox.

 

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iOS Tips and TricksMicrosoft Tips and Tricks

Improved Teaching with Microsoft

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“We sure wish Class Notebook worked in OneNote Online,” several teachers remarked to me at a Fall Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) session. Microsoft was listening. On January 18, 2017, Microsoft improved teaching and learning with OneNote! These new features expand integration for OneNote’s most popular add-ins, Class Notebook and Learning Tools.

Big Announcements

Today, in the announcement, Microsoft shared their two popular add-ins are now available for OneNote Online, as well as OneNote for Windows 10 (the free version that comes installed with Windows 10). Some additional enhancements were also covered.

OneNote Enhancements

You already knew that YouTube, Vimeo, Slideshare, Sway, Docs.com, MS Forms, and Office Mix could be embedded into a OneNote page for easy student access. As of today, you can also embed Quizlet, ThingLink, GeoGebra, Wizer and Sketchfab 3D! Check out Marjolein Hoekstra’s (@OneNoteC) example OneNote Notebook (as well as her demo of Padlet embedding!). OneNote has also been enhanced to include stickers for student feedback. These stickers won’t peel off!

improved

improvedClass Notebook

For teachers, Class Notebook for OneNote Online and OneNote for Windows 10 means easier distribution of content to all students in a class. It also empowers teachers to review student work sequentially (click and grade your way through a class roster with ease). This is phenomenal since it adds class management functionality the online and app versions of OneNote 2016 (the cadillac version). These features are rolling out on January 18 for OneNote Online. A new version of the Win 10 OneNote app will allow you to enable the feature via the settings in the Options menu.

Learning Tools

Learning Tools, which provides access to the Immersive Reader, dictation, and more, has now been expanded. It works on Word Desktop, Word Online, OneNote Online and Office Lens for the iPhone. A great dictation feature translates you when you say “period” or “question mark” and inserts respective “.” or “?” inline. Other new features include six new languages, as well as the addition of three dictation languages.

Office Lens Adds Immersive Reader

You may have missed the message that Office Lens for iPad and iPhone now includes Immersive Reader, which “lets you hear text from a scanned page read back to you as words are highlighted,” functionality. This is an incredible addition!

 

 

 

Microsoftastic Updates!

Thanks to Microsoft for modeling continuous improvement, listening to teachers AND students, and implementing these changes.

 

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Microsoft Tips and Tricks

Enhancing Learning with Microsoft

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Microsoft continues to delight educators with updates and changes to its suite of learner-centered offerings. TCEA makes it possible for you to learn how to use these tools (watch the MS Classroom: Explore! video series) to maximize teaching, learning, and leading in your school and/or district. Whether you are an Office 365 expert or just beginning your learning adventure with Microsoft Education tools, you will want to take a quick look at these powerful updates.

Did you know that you can get Office 365 Online tools and one terabyte (TB) of cloud storage for free as an educator? This includes Word Online, PowerPoint Online, Excel Online, and Outlook Online. Visit this website to claim your free storage space and access. Or, if you prefer, pay $69.99/year ($6.99 per month) for Office 365 Personal. Not sure how to get started with Office 365? Check out these free online videos and Join TCEA MIE Facebook Group.

Powerful Microsoft Enhancements for Your Classroom

Improvements to the Office Suite

  • Edge Internet Browser now supports extensions, such as the Office Online extension (e.g. Chrome or Edge). This extension provides direct access to your Office files and enables you to create and open Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OneNote, and Sway documents right from the browser.
  • PowerPoint now has an automatic navigation link creation tool known as Zoom, as well as a new text highlighter tool. PowerPoint and Excel also take advantage of shape recognition, allowing you to convert drawings into shapes.
  • MS Word now features Researcher, a tool that helps you find relevant quotes and citable sources and images without leaving the app.
  • Boost your curriculum and lessons with Office 365 lessons available at the Microsoft Educator Community.

The future is bright, and options exist. Why not explore?

 

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