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Dystopian Learning No Matter the Device

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“You’re just a shill for Google,” a district colleague joked when I shared I had been selected to participate in the Google Certified Innovator program in 2010. I laughed for a moment. If that moment was funny, the fact that I became a Microsoft Innovative Education (MIE) Expert in 2016 must generate a few more chuckles. And some wondered at my efforts with a 1:1 Apple iPad classroom. Work in education, you soon find yourself avoiding a dystopian, technology singularity.

The Big Three, which includes Apple, Google, and Microsoft (let’s refer to them as AGM going forward), are competing for space in today’s classrooms. Each boasts new, powerful software, hardware, and online spaces that bridge the learning gap for educators around the world. From Apple’s Distinguished Educator (ADE)  to Google Certified Trainer to Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Trainer, each program connects you to a vibrant community of educators.

AGM’s respective efforts involve getting educators to adopt education versions of their consumer technologies. While claims of classroom transformations must be taken with a grain of salt, there are real benefits. Let’s explore some of the benefits below.

Drink the Kool-Aid!

“Have you drank the kool-aid?” When you drink the kool-aid, you suspend your cynicism of AGM’s intentions. Instead, you embrace problem-solving with the technologies at your disposal. The more active the AGM-affiliated educator community, the better off you are. These communities connect via various social media, email lists, and face-to-face gatherings. All are focused on helping you bring the power of their technologies to bear on overcoming learning challenges.

Solving Learning Challenges

How would you approach the problem below?

Students need to adapt propaganda techniques seen in presidential candidate advertising. After analyzing those techniques in several video segments, students must create their own version. The version will connect to their reading of TIM, Defender of Earth, a dystopian novel featuring a dinosaur in a world-saving battle with nanobots.

How would you approach this from your particular AGM perspective? For fun, let’s jump right in and see (in alphabetical order):

Apple

Students could collect video clips, recording relevant clips using the iPad’s built-in camera. They must provide a brief analysis of the propaganda techniques in the video, then transition to their application of the techniques to a TIM, Defender of Earth main character. They could use one of these free apps (Shadow Puppet EDU or Touchcast) to create narrated video clips and then stitch the production together in iMovie ($4.99), Videocraft ($3) or Pinnacle Studio Pro ($13). Videos would be turned into the class Seesaw account (free), appearing on the Class Seesaw Blog after the teacher approved them. Students in other groups could offer feedback via the Seesaw app on their iPads.

That’s one approach to solving this challenge using Apple. Let’s take a look at another way.

Google Suite

After reviewing YouTube versions of commercials and advertisements, students decide to use video annotation tools built into YouTube. They annotate parts of the video, highlighting the parts that exemplify a certain technique. Upon completion, students organize a Google Slide featuring still images, incorporating a comic strip storyboarded in Google Draw, and a video they recorded to YouTube using either their mobile phone with the YouTube Capture or their Chromebook’s webcam with ClipChamp extension($49 per classroom per year). Other students incorporate audio into their Google Slides presentation by recording voice-overs using Nimbus Screenrecording extension (free). And others might use Adobe Spark (free) or WeVideo ($250 per classroom per year) online.

Microsoft

Students might create a OneNote notebook, providing a written analysis of several videos from YouTube and Vimeo. They can copy and paste the video link (a.k.a. embedding) into a OneNote page, the video appearing for viewing. Then they use their MS Surface Pro 4 tablets to record a video rendition of their advertising. They could blend propaganda tips into the video and then add their explanation of what they did. As a final step, they create a view link for their OneNote Notebook. This makes it possible for anyone with an Internet browser to view the OneNote Online. Their teacher can make a class Sway highlighting the published products and share it online via Docs.com. Students with special needs are able to interact with the OneNote Notebooks their classmates create using the Learning Tools add-in.

Conclusion

You may have seen several possible ways to overcome the learning challenges in the scenario presented. In fact, like most educators, you imagined ways for all technologies to co-exist and empower students. Settling on only one technology may lead to an unwanted dystopian learning situation. Consider blending technologies instead. With that in mind, what would your technology classroom utopia look like? Please share in the comments!

 

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Content AreasMicrosoft Tips and Tricks

Creating Interactive Math Textbooks

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“It is not the reader of a text who learns the most,” says Stephen Knudsen, “but rather the author.  When a student makes a textbook in a course, the student engages daily in all classifications of learning…when students are asked to make a textbook, they are required to remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate and create. The results of this process are often nothing short of astonishing!”

Combine popular math tools like OneNote and GeoGebra to create astonishing, interactive math textbooks. Let’s find out how below.

