This year’s theme—AI Aware: Safe, Smart, In Control—recognizes how deeply AI now influences students’ daily digital lives. From learning platforms, creative tools, and online interactions, AI is embedded across the digital ecosystem. With these opportunities come new expectations for digital literacy and critical thinking.

Being AI‑aware means helping learners:

• Assess content shaped by AI
• Recognize manipulative interactions or misinformation
• Protect personal data and digital identities
• Navigate online spaces with confidence, curiosity, and discernment

Safer Internet Day encourages institutions to integrate these competencies into digital citizenship instruction so students can engage with emerging AI technologies safely and responsibly.

The toolkit includes:

• Education aligned security frameworks based on Zero Trust principles
• AI‑powered tools and implementation guidance for small and large teams
• Data governance guidance for AI, learning analytics, and research environments
• Resources for student‑run Security Operations Centers (SOCs) and cybersecurity skilling
• Real campus case studies that demonstrate the impact security tools have made at institutions globally

The toolkit reframes campus cybersecurity—not as a barrier to innovation, but as a sustainable foundation that enables safe AI adoption, global collaboration, and resilient digital learning ecosystems.

Why AI safety and cybersecurity matter in education

Cybersecurity and digital safety are no longer “technical concerns”—they are essential to the mission of teaching and learning. Schools manage a wide range of sensitive information, including:

• Student records
• Learning analytics and accessibility data
• Financial aid information
• Digital credentials
• Federally funded research outputs
• Intellectual property

Campuses are intentionally open environments designed for collaboration, inquiry, and innovation. Devices change hands, systems span cloud and on-premises infrastructure, and users move fluidly across networks. That openness fuels learning—but also increases risk.

A single cybersecurity incident can disrupt instruction, halt essential services, delay research, and erode trust among students, families, faculty, and partners.

Strong security does not restrict innovation; it enables it. A secure foundation allows institutions to adopt AI, expand access, and accelerate digital transformation with confidence.

Building digital citizenship with Minecraft Education’s CyberSafe series

Digital citizenship begins long before college or career. Young learners need accessible ways to practice and internalize online safety skills without fear. Minecraft Education offers a K–12 curriculum program to help educators introduce online safety, digital awareness, and cybersecurity through immersive, age-appropriate learning experiences. The content was developed with experts across Microsoft, including Minecraft Player Safety, Xbox Trust and Safety, and the Microsoft Digital Safety Unit, and aligns to Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA) and Cyber.org standards.

In the CyberSafe series for ages 8 to 14, students build critical thinking skills and learn positive online behavior as they explore digital risks in a safe, supported environment. The newest addition to the CyberSafe series, Bad Connection?, offers a trusted way to support digital citizenship and AI-aware learning through play for students ages 11 to 14. By introducing concepts in engaging game scenarios inspired by real life—such as manipulative interactions, suspicious messages, and peer pressure—students have a safe rehearsal space to practice:

• Evaluating risks
• Identifying red flags
• Consider actions and consequences
• Seeking help and report concerns

The goal is to equip students with language, strategies, and confidence to safely navigate online spaces and use digital technologies responsibly. By turning safety concepts into interactive experiences, CyberSafe helps reduce stigma, normalize conversations about unsafe interactions, and strengthen protective online behaviors. Minecraft Education offers free resources for educators, families, and school leaders as well as online training for educators. Explore Minecraft Education’s CyberSafe and digital citizenship resources for more information.

Supporting Safer Internet Day in schools and communities

This Safer Internet Day, we’re highlighting how everyone—students, educators, and families—plays an important role in creating safer, more confident online experiences. By opening conversations about digital safety, we can help learners build strong, healthy habits that support their well‑being wherever they connect and collaborate.

A great place to start is by opening conversations about online safety across your entire school community—students, educators, staff, and families—supported by practical, ready‑to‑use resources from Microsoft Education.

• K–12 Cybersecurity Conversation Guide—offers simple, actionable tips and prompts to help students understand safe online behavior, strengthen digital habits, and build cyber hygiene together as a school community.
• K–12 Cybersecurity Infographic—uses real examples of phishing attempts, scam ads, and suspicious links to help students and caregivers quickly learn how to spot online threats and stay vigilant.

No matter your role, here’s what you can do next:

For educators and school leaders: Use these resources to guide classroom discussions, staff professional development (PD) sessions, and schoolwide digital‑citizenship initiatives.

For IT and safety teams: Share these materials during cybersecurity awareness campaigns, family‑engagement nights, or incident‑prevention training to strengthen your institution’s safety posture.

For families and caregivers: Incorporate these tools at home to help students build safer online habits and stay informed about emerging digital risks.

Safer Internet Day 2026 invites us all—students, educators, families, and institutions—to build a safer, more informed digital world. By strengthening AI literacy, practicing responsible online behavior, and adopting robust security practices across education, we can help ensure every learner navigates AI‑powered digital spaces with curiosity, confidence, and control.

The post Safer Internet Day 2026: Helping students become AI‑aware, safe, and smart online appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Empowering education systems, educators, and students to thrive in the AI-era.

Classrooms are places of possibility where curiosity meets knowledge, and potential becomes reality. At Microsoft, we’ve supported education systems, leaders, educators, and students for over 50 years, and remain dedicated to this mission as education is reimagined in the age of AI. Trustworthy AI, combined with practical skills for educators, can amplify teacher expertise making instruction more responsive, freeing time for human connection, and ensuring every learner can actively participate in the opportunities of this new era.

Today we’re excited to advance our offerings, bringing together secure, education-specific technology, supported by skill‑building programs to empower every school, educator, and student to thrive with confidence in an AI‑powered future. We’re announcing Microsoft Elevate for Educators, a program connecting educators with community, professional development, and AI tools to transform teaching. In addition, we’ve launched new AI-powered tools purpose-built for education, including Teach in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app to streamline lesson preparation. For educators that have Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft Learning Zone can provide rich, dynamic interactive experiences using on-device intelligence to engage students better.

The new Study and Learn Agent provides students with an AI-powered learning companion to understand concepts and practice skills. We’re also offering higher education students free 12-month access to Microsoft 365 Premium and LinkedIn Premium Career, supporting them from classroom learning to career readiness. These offerings are designed specifically for schools to help build capacity, develop essential skills, and create more engaging teaching and learning experiences.

Introducing Microsoft Elevate for Educators

The Microsoft Elevate for Educators program is part of the company’s broader Microsoft Elevate commitment to help schools and educators build skills, expand opportunities, and ensure everyone benefits from AI. Through Microsoft Elevate, Microsoft aims to help more than 20 million people gain in-demand AI skilling credentials in the next two years and advance AI education and workforce readiness globally.

