Making the transition to remote learning
As schools around the world respond to COVID-19, the need for remote learning tools has never been more urgent. To make the transition to distance learning easier, we’ve created resources, training and how-to guides that we hope will help schools, educators, students, and their families as they navigate their “new normal.”
Resources to help you get started
No matter where you are on your remote learning journey, find tools, training, and tips to help you meet your goals.
Guide to virtual graduations
Microsoft is committed to helping students, educators, and families safely celebrate the culmination of the academic year. We’ve put together a handful of resources to help with virtual graduations. Read about successfully organized virtual celebrations, learn how to host a ceremony in Minecraft, and more.
Drive a fast transition
Find the strategies, resources, and technology to quickly create online classrooms that help students, teachers, and faculty find new ways to connect and learn.
Build confidence on any device
Bring together face-to-face connections, assignments, and conversations in a single hub that’s free for schools and universities.
Keep students engaged
Get free tools you need to keep students energized, engaged, and on the path to learning and growing.
Brought to life by:
Microsoft Education products help ensure that students stay engaged and learning stays on track.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a digital hub that brings conversations, content, assignments, and apps together in one place, letting teachers create vibrant learning environments. Build collaborative classrooms, connect in professional learning communities, and connect with colleagues—all from a single experience, and free to educators and students. Discover more about Microsoft Teams.
Free Office 365 Education
Students and educators at eligible institutions can sign up for Office 365 Education for free, including Microsoft Teams, plus more. Use your valid school email address to get started.
Minecraft Education
Microsoft extends access to Minecraft Education and resources to support remote learning.
Flip
Flip is social learning for PreK to PhD learners—helping students discuss and showcase what they’re learning.
MakeCode
Bring computer science to life for all students with fun projects, immediate results, and both block and text editors for learners at different levels.
Windows devices starting at $249
We reimagined Windows for a new era of digital learning, helping educators unlock the full potential of every student, giving them powerful tools to learn, collaborate, and create in a secure and trusted environment.
Microsoft is committed to providing guidance and resources for educators, administrators, and caregivers whose children who are shifting to online learning. Check out the latest resources and guidance, including professional development resources, IT support, and tools to promote student health and engagement.
Continuing to drive student engagement and focused learning can be a challenge, especially for those moving to remote learning for the first time. Educators and caregivers need support to help make this work. To help parents and guardians support their children, we have created a Remote Learning Guide for students and parents. We’re continuing to build additional resources, which will be available in the coming days.
We encourage schools to use the completely free Office 365 A1 offer which provides a customized hub for class teamwork with Microsoft Teams that includes video meetings, online versions of the Office 365 apps, as well as compliance tools and information protection.
There are a number of cloud-based applications in Office365 Education that are great for remote learners.
- One of the most valuable collaboration tools we offer for classrooms is Microsoft Teams. In Microsoft Teams, teachers can connect with one another in online PLCs (professional learning communities) and they can connect with students–distributing and grading assignments, chatting with students to offer support as needed, and conducting video calls to ensure students still have valuable face time with their peers and instructors while out of the classroom.
- OneNote is also a great tool for remote learning, offering students the ability to record work in an online notebook, even when they are offline.
- And in Flip, students can have conversations about curriculum and share their voice via short videos online.
- Windows 11 devices enable a virtual classroom for all students – wherever they are. Learn more.
Schools and students are all eligible for free Office365 with an EDU email address and can sign up here. If a school is already licensed for Office365, the school officials should send parents the correct log in information for their child to access the necessary tools for online learning. The Microsoft EDU team has also created a guide for parents on the Remote Learning page on Microsoft.com.
Resources to help schools looking to quickly move to online learning:
- Sign up information to get Office365 Education for free.
- A webinar that walks schools through best practices on Microsoft Teams, a digital hub for classroom coordination.
- A guide to help parents get up to speed on remote learning tools to support their children’s online learning.
- A Quick Start guide for Office365.
1For the supported lifetime of the device. Additional hardware and/or software requirements may apply over time for updates.