Creating a Digital Textbook

Microsoft OneNote makes digital textbook creation easy. Students can work together on a single OneNote notebook that is organized into “notebook, section groups, sections, and pages.” Create a OneNote notebook as a textbook template, then share it via Docs.com. Students can grab the OneNote notebook digital textbook template, then enhance it. Each student or group of students can take responsibility for a specific section. OneNote enables you to insert all sorts of content, such as Vimeo, YouTube, Office Mix, Sway, and Microsoft Forms.

Organizing a Digital Textbook

Want to create a digital textbook template for your students? Let’s adapt Stephen Knudsen’s suggestions for a digital textbook:

  • Section 1: Welcome
    • Title page featuring student-created cover art
    • Dedication
    • A short Foreword by the teacher or someone who has read the textbook
    • Table of Contents. You can use Onetastic add-on to OneNote to auto-generate a table of contents for each “section chapter” and the digital textbook as a whole.
    • Author’s page with pictures of students, including their Twitter addresses
  • Section 2: Chapter 1 – Introduction
    • Organize the OneNote notebook into sections. Each section is a chapter.
    • Each section chapter will include its own table of contents and introduction.
  • Section 3: Chapter 2
  • Section 4: Chapter 3
  • Section 5: Chapter 4
  • Section 6: Chapter 5 – Conclusion
  • Section 7: Chapter 6 – Appendix

Students create hand-drawn resources and then digitize their creations with the mobile-friendly Office Lens app. Tablet access? Students can create their first draft of figures within OneNote. Identify key terms, record video/audio definitions and explanation. Design tall buildings and describe in a video how they were created. For math problems, students can use OneNote digital whiteboard technology to draft their explanation. Or rely on Microsoft Snip’s whiteboard capabilities and then embed that in the OneNote page. A few other tips include adding tags to chapters, creating a hyperlinked table of contents for each section, and setting a page template specific to each section. When complete, future classes can access the digital textbook via OneNote Online or a “frozen” copy can be permanently published at Docs.com.

Exploring GeoGebrainteractive

Wondering how to add difficult mathematics constructs? Take advantage of GeoGebra tools and materials.

GeoGebra is dynamic mathematics software for all levels of education (free to non-commercial users) that joins geometry, algebra, spreadsheets, graphing, statistics, and calculus. It also runs offline and works on various software platforms and devices (Source).

GeoGebra enjoys a rich community of support (check out Kurt Soeser, fellow Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE), work | watch his video) with over 500,000 pre-created resources. In addition to creating content with GeoGebra, students can also place any of those half a million resources within their digital textbook. Want to see this in action? Go to my TCEA Connect OneNote notebook using this link. You can also watch the YouTube video walkthrough.

Conclusion

Rather than rely on traditional textbook publishers, adopt a maker attitude in your math classroom. Empower students to create digital textbooks using Microsoft OneNote and GeoGebra. Publish to a worldwide audience and ensure that the learning is meaningful and authentic.

Featured Image Source

“Embed GeoGebra in OneNote” via Kurt Soeser as featured in the LearnOneNote Conference. Available at https://www.learnonconference.com/kurt-soeser-2016 during 11/12-11/17, 2016.

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Microsoft Tips and TricksProfessional Learning

Building a Community

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“We are longing for a community,” said a session participant at one of my Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) workshops. “Most of us have adopted Office 365 tools, but we don’t see ourselves in the numerous edcamps and workshops offered. Each of us is struggling to connect.” As instructional coach and author of The Art of Coaching, Elena Aguilar says, “With a powerful community I can do so much more. I am happier. I learn and expand and, possibly, I can transform.” The strategies below seek to answer the challenge of community building.

Five Strategies for Community Building

A few strategies that have worked include the following:

#1 – Connect

“Involve and connect with stakeholders,” I shared in a recent Skype call with USA MIE trainers. As I look at pictures from TCEA Area 1 and Area 8 participants attending the one-day MIE Teacher Academy, the connections with campus principals, regional service center staff, and library coordinators jump out at me. Some specific ways to connect include the following:

a) Amplify Their Voices

Each person has a story to tell. Here are three conversations that capture the heart of MIE events. I recorded them using the free Voxer app on my smartphone:

  • Voxercast: Listen to Crystal Just, Instructional Technology Specialist in Navarro ISD, share her insights in a spur-of-the-moment conversation about helping principals embrace technology.
  • Voxercast: Listen to Mireya Galvan, Coordinator of Library Services in Harlingen ISD, on using OneNote Class Notebook for Professional Development
  • Voxercast: Listen to Cris Chonka, Campus Technology Specialist in San Marcos Consolidated ISD, sharing her insights. Both Cris and Joanne Priest, an Austin ISD high school teacher, had just attended TCEA’s Creative Coding through Games and Apps (CCGA) workshop in December, 2016.