The Microsoft Elevate for Educators program equips educators and school leaders with access to one of the world’s largest and most connected peer educator networks, offers free professional development resources and access to in-demand credentials to confidently integrate AI into the classroom. Microsoft Elevate for Educators is available today and includes:

• New global communities for K-12 educators and schools. Educators and schools worldwide face the challenge of integrating AI in ways that truly benefit every student. In response, Microsoft is launching significant updates to its global educator community to help educators strengthen skills, gain recognition, and collaborate globally on best practices in AI-powered teaching. The new Microsoft Elevate for Educators and Microsoft Elevate Schools communities build on our existing global community and now offer year-round membership, expanded training opportunities and resources, and a progressive achievement system for educators to advance as they learn. For the first time, school districts, systems, and ministries can gain special recognition for supporting educators’ professional growth and demonstrating measurable impact in classrooms and across education systems.
• Professional development for educators globally. Free professional development and associated credentials help educators earn recognition for demonstrated skills that can qualify for salary increases or career advancement. The AI Skills Navigator helps educators learn new skills through a suite of new self-paced courses, live sessions, and AI-powered simulations available in more than 13 languages. Also launching during Bett UK 2026, Microsoft is providing educators with a new AI in Special Education course to help enhance and customize student learning.
• Industry-recognized credentials for educators. Available at no cost, the new Microsoft Elevate for Educators Credential, developed in partnership with ISTE+ASCD and aligned to the AI Literacy Framework, helps educators gain confidence and expertise in integrating AI into their teaching and learning. Educators worldwide will also have access to study materials for other Microsoft certifications, including a new Microsoft certification in Instructional Technology which will be made available to educators in the coming months.

In higher education, we continue to partner with colleges and universities to integrate AI into classrooms, empower faculty, and equip students with future-ready skills. Through AI Skills Navigator, we support the entire campus ecosystem. Microsoft Learn for Educators and AI Bootcamps support faculty with ready-to-use Microsoft Official Courseware, making it easier to teach, learn, and apply AI responsibly. And our Microsoft Student Ambassadors program nurtures a vibrant student body and accelerates learning through skilling events, AI adoption, and credentials. Explore more with The Skills Hub Blog.

AI tools designed for education

AI can be a powerful complement to educator expertise. Many of our education tools are available at no cost for Microsoft 365 Education customers such as Teach and the Study and Learn Agent and can help educators save time, simplify planning, and engage students. Additionally, educators, staff, and students can advance their AI journey with a deeply integrated experience and the latest innovations through an academic offering of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

To provide leaders with guidance on responsible and effective AI adoption, we’re sharing a new IDC White Paper, sponsored by Microsoft, A Blueprint for AI-Ready Schools: Strategies from the Front Lines of K-12 Education.¹ It highlights lessons learned from early adopters, such as Brisbane Catholic Education in Australia, Broward County Schools in the United States, and Coquitlam School District in Canada, and outlines opportunities for integrating AI into schools.

Teach: Your AI assistant for instruction and more

Now available in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, Teach helps streamline class preparation with intuitive, customizable features including lesson plan creation, quiz, rubric development, and adapting materials to different reading levels. With Teach, you can quickly generate lesson plans aligned to relevant standards, modify content for diverse learners, and adjust difficulty levels with simple prompts. Available at no additional cost for education customers, Teach helps you save time and stay focused on your students’ success.

Microsoft Learning Zone: Bringing the power of Copilot+ PCs to education

Copilot+ PCs are Microsoft’s most advanced laptops yet, combining the power of next-generation hardware with on-device AI and deep Windows integration. Microsoft Learning Zone is an AI-powered Windows app designed to use on-device intelligence on Copilot+ PCs to deliver real educational value. With this new Copilot+ PC app, educators can quickly create, share, and track personalized and interactive learning activities right from their device, instantly boosting student engagement. Students can engage with these activities on any Windows 11 PC to receive immediate feedback and personalized coaching. Microsoft Learning Zone has earned the ISTE Seal of Alignment for learning design, usability, and research-backed teaching practices.

The app draws on trusted content partners, including NASA, OpenStax, PBS NewsHour, the Nobel Peace Center, World Wildlife Fund, Figma, and Minecraft Education—to support high-quality learning experiences. New content additions include the Nobel Peace Center lesson collection, which explores peace, justice, and human rights through stories of laureates such as Malala Yousafzai and Wangari Maathai, alongside companion activities in Minecraft Education.

Educators can share Learning Zone content anywhere through Microsoft Teams, with learning management system (LMS) integration expected later in 2026. It currently supports English and Spanish, with Portuguese, French, German, and additional languages planned for 2026.

Study and Learn Agent: Supporting student growth

The Study and Learn Agent, built on learning science principles, is designed to help students ages 13 and older engage more deeply with academic concepts to develop critical and reflective thinking skills. Students can work to understand concepts, practice with adaptive exercises, explore topics through guided study, or engage with built-in activities like flashcards, matching exercises, and quizzes. Study and Learn will provide students with an AI-powered learning companion that supports their growth and independence.

Supporting students in higher education

Students are already using AI-powered tools for writing, research, creativity, and career planning. For a limited time, eligible higher education students can now get 12 months of Microsoft 365 Premium and LinkedIn Premium Career—two powerful subscriptions working together to support academic success and jump start careers. The offer is an all-in-one AI-powered plan to help students excel in every aspect of campus life, from writing research papers and organizing class notes, to creating standout presentations and applying for internships and jobs, available at no extra cost for eligible students.²

Trusted resources for education leaders

Security, trust, and accessibility are foundational in education. We’re proud to introduce the Microsoft Education Security Toolkit, a comprehensive resource designed to help education institutions simplify and strengthen their cybersecurity posture. It provides practical guidance for education leaders on everything from strategic planning and compliance to implementation scenarios and real-world case studies.

For organizations just getting started, the Microsoft Education AI Toolkit offers a practical starting point. It includes real-world customer stories, guidance for responsible AI adoption, snapshots of AI usage, and a wealth of information to help you on your AI journey! Read stories and best practices from other education institutions.

Join us in shaping the future of education together

Microsoft is committed to supporting education systems, leaders, educators, and students as learning is reimagined in the age of AI. With tools, skilling, resources, and programs, we aim to help you reclaim time for what matters most: inspiring students, fostering curiosity, and nurturing the next generation of thinkers, creators, and leaders.

Heading to Bett UK 2026 from January 21–23, 2026? Visit Microsoft at stand SM20 to explore our latest innovations. See our full program and explore the 2026 agenda.

