{"id":2275,"date":"2024-02-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cm-edgetun.pages.dev\/en-us\/education\/blog\/2024\/02\/22\/stay-ahead-with-8-new-updates-from-microsoft-education\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T22:39:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T06:39:23","slug":"stay-ahead-with-8-new-updates-from-microsoft-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cm-edgetun.pages.dev\/en-us\/education\/blog\/2024\/02\/stay-ahead-with-8-new-updates-from-microsoft-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Stay ahead with 8 new updates from Microsoft Education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help streamline your search for new and effective tools, we\u2019ve rounded up some of the latest updates and experiences from Microsoft Education<\/a> 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\u2019re 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Reading Coach is now available in any browser <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft Reading Coach\u202fprovides 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.\u202fNow it\u2019s 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get started with Reading Coach online<\/a>, in any browser or download the Windows app<\/a>. Learn more about Reading Coach and check out the guides on our Learning Accelerators<\/a> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"GIF.
Dynamically created stories in Reading Coach adapt to reading level and individual challenges of each student.\u202f <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Microsoft Copilot expansions for education audiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In December we were thrilled to announce several\u202fMicrosoft Copilot expansions for education audiences<\/a>. Copilot with commercial data protection is now available to all faculty and higher education students who are 18 and older, 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit m365copilot.com<\/a> and explore what you can do with Copilot, your AI assistant for education<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Loop availability for education customers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft Loop<\/a>\u202fis a flexible, AI-powered collaboration app that can help you think, plan, and create together. We\u2019re excited to share that Loop will be included in\u202fMicrosoft 365<\/a>\u202fA3 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try Loop<\/a> today and watch Microsoft Loop – think, plan and create together like never before<\/a>\u202fto learn more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. New AI literacy training for educators and students <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As more exciting AI features are developed, we\u2019ll continue to support building AI literacy in parallel. We\u2019ve launched the\u202fAI for Educators Learning Path<\/a>\u202fon\u202fMicrosoft Learn<\/a>, 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:\u202fEquip and support learners with AI tools from Microsoft<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educators can then leverage the AI Classroom Toolkit<\/a> to help teach and support students in using generative AI safely. It\u2019s a creative resource that blends narrative stories with instructional information to create immersive and effective learning experiences for educators and their students.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the\u202fAI for Educators Learning Path<\/a>\u202fon\u202fMicrosoft Learn<\/a> and explore the AI Classroom Toolkit<\/a>\u202fto help teach and support students in using generative AI safely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. New features in Microsoft Teams for Education <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can now check-in with students using Reflect<\/a> in Microsoft Teams for Education<\/a> 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Animation\"
Student experience of a Reflect Check-in on an assignment in Teams. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another new feature that\u2019s 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.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out What\u2019s New in Microsoft EDU \u2013 Bett 2024 Edition<\/a> to learn more about all the new updates in Microsoft Teams for Education.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. New experiences and lessons from Minecraft Education <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Minecraft Education and BBC Earth have launched a new wondrous world<\/a> inspired by the latest landmark series from BBC Studios\u2019 Natural History Unit, Planet Earth III. With the\u202fPlanet Earth III DLC<\/a>, 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<\/a> to learn about each animal and gain their perspective on survival! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Watch the YouTube video<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In another new experience, CyberSafe: Good Game<\/a>\u2014the latest addition to Minecraft\u2019s\u202fCyberSafe collection\u2014players 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<\/a> and bring lessons in cybersecurity and online safety into your classroom.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Minecraft and ISTE Level Up Learning<\/em> digital events <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dive deeper into the benefits of teaching with Minecraft with\u202fLevel Up Learning<\/em><\/a>, 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.\u202f  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register for free for all of the Level Up Learning events:\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n