The ever-evolving educational environment requires the integration of innovative software and digital learning tools. Microsoft 365 offers a variety of applications and learning platforms designed to support and enhance students' learning experiences. These tools not only promote the development of the 4C's - Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking - but also align will with the objectives and aims of Australia's secondary curriculum. In particular, OneNote and Sway are popular Microsoft 365 applications that provide multiple benefits for enhancing the educational experience.

It is essential for educators to use effective notetaking and organisation platforms in the digital age. OneNote, a multifunctional digital notebook developed by Microsoft, is the perfect educational resource that benefits both teachers and students.

Purpose of OneNote: OneNote enables users to notetake, organise information, and collaborate efficiently (Microsoft, 2024). With additional features like drawing, multimedia integration, web clipping, and cloud syncing, OneNote has transformed the traditional task of note-taking into an interactive experience. 

Why Use OneNote for Teaching: OneNote Class, a free add-in for Microsoft OneNote, is specifically tailored towards educational environments. It enables educators to create separate notebooks that are simultaneously accessible to entire classes (Microsoft , 2016). Its design is aimed towards helping educators save time and create effective learning content (Microsoft, 2016). Key benefits of OneNote Class include collaborative sections that all class members can access and work on together, private section for educators and each individual student to complete solo tasks, the ability to assign work directly to students via the platform, and easy options for providing feedback and grades (Microsoft, 2016). 

How to Use OneNote - A Video Guide: The recording below includes a tutorial highlighting on how to navigate OneNote and effectively use its key features and functions. The video begins with a brief introduction to the platform, showcasing how to create sections and pages. It demonstrates how users can design the page layout, type notes, insert images and draw directly into their notes. By the end, viewers will have a clear understanding of how to navigate OneNote effectively to enhance student engagement and learning. 

With today's digital enhancements, educators are constantly seeking innovative and dynamic ways to engage students' and present learning content. Enter Sway, a lightweight, story-telling application developed by Microsoft (Woodgate, 2019). 

Purpose of Sway: Sway, is Microsoft's alternative platform to PowerPoint. It offers users a more simple and automated design process of developing slideshow presentations (Edwards, 2022). Sway helps users to express ideas and present research using interactive web-based formats that are visually appealing. Features such as text, images, videos and other multimedia elements can be incorporated into presentations (Woodgate, 2019). 

Why Use Sway for Teaching: The Sway platform is easy to navigate and has a simple creation process, saving educators time when developing new content but still ensuring it is engaging and interactive (Edwards, 2022). Sway fosters collaborative learning by enabling multiple users to work on a presentation simultaneously (Woodgate, 2019). 

How to Use Sway - A Video Guide: The recording below includes a short demonstration of how to use Sway and its features effectively. The video begins by explaining how to create a Sway presentation from scratch using one of the templates provided. It demonstrates how to search for images and highlights the simplicity of the drag-and-drop function. The video details how to include text in your sway presentation and the different slide options you can select to include more information. By the end, viewers will have a basic understanding of how to use Sway effectively to enhance student engagement and learning.

Both OneNote and Sway play a vital role in reshaping education, with each platform providing educators and students with the necessary tools to engage, collaborate, and build an effective learning environment. 

For more information about these apps visit https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/microsoft-365 

Thank you for visiting!