¹ IDC White Paper, sponsored by Microsoft, A Blueprint for AI-Ready Campuses: Strategies from the Front Lines of K-12 Education, #US54034625, December 2025.

² With select market restrictions, check here for availability and details.

The post Introducing Microsoft innovations and programs to support AI-powered teaching and learning appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Microsoft is committed to ensuring that as AI innovation transforms our world, we’re equipping people with the skills, knowledge, and tools to thrive with AI. That’s why we partnered with CSforALL and a coalition of organizations including Code.org to bring educators, students, and communities around the world a new kind of learning experience: Hour of AI. Building on the momentum of Hour of Code and Computer Science (CS) Education Week, Hour of AI is designed to spark curiosity, build foundational skills, and empower 25 million learners of all ages to take their first step into understanding and creating with AI.¹ 

What is Hour of AI? 

Hour of AI is a global initiative designed to make AI literacy accessible, inclusive, and fun. With just one class and no prior experience, educators can engage learners of all ages with interactive activities and guided exploration to understand how AI works and how it’s shaping the world around us. 

With age-appropriate activities for learners at all levels, Hour of AI helps meet educators and students where they are on their own AI learning journeys. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, leading a school district, running an education nonprofit, or simply a parent or caregiver at home who wants to help your student engage with AI, there are ways for you to participate in Hour of AI.  

Explore three new Hour of AI activities from Microsoft 

From surviving the night with the help of an AI agent in Minecraft to coding and competing in Microsoft MakeCode, students can explore AI through familiar games and apps. Download free resources to help facilitate an Hour of AI in your classroom, school, or community and unlock AI education for all your students.

Minecraft Hour of AI: The First Night 

The new activity from Minecraft Education, Hour of AI: The First Night, challenges students to survive their first night in Minecraft, but with an AI twist! They’ll gather resources and build shelter before sunset with the help of AI agents, discovering how algorithms work and tackling problem-solving challenges through guided prompts that connect gameplay to real AI concepts. The First Night activity is available as a free demo in 29 languages, with classroom-ready lesson plans and educator materials.  

Access step-by-step facilitator training to plan and deliver a Minecraft Hour of AI lesson and connect to AI literacy and computer science standards.

Bug Arena from MakeCode 

Bug Arena from MakeCode is a free, game-based tutorial that introduces foundational AI concepts through coding and competition, where students design algorithms for their own Bug and send it into battle against other AI-powered bugs. They’ll write simple code to control movement and strategy, discovering how AI works through hands-on problem-solving, and experimenting to improve their Bug’s performance in real time. Bug Arena is a free, web-based activity, easy to run in any classroom for grades 3–8. 

Slither Slam from Visual Studio Code for Education 

Slither Slam from Visual Studio (VS) Code for Education is a free, game-based lesson designed for high school learners (grades 9–12). The activity gets students coding with AI prompts by using natural language to generate code for a classic Snake game and then competing against other AI snakes in the arena. This hands-on, engaging format helps students learn AI-assisted code generation, experiment with prompts to see how AI interprets instructions, and build confidence in both coding and understanding AI’s role in development.

Download and get setup with the Slither Slam resources available for educators.

Sharpen your AI skills year-round 

Supporting Hour of AI is just one way Microsoft is working to expand access to AI skills for students and educators worldwide. Through Microsoft Elevate, we offer year-round programs and resources designed to help teachers in every country and classroom confidently bring AI into their teaching—empowering educators to focus on what matters most: student success. Learn more about programs for educators and schools and get started with these resources:

• Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE) Program: Join a global community of educators leading innovation with Microsoft tools and AI integration.
• Microsoft Showcase Schools Program: Collaborate with pioneering schools worldwide to transform learning.
• AI Skills for Educators: Access free resources and training to build AI literacy and integrate AI responsibly into your teaching.

Let’s make AI learning accessible, exciting, and empowering—one hour at a time. Join us for Hour of AI and CS Education Week 2025 and help shape the future of learning.

¹ CSforALL: What’s the goal of the Hour of AI?

The post Unlock AI learning with Hour of AI for Computer Science Education Week appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

We’re inspired by innovative teaching, leading, and learning and excited to share new insights, features for educators and students, and resources to help you get started. Join us in-person at ISTELive 25 and ASCD Annual 25, June 29 – July 2, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas to explore the latest from Microsoft Education with solutions that spark joyful learning and equip educators with AI skills.

Insights from the 2025 AI in Education Report

In times of change and innovation, the need for insights and examples of impact becomes increasingly important. That’s why we’re sharing the 2025 AI in Education Report which highlights key findings across AI usage, concerns, and opportunities alongside learnings and progress from global institutions.

According to the report, AI in education is advancing daily with over 80% of surveyed educators using AI this year, up 21 points from last year as its role expands from just an assistant to a thought partner and force multiplier. At the same time, approximately one in three surveyed United States K-12 educators still lack confidence in using AI effectively and responsibly and more than half of surveyed students report that they have not received AI training.¹

It’s critical to engage with students, educators, and all community stakeholders to address challenges, learn together, and co-develop the path forward. Further, we need to collectively prepare for an AI-powered future and support students in building relevant AI skills as every industry and discipline evolves. Read the report for an overview and explore the detailed survey data for even more insights.

Teachers are saying, ‘I need training, it needs to be high quality, relevant, and job-embedded…’ In reality, people require guidance and that means teachers and administrators going through professional development.

Pat Yongpradit, Chief Academic Officer of Code.org and Lead of TeachAI

Enhancing instruction with Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Learning Zone

Microsoft 365 Copilot delivers the latest AI innovations whether through reasoning agents like Researcher and Analyst, or advanced functionality like Copilot Tuning. Institutions such as Brisbane Catholic Education and Miami Dade College are saving time to reinvest into meaningful work and beginning to explore new capabilities like agents. We’re also collaborating with Learning Management System (LMS) providers like Canvas and Moodle to take the power of agents a step further by supporting integration with Copilot through open-source, customizable samples.

We told our staff: you have permission to try, and permission to fail. That opened the door for teachers to test Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat without fear of judgment or wasted time. And guess what? Most of the time, those experiments don’t fail—they spark new ways of thinking.

Shane Tooley, Assistant Principal Curriculum, St. Peter Claver College, Brisbane Catholic Education

We recently introduced the updated Microsoft 365 Copilot app, your hub for the latest functionality and later this year in preview, for AI-powered features for educators. In one place, educators will be able to easily create lesson plans, draft materials like quizzes and rubrics, and quickly make modifications like translation, adjusted reading levels, length, difficulty, alignment to relevant standards, and more.

