The internet has provided opportunities for connection and community all across the world. In chapter 2 of “Sail the 7 Cs with Microsoft Education”, there are countless stories of how communities were strengthened and built from different web tools, but perhaps the most touching was the one done through Sway.
Sway
Sway is a website built on expanding the experiences often seen in presentation tools such as PowerPoint and Google Slides. Instead of having blocked or sectioned areas, Sway operates as a flexible “story-telling” app by Microsoft to create a more interactive experience. When creating something on Sway, you can use videos, photos, and more to recreate or simulate a desired moment. That is exactly what Lee Whitmarsh helped to achieve in Alsager, England.
Sway Used to Better Life
Whitmarsh had students paired with couples in which one partner suffered from dementia, and had them use Sway to gather memories and mementos to help restore memories lost by the one partner. This process even continued after the project ended, with family members adding onto it regularly. This tool not only provides a more enjoyable presentation experience for students, but it also operates as an item to improve daily life for many people.
Textbook Learning
It is often overlooked how important the resources cited in a text can be. Whether it be scientifically, in a storybook or biography, appreciating the cited sources and tools provided by a piece of text allows not only for a better comprehending of what has been read, but also how to use it for yourself. This week’s reading is proof of that. With so many tools that I had been previously unaware of, it truly is a marvel how many different uses can come from one tool.
Conclusion
The beauty of “Sail the 7 Cs with Microsoft Education” is the varying tools it introduces you to. Prior to this week’s chapter, I had never even heard of Microsoft Sway. I took a look at the website after reading the chapter, and it truly is a great tool that can be used for any reason. It offers templates for blogs, newsletters, reports, resumes, presentations; there are endless possibilities on Sway. I think that using Sway as a main source for really any project would prove to be fruitful, with so many outcomes possible, Sway would aid any person in their day to day life. I learnt about a tool that I now may use in the future for my own projects. The value of Sway is unmeasurable, as seen in the story from this week’s reading, and I truly think that this tool is one that everyone should know about.
Citations
Keene, B., & Kersznowski, K. (2020). Sail the 7 Cs with Microsoft Education: Stories from around the World to Transform and Inspire Your Classroom. Dave Burgess , Incorporated.