In addition to amplifying the voices of session participants, crafting solutions to common challenges remains important. For example, the TCEA TechNotes blog entry, Top 10 OneNote FAQs responds to specific questions that participants have asked.

b) Create an Online Sharing Space

“I appreciate the info you post,” said a technology director on the TCEA MIE Facebook Group. Creating an online space with shared learning opportunities stimulates dialogue. This dialogue also provides just-in-time support. When a critical service stopped working, TCEA MIE Community members shared their insights and knowledge to resolve the problem.  In another situation, after sharing Amplifying Creativity: Minecraft Fairytales, Javier Aguilar wrote, “Awesome!!”

#2 – Engage

“Excellence is possible without perfection,” I read one day. The quote captures the essence of my rough-hewn videos about Microsoft Classroom and OneNote Class Notebook. Videos can engage others in a wide variety of ways, making complex topics approachable. Another way to engage others is to curate content relevant to your community. For example, I rely on ReadItLater’s Pocket to capture content relevant to my community and then share it using IFTTT.com to Twitter and Facebook. Re-tweeting old content that is still helpful helps latecomers to the community or those who missed it the first go-around.

#3 – Model

“We have to be able to share resources with everyone, as well as only with those who are TCEA members.” Some people get access to workshop resources; others do not.  Microsoft’s OneNote 2016 makes it easy to create notebooks with unlocked and locked sections. Locked sections require a password to open. Then the notebook can be published online with non-passworded and passworded sections.

To encourage the use of OneNote for these purposes, I proposed sharing TCEA’s session resources with Academy participants. These actions helped expand internal understanding of OneNote’s functionality, as well as garnered positive praise from participants. We have to “dream the possible” so others can see and experience it.

Some examples include TCEA Connect!, Campus Technology Specialist Academy, and TCEA Area 20’s Tech-a-palooza Conference. Now that OneNote Online has shown itself as usable in this way, new initiatives such as the Technology Leadership Summit: Security are relying on OneNote’s passworded section feature.

#4 – Partner

“When can we have a Minecraft: Education Edition workshop in our area?” asked TCEA board member David Luna. “We definitely want to have one!” As a Microsoft Training partner, TCEA worked to seek out professional learning opportunities to better be able to facilitate training for Minecraft: Education Edition and Creative Coding through Games and Apps (CCGA). Then, TCEA’s Microsoft Certified Trainers/Experts reached out to collaborate with regional education service centers and TCEA area directors. This outreach program enables both TCEA members and non-members to take advantage of these two new initiatives from Microsoft.

#5 – Learn

Set time aside to tap into the stream of ideas, insights, and information available via social media. TCEA has built online social communities via the TCEA.org website, but also reached out to non-members via Facebook, Voxer (a mobile technology that makes audio-based chats possible, rather than text-based a la Twitter), and others. National and global communities of MIE Trainers and Experts employ Group.me, Twitter chats like #OneNoteQ, #msftedu, and Facebook to problem solve and get fresh information. These connections have a positive effect on learning and professional development worldwide.

Consider examining the TCEA MIE Facebook Group (open to all Texas educators using Microsoft tools; now with 200+ members) and the TCEA Campus Technology Specialist Voxer group as two examples.

Conclusion

“He who learns from one who is learning, drinks from a flowing river.” Never before have we had such easy access to “people in our lives,” as Matthew Kelly points out, “who raise our standards, remind us of our essential purpose, and challenge us to become the best version of ourselves.” Join us at TCEA in helping you find your essential purpose and allow us to provide you with the assistance you need to become the best version of who you can be!

 

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Microsoft Tips and TricksWeb 2.0 Tool

Overcoming Detours to a OneNote Blog

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“I am interested in the Integration Blog project,” says Jennifer Moore, “but I am wondering if I can do a OneNote instead?” Jennifer participates in the TCEA Campus Technology Specialist Certification program, a phenomenal learning opportunity for TCEA members. In this blog entry, we explore a few detours to a Microsoft OneNote-based blog. For a blog to be read, it must be relevant to its readers. Yet reader-relevant blog entries cannot be the sole measure of a successful blog.

The Measure of a Blog

The rubric for an Integration Blog Project includes the following elements:

  • Blog Layout and Theme
  • Blog Entries (minimum of five)
  • Spelling and Grammar

You could use a traditional blog platform (e.g. Blogger, Tumbler, Wordpress, old Google Sites’ Announcement feature, etc.) and miss a Microsoft option, OneNote. Three elements characterize blogs: 1) Content readers can subscribe to the blog via real simple syndication (RSS); 2) Entries are organized in reverse chronological order; and 3) The blog offers reflection on an experience, research, or current topic.  As John Dewey points out, “We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.”