We’re announcing Microsoft Learning Zone, a free, AI-powered learning app and the first Copilot+ PC experience purpose built for educators to create personalized, adaptive learning activities.² Formerly known as the code name Project Spark, the experience will launch in public preview later this summer on Copilot+ PCs, including Microsoft Surface, and across the Windows ecosystem. It’s powered by new AI innovation, learning science, educator input, and features like lesson creation, customizable tools to meet learning goals, and data-driven insights.

Microsoft Learning Zone is built on collaborations with organizations such as NASA, The Economist Educational Foundation, PBS NewsHour, Figma, and Minecraft Education to bring real-world relevance into the classroom. It also includes integration with Kahoot! to generate interactive games and OpenStax for content from vetted open educational resources.

Using Microsoft Learning Zone in the classroom has been an exciting opportunity to explore innovative ways to engage students. I was impressed by the app’s intuitive layout and how easily I could edit and share content with my class. While still in its early stages, Learning Zone shows great potential for helping teachers create AI-driven educational resources.

Terry Borko, Teacher of Social Studies and Media, Red Deer Lake School

Preparing students for academic and career success

Students at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and University of South Carolina are already seeing academic and career preparedness gains with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot Notebooks are now included, and we’re looking forward to bringing even more value with a study guide experience, in preview later this year. Study guide creation is designed to help students, or educators, turn scattered materials into an organized study space with engaging learning activities and content like podcasts instantly. It will include flashcards, fill in the blanks, matching exercises, quizzes, and the ability to review progress.

In some job interviews recently, I’ve actually been asked about my experience with AI and if I know how to use it efficiently to help manage workflows. Copilot will really help students stay at the forefront of today’s changing world and make them more marketable.

Emma Ernst, Public Relations Student, University of South Carolina

In May 2025, we announced that teen student availability for Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot would be coming this summer. We’re now sharing that general availability is expected in late July 2025. To prepare, administrators should review guidance to enable Copilot Chat for students and help ensure appropriate access.

Copilot Chat is included with Microsoft 365 at no additional cost and offers secure AI chat powered by GPT-4o with the ability to maintain IT control through enterprise data protection and management. It also includes features like file upload, image generation, Copilot Pages, and agents. We’re optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead to help students increase their agency and build skills to prepare for future success. Read more about use cases, reflections, and advice from our global private preview educators and students in the announcement blog and from Johns Creek High School in the following video.

We’re looking forward to continuing to add education value to Microsoft 365 Copilot and you can review the details, learn about additional updates like the Microsoft 365 Education Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI®), and join our preview communities through the Education Tech Community blog.

As AI usage and innovation increases, so does the need for training resources that empower educators and students alike. We’re continuing to provide opportunities to build essential skills—from immersive activities in Minecraft Education AI Foundations, to equipping preservice educators with ISTE+ASCD, providing hands-on cybersecurity experience for students, and offering GitHub Certifications on Microsoft Learn and Pearson VUE.

We’ll also continue highlighting new evidence of impact such as the recent World Bank study in Nigeria, where a pilot program deployed Copilot, which stated that a “cost-effectiveness analysis revealed substantial learning gains, equating to 1.5 to years of ‘business as usual’ schooling, situating the intervention among some of the most cost-effective programs to improve learning outcomes.”

Additional resources

• Microsoft Education AI Toolkit – Designed to guide school leaders through the process of planning for and integrating AI across the institution.
• 2025 AI in Education Report – Learn more about the latest insights on AI in Education from Microsoft.
• AI strategies from the frontlines of higher education – Read the recent IDC White Paper, sponsored by Microsoft and explore perspectives from academic and IT leaders.
• AI Classroom Toolkit – Try this creative resource to introduce AI to teen students that blends engaging narrative stories with instructional information for an immersive and informative learning experience.
• Copilot Chat Adoption Kit – Review the collection of resources for IT, educators, and parents and caregivers to get started with Copilot Chat.
• Minecraft Education AI Foundations – Build AI literacy with Agent and Chicken! AI Foundations offers accessible on-ramps with lessons, immersive content, parent resources, and fun animated videos. Stay tuned for new content coming later this year and join the training cohort to learn more.

Learning from others

• Wichita Public Schools’ AI adoption: How it started, how it’s going
• From skepticism to success: How AI is helping teachers transform classrooms in Peru
• From Chalkboards to Chatbots : Evaluating the Impact of Generative AI on Learning Outcomes in Nigeria
• Crafting skills that matter with Minecraft Education
• Brisbane Catholic Education boosts agency and efficiency with Microsoft 365 Copilot
• Miami Dade College boosts student pass rates by 15% with Microsoft 365 Copilot
• How universities are tapping students and AI to fight the growing threat of cybercrime
• Safeguarding research and innovation: Singapore Management University’s cybersecurity transformation with Microsoft Security solutions
• More Education stories – Discover more examples of how institutions are achieving more with Microsoft Education.

¹ Survey Data – 2025 AI in Education Report

² Microsoft Learning Zone is available with a Copilot+ PC and Microsoft Education license (A1, A3, A5). Initial availability will be English only.

The post Empowering educators with AI innovation and insights appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Every student—whether they have a permanent disability, a temporary challenge like a broken hand, a situational disability such as difficulty reading in bright sunlight, or simply needs extra support with reading or writing—can benefit from greater accessibility to digital tools to support their learning experience. At Microsoft, we believe accessibility isn’t just a feature—it’s a foundation for empowering all students and educators to reach their full potential. Built-in accessibility features across Microsoft software and hardware can amplify everyone’s success, regardless of learning differences or physical abilities. Explore Microsoft accessibility tools and see how you can make learning more inclusive, engaging, and equitable for your school community.

Building an inclusive learning environment

Every student’s learning needs are unique. Some may have a disability, while others might be learning English, recovering from an injury, or trying to focus in a noisy home environment. Microsoft accessibility tools are designed to empower every student to engage independently and confidently in their learning. These tools come with built-in accessibility features, eliminating the need for extra downloads or stigmatizing third-party applications. Students get the help they need, right when they need it.

Get started with Microsoft accessibility tools today and learn how to create a more inclusive classroom experience with professional learning from Microsoft Learn.

Immersive Reader

Available in Microsoft products like Reading Coach and Microsoft Edge, Immersive Reader can help students improve reading comprehension, while also supporting learning differences. Students can use line focus to concentrate on one part of the text at a time. They can break words into syllables, adjust font size, and increase line, word, and letter spacing to reduce visual crowding to improve readability. For educators in Kent School District in Washington, US, using Immersive Reader helps make sure that all students are empowered to share their voices and participate.

