We recognize that teachers often look for new and effective ways to engage their students and support their learning goals. That’s why we’re constantly working to improve Microsoft Education solutions, features, and training, so you can have access to powerful classroom tools for teaching.
To help streamline your search for new and effective tools, we’ve rounded up some of the latest updates and experiences from Microsoft Education that will help you enhance your students’ reading skills, collaborate and communicate with your class, and create more content and curriculum for your lessons. We’re also highlighting live and on-demand events you can join with your students, and webinars and professional development opportunities to help you stay ahead. Let’s dive in and see what’s new in Microsoft Education.
1. Reading Coach is now available in any browser
Microsoft Reading Coach provides personalized, engaging, consistent, and independent reading fluency practice by allowing learners to create unique AI-generated stories by choosing characters and settings from a curated collection of options. Reading Coach was already providing learners with personalized reading practice, instant feedback about pronunciation and fluency, while also giving insights back to educators. Now it’s available for free as a public preview web app and a Windows application to use in the classroom or at home with a Microsoft account.
Get started with Reading Coach online, in any browser or download the Windows app. Learn more about Reading Coach and check out the guides on our Learning Accelerators page.
2. Microsoft Copilot expansions for education audiences
In December we were thrilled to announce several Microsoft Copilot expansions for education audiences. Copilot with commercial data protection is now available to all faculty and higher education students who are 18+, including users of our free offers. And on January 1, 2024, education faculty and staff became eligible to purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365. We also shared additional updates including eligibility for Office 365 A3 and A5 faculty customers and removed the 300-seat purchase minimum to empower organizations of all sizes.
Visit copilot.microsoft.com and explore what you can do with Copilot, your AI assistant for education.
3. Loop availability for education customers
Microsoft Loop is a flexible, AI-powered collaboration app that can help you think, plan, and create together. We’re excited to share that Loop will be included in Microsoft 365 A3 and A5 plans, including Student Use Benefit in early March 2024. Customers with Office 365 A1 can continue creating workspaces and pages through June 30, 2024, and will be able to access them afterwards.
Try Loop today and watch Microsoft Loop – think, plan and create together like never before to learn more.
4. New AI literacy training for educators and students
As more exciting AI features are developed, we’ll continue to support building AI literacy in parallel. We’ve launched the AI for Educators Learning Path on Microsoft Learn, made up of three modules to help educators learn about and benefit from AI. It begins with empowering educators to explore the potential of AI, continues into how to enhance teaching and learning with Copilot, and finishes with our newest addition: Equip and support learners with AI tools from Microsoft.
Educators can then leverage the AI Classroom Toolkit to help teach and support students in using generative AI safely. It’s a creative resource that blends narrative stories with instructional information to create immersive and effective learning experiences for educators and their students.
Check out the AI for Educators Learning Path on Microsoft Learn and explore the AI Classroom Toolkit to help teach and support students in using generative AI safely.
5. New features in Microsoft Teams for Education
You can now check-in with students using Reflect in Microsoft Teams for Education as they complete their assignment. When you enable Reflect Check-in on an assignment, students will be prompted to share how they feel when they submit their work. Then, you can review your students’ responses in the Assignments Grading experience, to monitor the progress of an individual student and the overall mood of the class about the assignment.
Another new feature that’s available now is reusing your modules between Class Teams. You can reuse content such as Assignments, Files, and Links from one class to another with Classwork. This is useful if you want to teach the same class again, have multiple versions of a class, or share curriculum with another educator.
Check out What’s New in Microsoft EDU – Bett 2024 Edition to learn more about all the new updates in Microsoft Teams for Education.
6. New experiences and lessons from Minecraft Education
Minecraft Education and BBC Earth have launched a new wondrous world inspired by the latest landmark series from BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, Planet Earth III. With the Planet Earth III DLC, students will step into extraordinary realms of the natural world to experience the struggles and triumphs of survival while playing as a series of incredible creatures, including the great white shark, the Arctic wolf, the musk ox, and more. Explore the Planet Earth III DLC to learn about each animal and gain their perspective on survival!
In another new experience, CyberSafe: Good Game—the latest addition to Minecraft’s CyberSafe collection—players help a group of gaming teammates create a code of conduct, practice digital citizenship, and ensure everyone feels welcome. This game-based learning experience is designed to teach students the tools and skills that put players in control. Players tackle exciting challenges, foster kindness and teamwork, and turn the online world into an inclusive playground for all. Play CyberSafe: Good Game and bring lessons in cybersecurity and online safety into your classroom.
7. Minecraft and ISTE Level Up Learning digital events
Dive deeper into the benefits of teaching with Minecraft with Level Up Learning, a digital event series from Minecraft Education and ISTE. Through a series of webinars spotlighting school systems around the world, educators and leaders can join a transformational journey into the integration of game-based learning and its impact on student outcomes.
Register for free for all of the Level Up Learning events:
- Computer Science and AI on February 29, 2024
- Student Voice, Agency, and Authentic Learning Experiences on April 2, 2024
- Connection, Leadership & Team-based Experiences through Esports on April 30, 2024
- STEM Literacy for all students on May 28, 2024
8. Join Flip live events or watch on-demand
In February in the United States, educators come together to commemorate and pay tribute to the narratives of Black and African American individuals, honoring the significance of their experiences. Celebrate Black History Month during this time and throughout the year by watching the on-demand Flip event Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future: Discovering Black History through Digital Innovation with your class.
Then, in March, Women’s History Month is celebrated in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. To mark the occasion, join with your class on March 13, 2024, as Flip celebrates innovative women working in the field of AI with the live event AI Conversations: Women Leaders Share Their Stories. Participate in the event to explore the questions: What does it take to succeed in AI? How can you make a difference with AI in your future? Register for the Flip live event today!
Whether you want to enhance your students’ reading skills, discover new ways to collaborate and communicate, or expand your content and curriculum, Microsoft Education has new features and experiences for you to explore. Happy teaching!