Creating Enduring Content

“Either write something worth reading,” quipped Benjamin Franklin, “or do something worth writing.” The best blog entries combine both in a simple formula:

  1. Introductions: A fresh take on an instructional strategy or technology that excites.
  2. Compelling Narrative, simply organized: Ready to jump into your blog entry? Start with these three steps:
  • Define a problem that held you back.
  • Tell about the hero’s journey you made to find a solution, including audio/video interviews and/or demos.
  • Move forward, step by step, to a successful resolution. Use the list approach (e.g. listicle) and keep it simple.
  1. The Call for Adoption: In short, punchy sentences, call for adoption of the new strategy. This can also be a call to action. Write fast, write short.

Mix the steps and use a quote or problem scenario to set the hook.

Detours Around OneNote Obstacles

“I want to use OneNote as a blog,” some have said, “but OneNote doesn’t quite work as a blog.” To use it as such, you have to overcome a few obstacles:

  • Real Simple Syndication (RSS) Feeds are not available for OneNote Online Notebooks.
  • Reverse Chronological order of blog entries isn’t publish and forget it.

Eager to adapt OneNote for a blog solution, I sought out various solutions. Most failed, but these were workable. Let’s explore the detours.

Detour #1: RSS Feed

detoursCreate an RSS feed for OneNote blog entries with the Diigo Social Bookmarking Tool. Every web page you bookmark and tag gets added to an RSS feed for the tag. Below, you can see items tagged “mgc” via Diigo bookmarks. These tagged items reflect favorites from my OneNote Online notebook, TCEA Connects!

Scroll to the bottom of the page shown above to see the distinctive RSS feed icon:

detours

Get the RSS link, then add an RSS icon of your own to the front page of your OneNote Online notebook (example shown below). Subscribers click on the RSS icon to subscribe with their RSS Aggregator of choice (e.g. Feedly.com):

detours

 

Now that you have an RSS feed via Diigo tagged items, copy and paste the link to a specific OneNote Online page:

detours

With the “Copy Link to this Page” in your device’s clipboard you can paste the link into Diigo to add it to the RSS feed:

detours

Update 12/1/2016: Another way to obtain a link, especially if you are using the free Windows 10 OneNote app (as opposed to OneNote 2016), is to do what Marjolein Hoekstra (Twitter: @onenotec) suggests in this 11/30/16 blog entry:
“Share a view-only link to an individual page through Share > Get a Link. Unique for OneNote for Windows 10 and only for notebooks stored on consumer OneDrive. Recipients can open this page in a browser.” See Marjolein’s example, Emoji Keyboard sample page, below:
detours

Once added, view the RSS feed (only if you must) and see the result (highlighted section is what we just added):

detours

Sharing the RSS Feed via Twitter/Facebook

The next step is to use IFTTT.com to publish your RSS feed content to Twitter/Facebook. Anything added to the RSS feed will be shared via detoursTwitter or Facebook. Check out this how-to available online.

Detour #2 – Reverse Chronological Order

Re-organize your pages in OneNote to get a reverse chronological list of blog entries. Simply click and drag the title of the blog entry to where it should go.

detours

 

Give It a Try!

OneNote 2016, 100% free, features a full-blown editing toolbar, automatically timestamps your blog entries, makes it easy to embed content (without messy embed code) from various sources (a feature other blog platforms make difficult or for pay), and image embedding is drop-dead simple. This makes it the perfect blog tool, especially when you incorporate Diigo RSS feeds and take care to organize pages in your OneNote blog. You can also publish a notebook via Docs.com as an ebook, viewable across numerous mobile devices. And you can password protect sections to prevent unauthorized access to blog entries (e.g. for pay, embargoed or not ready for release). Wow, give it a try!

 

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OneNote
Microsoft Tips and TricksProfessional Learning

Top Ten OneNote FAQs

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Have you explored OneNote Class Notebook yet? OneNote Class Notebook works with over 35 different learning management systems (LMSs), including a few popular ones like Google Classroom, Edmodo, and Canvas! If you have tried it, you may have some questions about the best ways to use the program with your students. Here are the top ten questions we’ve received and their answers.

A Quick Update

But before we jump into questions from TCEA Microsoft Innovative Educators (MIE) participants, check out these just announced improvements for OneNote Class Notebook.

Get the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)!

1. How can I use OneNote Class Notebook in a regular classroom for students that only can use technology at school (no computer at home)?
Many schools are moving towards increased access to technology through tablets and other inexpensive devices that students can check out.

