Innovative educators know that teaching and learning is shifting. Today students can watch lessons on their devices and progress at their own pace and teachers don’t have to waste time giving the same lecture multiple times a day. While watching lessons automates what is done in the traditional classroom, there is a new tool called Microsoft Office Mix which brings lectures and lessons to life by turning PowerPoints into interactive lessons called “Mixes” that are very simple to create.
All you need to do is record lectures while you write and draw on your slides, and add audio, video, assessments or labs, and also the stuff that really makes lessons pop, like as animations, live links, or quizzes.
Fitting into teacher’s lifestyle is analytics, and OfficeMix has built that in so you can track every student, quiz, and slide to see how they’re performing. OfficeMix is free if you have PowerPoint 2013 for Windows. Or if you have a Mac, then you can run Windows on it, and still use Office Mix with PowerPoint 2013 on your Mac.
But really the coolest thing (at least your students will think so) is that Mixes play like YouTube videos and can be viewed on phones, tablets, or personal computers. Students can watch them online or on their phone or iPad -- which fits their lifestyles.
Here are seven great ways to use Office Mix:
1. Add audio or video to your mix – using Office Mix’s recording.
2. Add animations - using PowerPoints built-in animations functionality.
3. *Add inking – which can be synced to your voice (if you have a touchscreen or style).
4. Add quizzes and assessments to engage your students. (This mix has all of the examples above: https://mix.office.com/watch/2dhwh9vlfmfx)
5. Add an interactive lab. See 1:47 in this mix for example: https://mix.office.com/watch/obibkt80fj52
6. Use PowerPoint’s hyperlinking features to make your mixes offer an adaptive “Choose Your Own Adventure” style experience. Example: https://mix.office.com/watch/bp0w4lbn3dhl
7. Have your students make a Mix.
As innovative educators look for new ways to reach students and increase focus in the classroom, Office Mix is a great way for students to interact with lessons on their own and use classroom time for doing, discussing, and receiving focused guidance and support from their teacher and peers.
Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about learning innovatively and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen has worked for more than a decade in various capacities to support learning in real and innovative ways that will prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as Huffington Post, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.
Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of her employer.