I think when we’ve got kids that need different support mechanisms to learn, the Microsoft assisted learning tools become really, really vital. Last year, I had a student that had dysgraphia and dyslexia and so being able to listen to the audio was necessary and the Immersive Reader was essential for the success of this student.

Amber Raftery, sixth-grade teacher, Kent School District, US

As teacher-librarian and technology integration specialist Amber Gonzalez shares, the power of Microsoft 365 is that accessibility and assistive learning features like Immersive Reader are just one click away—helping to make it easy for every student to get the support they need, when they need it.

Reading Coach

Reading Coach is a free, standalone Learning Accelerator that uses AI-powered stories and personalized practice to help students improve their reading fluency. Used by half a million learners in over 190 countries worldwide, Reading Coach can help make reading more engaging and accessible with built-in tools like Immersive Reader, providing an opportunity for students to boost their potential and confidence. Educators can also suggest reading practices and track student progress with new educator features in Reading Coach.

After three weeks of Reading Coach, we saw students gain one reading level—sometimes even one and a half. Some jumped two levels in just six weeks. And nearly half the class reached their expected reading level.

Kris Vande Moortel, former teacher and Microsoft education advisor, Belgium

Reading Coach with AI-powered stories helps students take charge of their learning and push themselves further by providing individualized support. Some teachers are seeing remarkable progress in a fraction of the time—giving them more opportunities for one-on-one attention where it’s needed.

Microsoft Translator

Translator offers real-time translation of text and speech in over 60 languages, helping to make communication easier for students, parents, and caregivers who speak different languages. For educators in Texas City Independent School District, the embedded support of Translator in Word and mobile devices helps ensure that multilingual students have assistance when they encounter an unfamiliar word.

We found that Microsoft Translator is key to enabling English as a second language (ESL) students to keep up and to learn along with the rest of the class. When they are hung up on a word or a phrase or want to learn how to say something in English, they can transition back to their native language and use Translator to quickly contextualize in English.

Hope Smalley-Jackson, business teacher, Texas City Independent School District, US

Students can use Translator at school, home, or whenever they need language support. It can help bridge communication gaps, supporting accessible classroom learning with cross-language understanding and even multilingual casual conversations to help students and families.

Additional tools

If typing is tough—whether due to learning challenges, a temporary issue like a broken arm, or even fatigue—students can use dictation to turn speech into text effortlessly. Tools like live captions also help by converting speech to text or translating languages in PowerPoint, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams meetings, providing support for people with hearing disabilities, auditory processing disorders, or language needs. Plus, live captions fully supports multiple languages, making content accessible for multilingual speakers, too.

Support accessibility with AI

Additionally, AI-powered tools can help you address specific student needs. For instance, a 2024 study commissioned by Microsoft from professional services firm EY highlights how AI can help address the specific challenges faced by employees who are neurodivergent or living with a disability. The study found that Microsoft 365 Copilot helped:

• Remove barriers that arise like drafting communication and organizing thoughts.
• Reclaim time and energy by simplifying tasks like summarizing and proofreading.
• Boost confidence and sense of inclusion by enhancing performance and work quality.

While the study focused on workplace settings, the insights can be applied to educational environments. Just as AI tools can support diverse employee needs, they can also be instrumental in addressing diverse learning needs. Copilot helps educators personalize instruction, making it easier to tailor lessons to individual student requirements. Educators in Northern Ireland saw this firsthand when the Education Authority of Northern Ireland (EANI) adopted Copilot.

EANI initially rolled out AI-powered learning tools on a small scale, selecting key innovative educators to pilot the free version of Copilot Chat in their classrooms. They also introduced training sessions focused on effective prompt writing, showcasing Microsoft 365 Copilot capabilities. Educators quickly discovered the practical benefits of upgrading to Microsoft 365 Copilot for tasks like creating PowerPoint presentations, generating questions in Microsoft Forms, and developing differentiated classroom resources. The substantial time savings and enhanced ability to meet diverse student needs drove widespread staff adoption and growing enthusiasm.

Make your classroom more inclusive by using AI to differentiate materials for students. Try using the dedicated IEP assistant tool in Khanmigo for Teachers or use Copilot Chat and your own prompts and files to help you draft parts of an individualized education program (IEP).

For Copilot Chat, be sure to sign in with your school’s Microsoft account to ensure your data is protected, then copy and paste this prompt:

You are a special education teacher drafting an IEP for a [grade level] student who [describe student’s needs]. Write a goal for [area/topic] that is specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable, and time bound.

Whether you’re exploring AI, excited to try Reading Coach, or looking to make your classroom more inclusive with tools like Immersive Reader and Translator, GAAD 2025 is the perfect time to dive in. Get started and explore Microsoft accessibility tools to help every student thrive.

The post Making learning more accessible with Microsoft Education appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Join us in celebrating these everyday heroes who inspire, guide, and uplift learners everywhere. We invite you to watch this special video as our way of saying thank you and to shine a light on educators who make a difference each day. Let’s take a moment to honor and share our gratitude to all educators during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Recognizing everyday moments

Education is more than just instruction—it’s the thousands of small, meaningful interactions that shape a student’s journey. From a reassuring word to a well-timed nudge of encouragement, these everyday moments, often overlooked, are where learning truly takes root.

Teaching is also about fostering curiosity, nurturing confidence, and creating an environment where students can thrive. Every role within a school community—from educators and librarians to school counselors and special education paraprofessionals—plays an essential part in shaping the educational experience. For Teacher Appreciation Week 2025, we celebrate and thank all of you by enshrining the everyday moments that make a difference.

Academic moments that inspire growth and discovery

As educators, you bring knowledge to life in ways that engage and inspire students. Whether it’s through hands-on science experiments, interactive storytelling, or creative arts, moments like these foster a lifelong love of learning.

• Encouraging exploration: Classroom educators, you ignite curiosity through creative and engaging activities, making abstract concepts come to life for students.
• Igniting a love for reading: Literacy champions and multilingual educators, you help students discover the power of words and language, opening doors to new worlds and perspectives.
• Overcoming challenges: Special education professionals and interventionists, you empower students to harness their unique strengths and succeed in learning.
• Fostering creativity: Music, art, and theater educators, you encourage self-expression and confidence, helping students develop their creative voices.
• Inspiring innovation: Technology and STEM educators, you spark problem-solving skills and creativity, preparing students to think critically and innovate in a digital world.

As you continue to foster growth and discovery, we’re here to support your mission. Discover how technology can amplify your classroom experience with training, tools, and resources from Microsoft Education.

Lessons that last a lifetime

The impact you have extends far beyond academics. Educators, school leaders, and staff create environments like these where students feel safe, valued, and prepared for life’s challenges, often in moments that are unexpected but lasting.