2. Does it integrate into Schoology and ESchool + easily?
Yes, OneNote Class Notebook integrates into Schoology. For eSchool Plus integration, your Office 365 Administrator (i.e. tech director or designee) can go to this web site to find out more.

3. Is using OneNote easier for taking notes for students than pen and paper?
Yes, it can be for students who take advantage of audio/video recording, as well as those who choose to use custom note-taking pages (e.g. Cornell Notes) that are available. You can use a Cornell Note-taking formatted OneNote page to assist students (consider the possibilities for AVID students who rely on this approach!). Be sure to watch the video.

4. Can notebooks be exported to another format?
Yes, Notebooks, as well as Sections and Pages, can be exported in a variety of formats, including MS Word, PDF, sections, and entire notebooks for backup purposes or sharing. To do so, use OneNote or OneNote 2016 and click on FILE where you will see the Export option. Watch this short snip on File->Export options.

Working with Students

5. What are the best practices for students using OneNote for collaborative note taking?
Consider creating a page per day or unit of study in the Collaboration Space of a Class Notebook where students can add content.

6. At which grade level do you GENERALLY suggest students begin using OneNote?
Students are using it at a wide range of grade levels, starting at kindergarten, where they rely on audio and images for note-taking.

7. If a student changes teachers, is it possible to transfer the student and his or her work into their new teacher’s Microsoft Classroom? 
Yes, students can be moved from one MS Classroom to another via Student Data Sync.

8. Can I create multiple collaborative spaces (teaming the kids into vocabulary “themes” is what I am trying to achieve)?
You can create multiple collaborative spaces in the Collaboration Space. These “multiple collaborative spaces” involve adding a password to a section. Watch how to do that.

9. Is there a way to track which user contributes or modifies content?
You can track student contributions by View->Show Authors (if in the Online version), as well as in OneNote 2016. Watch this overview.

10. Could I (the teacher) use student collaborative spaces, copy them into the content library, and lock all modifications?
Yes, as teacher, you can use their creations in the Collaborative space, then copy their creations into the Content Library.

And, since no round-up is complete without a bonus, here’s one more:

11. I’m trying to load OneNote on my iPad, but can’t get it to open. How do I get it to work?
First, install the OneDrive app on your iOS device (e.g. iPad, iPhone). Then set up your work and personal account on it. Once you have OneDrive set up, add the OneNote app. Then you are ready to open a notebook in OneDrive.

Conclusion

What other questions do you have regarding OneNote Class Notebook? If you and your district are actively using OneNote in any way, please contact Miguel Guhlin (@mguhlin on Twitter; mguhlin@tcea.org via email) so that you and your teachers can be invited to join the TCEA MIE Facebook group.

 

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Microsoft
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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Microsoft Tips and Tricks

Digitizing Cornell Note-Taking with OneNote

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Earlier this summer, I received an email from Port Arthur ISD teacher, Hope Scott. Hope shared the following:

Our campus uses Cornell Notes, and I’d love to see/share what it looks like in OneNote.

OneNote

Looking for a Cornell Note-taking template to use in OneNote? Take a look at this short video tutorial (scroll to Relevant Links section at blog’s end and click on link #3) on how to get them. There are various Cornell Notes templates online, as well as note-taking templates you can use that are built into OneNote.  Let’s take a quick look, shall we?

OneNote Page Templates

You can find templates in OneNote 2016. These are located in OneNote 2016 under the Insert menu as Page Templates. In the screenshot, you can see more Page Templates, including some decorative ones. This is well-worth exploring.

Image 563

If you switch to View menu, you can also make further adjustments that affect page color and/or Rule Lines. You can also decide what kind of paper you want to see appear in your OneNote Notebook, whether it will just be a blank white sheet of paper or include ruled lines.

Other Sources for OneNote Templates

In the video linked at the bottom of this blog entry, I’ll be showing you some of those templates, as well as where you can find some templates that I’ve pulled off the web. I hope these tips will save you some time. Before going much further, I definitely want to credit the awesome work the OneNoteGem.com folks have done in preparing this and many other formats. You definitely need to pay them a visit and see what else they have. To save educators effort and confusion (that’s good, right?), I’ve taken the liberty of placing a variety of templates online.

When you go there, you will see a OneDrive space where you can right click and save files to your computer. For the purposes of this video, I’ll be using OneNote 2016. Right-click and save the template you want (for example, Cornell Note-Taking) to your Windows device. Then double-click on it and choose to open it with OneNote 2016. It will open as a loose section.