• Teaching altruism: School counselors and social workers, you guide students through moments of compassion, helping them understand that caring for others, especially in times of need, creates lifelong bonds and empathy.
• Instilling perseverance: Career and technical education (CTE) instructors, you help students face setbacks and turn failures into valuable life lessons, teaching them that success is built from resilience, preparation, and gaining skills for the future.
• Encouraging curiosity: Librarians and media specialists, you help students navigate unexpected journeys of discovery. Whether it’s a book they stumble upon or a question they didn’t know they had, you show them that learning can be spontaneous, joyful, and lifelong.
• Supporting health and well-being: School nurses and nutrition staff, you offer comfort and care, from easing a scraped knee to providing nourishment, teaching students that well-being is integral to their growth. You remind students that being cared for is just as important as learning.
• Building teamwork and resilience: Physical education educators, you teach far more than sports. Through teamwork, effort, and fair play, students learn how to bounce back from loss, celebrate others, and show up for themselves and their peers.
• Empowering digital learning: IT and tech professionals, you ensure that technology runs efficiently and securely, enabling students and educators to use digital tools for learning and growth. Your expertise fosters innovation and helps prepare students for the future.
• Leading with vision and heart: Principals, department heads, and superintendents, you shape the culture and direction of the entire school community. Your leadership helps create environments where academic excellence and personal growth thrive.
• Ensuring a clean and welcoming environment: Custodians and maintenance technicians, your dedication to maintaining the physical space allows students and educators to focus on learning. You teach us the importance of care, attention to detail, and pride in our surroundings.

A big thank you to all the educators and school staff who go above and beyond, creating moments that last a lifetime. You’re shaping futures in ways big and small, and we’re honored to support you in your mission. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week—you’re making the world a better place, one moment at a time!

Every day, you lay the foundation for lifelong learning. We’re committed to providing ongoing support to help you nurture students in all aspects of their development. Explore our curated collection of resources—quick start guides, infographics, and research studies—designed to empower the education community.

To every educator, regardless of role: Your passion, patience, and unwavering dedication enshrine the everyday moments that make a lasting difference in the lives of your students and the future of our communities. Your efforts may not always be seen, but they’re often felt. During Teacher Appreciation Week 2025, and throughout the year, we celebrate and honor you.

From all of us at Microsoft Education—thank you for all that you do.

The post Enshrine the everyday: Appreciating the lasting impact of educators appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Healthy classrooms—where students understand their emotions, educators feel empowered, and empathy is a shared value—often create the best conditions for success. There are many ways to support wellness across your school community, including tools and resources from Microsoft Education. We’re here to help make it easier to prioritize mental health for both you and your students—for Mental Health Awareness Month 2025 and throughout the school year.

The global well-being crisis demands a bold shift in education—one that recognizes emotions as central to learning, decision-making, and achieving goals. Emotional intelligence is the foundation for life’s most essential skills: clear communication, good judgment, resilience, and strong relationships—key drivers of personal well-being and success in any career.

Marc Brackett, Ph.D., Author of Permission to Feel and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

Cultivate collaboration and connection with Minecraft Education

Minecraft Education is a game-based learning platform that promotes skill building, teamwork, and problem-solving. It provides students with a safe space to express themselves, collaborate and practice empathy, and navigate their emotions in a low-stress environment. With Minecraft Education, you can help your students develop essential skills with immersive and engaging educational experiences.

Spin the Wheel of Steve and discover the magic of teamwork in this fun, skills-based adventure inspired by A Minecraft Movie! Students will venture through the Overworld competing in five team-based challenges designed to strengthen creativity, communication, connection, and critical thinking. Witness the wonder of collaboration when precious gems are at stake!

Use these additional Minecraft Education activities and worlds as they are, or as a starting point to adapt to your students’ needs:

• Reflect World – Students practice emotional processing strategies, encourage teamwork, and visualize emotions to develop empathy and self-awareness.
• Building Community – Students work together to discuss what resources and services help people thrive and then build a community together within Minecraft.
• Empathy Train – Explore what it means to think about other people’s feelings by constructing a diorama that captures a peer’s thoughts and feelings.

Build social, emotional, and academic skills with Reflect

Reflect, a Learning Accelerator, can make it easy to bring emotional check-ins and SEL into your daily practice. With Reflect, everyone has the opportunity to feel heard while learning to identify, understand, and manage emotions. Reflect offers:

• Intentional emotional check-ins – Quickly survey students about their feelings and help them develop their emotional vocabulary with age-appropriate reflection.
• Ready-to-use activities – Explore a variety of fun activities for you and your students to practice well-being skills.
• Data-driven insights – Understand the emotional patterns and needs for each student and the whole class so you can better support their well-being and academic success.
• Easy access and seamless integration – Access Reflect through your web browser (sign in required), via the Windows app, Microsoft Teams for Education, and through integrations into learning management systems (LMS).

Additionally, Reflect Compass is a tool within Reflect that helps you navigate student check-in results with evidence-based strategies to enhance well-being, engagement, and a sense of belonging. It’s built on the expertise of Challenge Success and grounded in over 20 years of research at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education.

Enhance educator well-being and connection

Reflect isn’t just for students, it supports your wellness, too. You can access breathing exercises, meditation, and mindfulness activities from Reflect—great for moments when you need a mental reset or want to model self-regulation for your students.

Reflect also helps school leaders foster a healthier, more connected work environment. Staff check-ins in Reflect give colleagues a safe space to share how they’re feeling—creating opportunities to be heard, supported, and seen.

Create a staff check-in with Reflect

If you’re a team owner, follow these steps to get started:

1. Open your staff team in Microsoft Teams for Education.
2. Navigate to the General channel.
3. Select the Reflect tab.
4. Choose a question from the gallery.
5. Publish your check-in to give staff space for personal and community reflection.

Focusing on your own wellness not only contributes to a positive learning environment, but it’s also a meaningful investment in yourself. Nurture yourself by taking a moment to recharge. Calm, the leading mental health brand, integrates mindfulness and movement activities into Reflect. Use a variety of engaging activities from Calm to foster a happier, healthier, and more balanced school community. As a bonus, educators and students can enjoy an exclusive 40% discount on a subscription to Calm, providing a wealth of activities designed specifically for personal rejuvenation.

Balance your workload with AI

We understand that your time and energy are precious. AI can assist you by streamlining everyday tasks and freeing up your time so you can stay focused on what matters most—whether spending time on individualized instruction or taking time to support your own well-being. By reducing the administrative burden, AI can help you to dedicate more attention to your students, their learning experiences, and your needs.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is your AI assistant for everyday tasks, helping you support student learning outcomes, boost productivity, and save time. No matter your role, Copilot can help securely empower everyone at your institution, making it easier to work smarter and stay organized. Schools using Copilot have seen tangible benefits, with educators in Brisbane, Australia, reporting an average savings of 9.3 hours per week on routine tasks.

This time savings is especially crucial—and hopeful—in a profession where burnout is common. As St Francis College Principal John Marinucci highlights, Copilot can transform education by streamlining administrative tasks that often overwhelm educators. This means teachers can now devote more energy and time to their core mission of helping students be successful and grow.

To help you and your team build competency with AI and Copilot, check out the AI for educators learning path which walks you through AI uses and tools in education.

Prioritizing mental health and wellness isn’t just a moment, it’s a movement. This Mental Health Awareness Month, and throughout the year, you have the opportunity to lead a classroom where emotional intelligence, empathy and well-being are foundational to learning. Make mental health awareness and SEL a natural part of your day—supporting your students and yourself in meaningful, lasting ways.

The post Prioritizing mental health for successful school communities appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Discover four ways to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month 2025 and foster a broad perspective on the contributions and achievements of AAPI communities. These resources help inspire curiosity, support critical thinking, and connect students to the powerful stories of AAPI individuals who have shaped our world.

1. Immerse your classroom in the culture of Ngā Motu

Use Minecraft Education to explore vast worlds outside of your classroom. In Ngā Motu (The Islands), students learn about the indigenous culture of the Māori people, from language to architecture, arts, and economics. Take an immersive visit from the maunga (mountain) to the ākau (shore) and everything in between to learn about the Māori language and culture. Embark on an unforgettable adventure to Ngā Motu and discover the wonders of Māori culture!

Classroom connection: Before getting started, review the supporting resources on the Ngā Motu lesson page. You’ll find a lesson plan, an introductory video, and a resource pack that includes traditional pā (settlement) and ride waka hourua (boats) to enhance the experience for students.

2. Explore AAPI topics through targeted reading practice

Reading Coach is a free, standalone Learning Accelerator that helps students develop reading fluency skills through personalized, AI-powered reading practice. When students read aloud, Reading Coach provides real-time feedback on pronunciation, syllabification accuracy, and reading progress.

Use Reading Coach to seamlessly blend AAPI topics into reading practice while supporting each student’s literacy growth. Students can use the “Add your own passage” mode to upload texts, like assigned articles, textbook excerpts, or their own writing. You can tailor practice to individual learning needs and objectives with Reading Coach, while enhancing engagement with AAPI heritage and history. Help learners discover the joy of reading with Reading Coach.

Classroom connection: Browse this collection of AAPI books for inspiration and ideas on finding relevant passages for your students. Reading Coach also has built-in passages for each reading level that students can read to learn more about AAPI cultures.

3. Develop communication skills while learning AAPI heritage

Communication skills are essential for success. As students explore AAPI figures, culture, and history, they can develop multimedia presentations to showcase their findings. Use Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach, two Learning Accelerators, to help develop your students’ public speaking skills.

Use Speaker Progress to create presentation assignments and track your students’ growth at the individual, class, grade, and school levels. Then have your students use Speaker Coach to complete the assignment, while receiving real-time, AI-powered feedback on pacing, pitch, clarity and more. Discover how Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach can help build communication confidence in your classroom.

Classroom connection: Have students present on influential AAPI figures like Suni Lee, Senator Tammy Duckworth, or Shohei Ohtani. They can develop their communication skills and build their confidence by independently practicing their presentation with Speaker Coach before presenting to their class or community.

4. Enhance lesson planning with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

Copilot Chat can help you create customized materials, activities, and lessons. Use it to design engaging content that connects students with the history and contributions of AAPI communities.

Streamline and innovate your lesson planning process by starting with one of these ready-to-use prompts in Copilot Chat and customizing it for your needs:

• Design a STEAM lesson plan for elementary students that explores traditional AAPI art or inventions. Include hands-on activities that connect art and science, step-by-step instructions, and reflection prompts to help students connect culture to creativity and innovation.
• Create a 1-week high school ELA or Humanities lesson plan where students research and analyze the impact of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander artists and writers on contemporary culture. Include learning objectives, suggested artists/authors (e.g., Ruth Asawa, Yo-Yo Ma), and key discussion questions.
• Help me update an existing lesson plan to include meaningful perspectives from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. I want to keep the original learning objectives intact but integrate AAPI voices, content, or activities into the texts, resources, and activities sections. [Attach a lesson plan or provide subject, grade, and learning objectives]

Try using Copilot Chat for lesson planning, brainstorming, creating images, getting quick answers to your questions, and more. Build your competency with AI and Copilot with the Copilot Chat learning module.

Honor AAPI Heritage Month by exploring the remarkable people, vibrant cultures, and significant contributions that have enriched our world. Use the time to design engaging, immersive learning experiences that foster essential skills like literacy, communication, and critical thinking. Inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation both in and beyond your classroom with AAPI Heritage Month classroom activities from Microsoft Education.

The code of us

At Microsoft, we believe different perspectives lead to a brighter future. Discover stories of innovation and inspiration from Microsoft employees and artists. The Code of Us isn’t just what we create—it’s who we are. Employees, their stories, and their truths are what power Microsoft. This Heritage Month, The Code of Us is all about celebrating the vibrant culture and incredible impact of the AAPI community at Microsoft.

The post 4 resources to enrich AAPI Heritage Month learning appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

From coding challenges to immersive Minecraft Education experiences, there are many ways to bring Earth Day themes to life while helping students develop essential skills. Discover six classroom-ready resources to help you celebrate Earth Day 2025 and make a lasting impact on your students.

1. Dive into data to protect the Earth with Data Explorers

Data Explorers is an action-packed Minecraft Education world that aims to build data science and sustainability skills, created by ReWrite Edu in collaboration with NetApp and World’s Largest Lesson. This choose-your-next-path style game takes students across five different ecosystems in search of scientists who help them use data to solve specific environmental problems. Along the way, students can hone their data collection and analysis skills, as well as see how scientists apply data to real-world problems.

At-a-glance:

• Designed for students ages 11-14
• Focused on data collection and analysis skills
• Includes an educator guide for easy implementation

2. Engage in animal adventures with Planet Earth III Worlds

This beautiful lesson collection is the third installment in Minecraft Education and BBC Earth’s series of worlds inspired by the groundbreaking series from BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit. Students will step into wondrous 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. They’ll explore the way these animals’ lives are intertwined by playing as both predator and prey, parent and offspring, friend and ally, and discover the precarious balance of survival.