From this point, you can copy and paste it into another OneNote 2016 Notebook, including a Class Notebook. Once there, you can also choose to distribute it to your students. That’s pretty much all there is to it! Have questions? Don’t hesitate to leave them as a comment below and I’ll get back to you with an answer.

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Classroom
Google Tips and TricksMicrosoft Tips and Tricks

Classroom Smackdown: Google vs. Microsoft (Updated)

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

While learning management systems (LMS) of yesteryear (e.g. Moodle, Blackboard, Sakai) remain powerhouses of centralized control for educators, most of the teachers I speak to are no longer interested. It’s as if they are saying, “Ok, why does virtual class management have to be so difficult? I want simple solutions that help me get my work done rather than force me to learn arcane workflows.” As a result, we’ve seen educators eschew solutions like Edmodo, ever on the hunt for the easiest, most powerful tool.

Consider new classroom tools as the latest iteration of learning management systems. For example,  Moodle and Blackboard provided one iteration, Edmodo and Schoology another, and now Google Classroom and Microsoft Classroom are the latest iteration. Let’s explore this most recent iteration.

Update: Since this blog entry was first submitted for publication, both MS Classroom, OneNote Class Notebook and Google Classroom have released powerful new updates that may not be reflected in the feature list below. For example, OneNote Class Notebook now has a “take it on the go” feature. Click links above for more info about each. This blog entry has also been updated to clarify information relevant to MS Classroom and School Data Sync. Most recent updates appear in maroon.

Watch these MS Classroom Video Overviews exploring various features.

What Is Classroom?

The goal of any virtual classroom system, or LMS 3.0, involves providing a suite of online tools that empower students and staff to connect, create, collaborate, and facilitate organization. Microsoft Classroom, like Google Classroom, offers integrated word processing, spreadsheet, slideshow presentation, and cloud storage.

It goes one step further with OneNote Class Notebook, facilitating digital ink/notation of student assignments, the grading of assignments and full integration with MS Classroom Assignments. MS Classroom, by itself, is a powerful classroom collaboration tool. But add OneNote Class Notebook, and you’ve made it simple for educators to distribute assignments, draw/use digital ink to create and annotate content. Then, you can add audio comments and feedback to student work along with digital ink feedback.

Features and Benefits

Both Google and Microsoft have a wealth of features. Let’s take a peek, adapting this support document to facilitate a feature comparison. I’ve also added components (e.g. MS Snip/video links to the MS Classroom side or links to Google’s support page) to the “Yes” response if they include items readers new to MS Classroom may be unaware of.

 

Feature List

Microsoft Classroom

Classroom

Google Classroom

Classroom
Save Teachers Time
Add students easily. Yes, and you can add students through a quick search as well as through School Data Sync*. Students can join a class with a code, giving you more time to teach..
Manage multiple classes—Reuse existing announcements, assignments, or questions from another class. Share posts across multiple classes, and archive classes for future reference. Yes, you can post assignments to multiple classroomssimultaneously.

 

You can Activate or Deactivate classes.

 Reuse existing announcements, assignments, or questions from another class. Share posts across multiple classes, andarchive classesfor future reference.
Teach together—Co-teach a course with other instructors. Yes, you can easily add co-teachers. Co-teach a course with up to 20 other instructors.
One-click worksheets—From a worksheet template, create an individual document for each student with one click. Yes, with OneNote Class Notebook integration, you can create individual documents, as well as provide templates for students to use in a content library. From a worksheet template, create an individual documentfor each student with one click.
Rich assignment materials—Add materials to your assignments, like YouTube videos, Forms, PDFs, and other items from your cloud storage. Yes, a wide variety of media (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, MS Sway, Slideshare) can be embeddedby pasting in the link. Documents can be included in Conversations component of MS Classroom as well as embedded in OneNote Class Notebook. Add materials to your assignments, such as YouTube videos, a Google Forms survey, PDFs, and other items from Google Drive. Teachers and students can draw on, write notes, and highlight documents and PDFs in the Classroom mobile app.
Customize assignments—Add optional due dates, create customized grade values, and track which assignments are graded. Yes, each assignment can have due dates and times, as well as custom grade values. You can also quicklyassign grades via a connected OneNote Class Notebook, grades auto-synching to MS Classroom. Add optional due dates, createcustomized grade values, and track which assignments are graded.
Prepare in advance—Draft posts and assignments, or schedule them to automatically post to the class stream at the scheduled date and time. Yes, you can schedule assignmentsin the future. Draft postsand assignments, orschedulethem to automatically post to the class stream at the scheduled date and time.
Quick exit tickets and polling—Post a question to students, then view results within Classroom. Yes, as well as take advantage of Microsoft Forms or Excel Online Surveys. Post a question to students, then view results within Classroom.
Customize your class theme—Change the default color or theme image for your class. Yes, custom banners, icons and titlesare available. Yes. Change the default color or theme image for your class.
Keep resources in one place—Create a class resource location for documents, such as your syllabus or classroom rules. Yes, use OneDrive for centralized location for online documentscreated, and/or OneNote Class Notebook with built-in search, passworded access to sections, and more. Yes. Create a class resource pagefor documents, such as your syllabus or classroom rules.
Keep students organized—Classroom creates a Calendar for each class, adding assignment due dates to the calendar. Students can view upcoming work in multiple places. Yes, create assignment due dates and see those appear in calendar immediately. Students can view upcoming assignments, as well as review completed ones. Students also have a “Mark Done” option they can select and that turns the work in.
MS Classroom also features a private “chat” between teacher and student for feedback regarding a particular assignment.		 Yes. Google Classroom creates a Google Calendar for each classand updates the calendar with work and due dates. Students can view upcoming work in the class stream, on their work page, or in the class calendar.
Keep teachers organized—Review student work, including assignments, questions, grades, and previous comments. View work by one or all classes, and sort by what needs reviewing. Yes, one place to review assignments, student comments/questions, as well as the option to view items in OneNote Class Notebook. Yes. Review student work, including assignments, questions, grades, and previous comments. View work by one or all classes and sort by what needs reviewing.
Grade quickly and easily—Sort students by first or last name, see who has turned in work, draft grades to share with students later, add private comments when returning work. Yes. Yes. Sort students by first or last name, see who’s turned in work, draft grades to share with students later, and add private comments. Plus, add annotations and visual feedback to student work in the Classroom mobile app.
Transfer grades—Export final grades to spreadsheet format or to a CSV file for upload elsewhere. Yes, you can export grades through a CSV file. Yes. Export final grades to Google Sheets or to a CSV filefor upload elsewhere.
Integrate with other favorite teaching tools—Sync your existing Classroom classes with partner applications. Yes, OneNote Class Notebook allows for integration with multiple LMSs, including Edmodo, Google Classroom, Moodle, MS Classroom, Schoology and many more. Also, Office 365 Suite of online and installed programs (e.g. Word,Powerpoint, OneNote, Excel). Yes. Sync your existing Google Classroom classes with partnerapplications.
Communicate and Collaborate
Access anytime, anywhere—Access Classroom on the web or via the  Android and iOS Classroom mobile apps. Yes, iOS  and  Android apps are available. Also features OneDrive cloud storage and OneNote apps for all platforms (e.g. iOS, Android, Windows, Mac). Yes.
Real-time feedback—View, comment, and edit student work in real time. Yes. Yes.
Create class discussions—In the class stream, post announcements, engage students in question-driven discussions, or move important topics to the top. Yes, you can use MS Classroom Conversations feature. Yes.
Manage class discussions—Control who can post to the class stream and mute individual students from posting or commenting. Yes. Yes.
Share content—Share links, videos, and images from websites to Classroom. Yes. Yes.
Push content to students’ screens—Push web pages instantly to a class. Students can also share their screen with their teacher. Yes*.

*Note: You can push or “distribute” content instantly using OneNote Class Notebook (which is “baked into” MS Classroom). These pages are instantly available via OneNote Online for students.

 Yes.
Easy Admin Support
Affordable and secure—Like other services, Classroom contains no ads and never uses your content or student data for advertising purposes. Yes. Yes.
One sign-in—Teachers and students can sign in to Classroom with a single sign-on. Yes. Yes.
Professional development —Get your teachers using Classroom quickly with free online training. Yes. Professional learning online is available and a click away in OneNote Class Notebook. Yes.
Personal data protection—Classroom is covered. Yes. Yes.

*More on MS School Data Sync: “School Data Sync imports school roster data from the school SIS (like PowerSchool) and synchronizes it with Azure Active Directory and Office 365 so that Classroom (or any other application) can use the roster data to create online classrooms, have context about the student, and even enable single sign-on.

Schools can also use Microsoft School Data Sync to automatically create classes and add students based on the school’s student information system (SIS) roster.” Watch this short video about School Data Sync!

And, this chart doesn’t even mention online surveys and/or forms, both of which are available through Google Forms and Microsoft Forms (read this post by TCEA Board Member, John Bimmerle, on Microsoft Forms). That will be the subject of a future blog entry.

Conclusion

These two third-generation LMS players are quite evenly matched, offering school districts who are looking for an alternative to Google Classroom that relies on robust, familiar MS Office tools a rich alternative. However, OneNote Class Notebook, OneNote Learning Tools, Collaboration Space, and the ability to quickly disseminate handouts and resources to students via the Content Library give Microsoft Classroom the edge. What’s more, OneNote serves as a great ePortfolio solution that can integrate with a variety of learning management systems, including Google Classroom. Depending on your needs, there is no reason why your district or school couldn’t mix and match the various tools (e.g. Google Classroom + OneNote Class Notebook, MS Classroom with YouTube) to get the desired results.

Are you a Texas educator using Office 365 in your District? Join the free, open to members and nom-members TCEA Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Facebook group!

 

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Microsoft Classroom
Microsoft Tips and TricksPodcasts

Exploring Microsoft Classroom

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“How can I connect OneNote Class Notebook assignments to Microsoft Classroom Assignment grades?” What a fantastic question to have pop up in the no-cost TCEA Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) session I facilitated in Wichita Falls, Texas earlier this summer. In this blog entry, I am going to recap some of the conversations and provide responses to the questions that popped up during the session

Microsoft Classroom has many features and benefits, bringing the full force of Office 365 suite (including online versions of Word, Powerpoint, Excel, as well as Outlook, Group Conversations, and, the jewel in the crown of Microsoft’s education offerings, OneNote Online), as well as the installable, full-blown versions of these products.

Selecting Your Tool

In the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) one-day Teacher Academy, one of the points that is shared is the importance of students being able to select their own tools as appropriate for the job. This, for me, goes to the heart of what it means to be a learner, an artisan, a craftsman at work. You have to learn enough to know what technologies can be used to create the effect you are seeking when communicating, collaborating, and problem-solving with others. Microsoft, like its competitors Apple and Google, brings a wealth of tools to the table. Those tools include the following:

Microsoft Classroom – This provides a virtual space, a classroom where interactions with students can begin and be managed. It is accessible online to students and staff in a school district domain (although I’ve made the suggestion to Microsoft that they make it so that anyone external to a domain can be a part of it, so that those engaging in professional development can access content as part of a class). You can get to it online here. Some possible uses include:

  • Assignments can be set and students can submit work created in Word on their computer or the Word Online version and then share a link back with the teacher.
  • Assignments can be “turned in” by students, then graded by the teacher, who simply has to access each student’s assignment in one place and then add notes and a grade.
  • All assignments end up in the Classroom Outlook calendar, which is a component of the MS Classroom.

MS Classroom has several components “baked into it,” including:

Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook – This provides access to the premier Classroom resources for staff and students. It can serve a variety of purposes, such as a jointly-managed ePortfolio for student work, a way to disseminate assignments created in Classroom, as well as any handouts (a.k.a. Content Library) materials created by the teacher that the students can copy to their own section. This student section is specific to each student and only the student and teacher have access. Furthermore, Class Notebook features a Collaboration space where students can work together on documents and whiteboards.

But wait, there’s even more greatness! In addition to all of this interactivity, students can access OneNote Class Notebook on any device, although the MS Surface and iPad versions allow for interactivity and digital ink possibilities. If you’re not familiar with digital ink, this means you can actually write on any document you have rights to in the Class Notebook. Consider these scenarios:

  • Students can use a Cornell Notes Planner and fill it out.
  • The teacher can share a copy of a PDF or document (e.g. quiz, graphic organizer) and students can fill it out by hand using a stylus and tablet.
  • The teacher can snap a picture of a form or insert a PDF version as a print-out of a document, then share it out to students for completion. Also, students can do the creating for peers and their lead learner, the classroom teacher.
  • As a teacher, you can create and grade assignments (wow!) from within OneNote Class Notebook that get sent (or synchronized) to your connected Learning Management System (LMS), such as Microsoft Classroom. Make a change in MS Classroom assignment for a grade, and it gets adjusted in the Class Notebook.

    MS Classroom

    Participants at TCEA MIE Teacher Academy in Wichita Falls, Texas. Sign up at an upcoming session near you!

Online versions of the Office Suite – This includes a variety of tools, such as Word Online, PowerPoint Online, and Excel Online.

  • Microsoft Office Mix – This turns on many great features for both students and educators alike, enabling them to add audio, video, screencasting (great for flipped classrooms!), and more into interactive elements.
  • Microsoft Snip – Quickly capture images of your device (a.k.a. screenshots) and then annotate them with audio, highlighting, and text.

To see MS Classroom and OneNote Class Notebook in action, check out these videos for a walkthrough.

 

Microsoft Classroom Videos

Be sure to stay tuned for even more video walkthroughs!

Image Credit: Tweet by Katharine Gordon (@kpaigegordon)

 

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