At-a-glance:

• Designed for students aged 8-13
• Explores the challenges and victories of survival
• Experience beautiful visuals inspired by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit

3. Build eco-themed games with MakeCode Arcade

Microsoft MakeCode is a free, online learn-to-code platform where students can build games, code devices, and mod Minecraft. Support your students’ programming skills with MakeCode Arcade by quickly creating and modding retro arcade games with Blocks and JavaScript in the MakeCode editor.

This Earth Day, check out these eco-themed MakeCode Arcade experiences:

• Save the Forest – Engage students in an interactive coding challenge where they help control wildfires. Using block-based coding, students program an air tanker and set up technology to support a ground team working to protect the forest.
• Happy Flower – Teach students about the relationship between flowers and pollinators by coding a digital flower that sends bees back to the hive. This activity introduces basic programming concepts while reinforcing key science connections.
• Shark Splash – Take students on an underwater adventure where they code a shark navigating the deep sea in search of food. This skillmap blends game design and computer science with marine ecology.

4. Foster a sustainable future with FarmBeats for Students

Empower students to explore how technology can drive sustainability with FarmBeats for Students. This hands-on program brings precision agriculture to classrooms, engaging learners in real-world applications of digital sensors, data analysis, and AI. Through interactive activities, students collect and analyze environmental data, build machine learning models, and discover how AI can help optimize farming practices—supporting a future where we can feed a growing population while preserving our planet’s resources.

At-a-glance:

• Combines an affordable micro:bit-based hardware kit with free, curated curriculum
• Features interactive activities that engage students in real-world applications of AI
• Focuses on sustainability in agriculture and environmental stewardship

5. Enhance literacy skills with Earth Day reading assignments

Use Reading Progress to seamlessly blend Earth Day topics into your reading lessons while supporting each student’s literacy growth. With AI-powered passage generation, you can create customized reading passages on environmental themes in just a few clicks. Simply choose the topic, age level, length, and language—and adjust the complexity as needed to meet your students where they are and deepen their engagement with Earth Day.

You can also use AI-generated comprehension questions based on the passage. Specify how many questions you want, review the questions before assigning them, and easily tailor them to fit your students’ learning goals.

At-a-glance:

• Quickly generate Earth Day-themed reading passages with AI-powered passage generation
• Personalize reading passages based on phonics patterns or words students find challenging
• Use AI-generated comprehension questions to check for understanding

6. Design, update, and personalize Earth Day lesson plans

Spark creativity and save time with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. Whether you’re planning an Earth Day lesson, generating engaging content, or creating visuals to bring your teaching to life, Copilot Chat can help—for free.

Need fresh activity ideas or ready-to-use classroom materials? Just ask Copilot Chat! Try these prompts to enhance your Earth Day lessons:

• Create a detailed lesson plan on sustainable farming practices for [grade level]. The lesson should highlight concepts like crop rotation, organic farming, soil conservation, and water management, with real-world examples and student-friendly explanations.
• Generate a list of thought-provoking, open-ended discussion questions for a [grade level] Earth Day lesson. Ensure the questions encourage critical thinking, personal responsibility, and diverse perspectives. They should be designed to spark meaningful conversations about [topic] and connect students’ thinking to their role in protecting the planet.
• List a variety of engaging, hands-on eco-centric activities for a [grade level] class to do for Earth Day. Include indoor and outdoor options with a brief description, required materials, estimated time, and how it connects to [a specific topic like environmental awareness, sustainability, or climate action].

Explore the Copilot Chat learning module on Microsoft Learn to discover practical ways to use it in your daily workflow.

Celebrate Earth Day 2025 by bringing sustainability to life in your classroom. These ready-to-use resources are designed to help you engage students and spark meaningful conversations about our planet’s future. Empower your students to take action for a greener future—one engaging, interactive lesson at a time.

The post 6 ways to create memorable Earth Day experiences for students appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

There’s a strong opportunity to boost understanding and use AI more intentionally through professional learning and thoughtful practices. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your AI capabilities, we have free training and resources to help you build AI skills and integrate AI in meaningful and responsible ways. Get started by exploring our curated list of resources to help you and your students develop AI literacy skills.

Develop your AI literacy with professional learning

To support meaningful AI integration in education, it’s important to engage in professional development opportunities that build foundational knowledge. Explore these free learning resources designed to deepen your expertise and give you the tools to incorporate AI into your classroom:

• AI for educators learning path – Use this foundational training on Microsoft Learn to enhance your AI literacy and explore how to integrate AI into your classroom.
• AI skills for educators – Jump-start your AI skilling through free training courses and programs like the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert global professional learning community.
• AI for education resources and learning opportunities – Discover resources and courses on how to use AI for education with Microsoft.
• Microsoft Education AI Toolkit – Access a collection of AI resources, research, and best practices for education leaders to support AI adoption in schools.

By engaging with these resources, you’ll build confidence in using AI and discover innovative ways to support student learning and save time. Continue growing your expertise by experimenting with AI tools and collaborating with peers to share best practices.

Grow your skillset with the Microsoft AI Skills Fest

Join the Microsoft AI Skills Fest to build your skills and stay ahead. No matter your role in education, the AI Skills Fest offers experiences tailored to your needs. Engage in deep dives, experiential content, hackathons, and practical sessions that will enhance your AI skills over 50 days of discovery and learning, starting April 8, 2025.

Additionally, we can make history together while attempting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS^TM title for most users to take an online multi-level artificial intelligence lesson in 24 hours. It’s easy: Join us on April 8, build your skills, test your knowledge, and attest your participation. We’ll kick things off on April 7 at 23:00 UTC (9:00 AM AEST) and conclude on April 8 at 23:00 UTC (16:00 PDT), with learning events scheduled around the globe. Participate in this unique opportunity to learn, compete, and celebrate your achievements!

Enhance teaching and learning with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

Copilot Chat enhances teaching and learning by helping you simplify administrative tasks, personalize learning, and enhance creativity. Learn how you can maximize the potential of AI in education with the following Copilot Chat resources:

• Enhance teaching and learning with Copilot Chat – Explore using Copilot Chat in education by learning basic concepts and features and then applying that knowledge to design effective prompts and analyze results.
• Copilot Chat resources for education – Find resources to help you, your team, and your institution get started with Copilot Chat.
• Meet your AI assistant for education – Delve into this blog post to help you get started with Copilot Chat to write prompts and generate images.

These materials will help you integrate Copilot Chat into your daily workflows and create more engaging learning experiences. Keep exploring new ways to use AI-powered tools to personalize instruction, prepare students for the future, and save time on your routine tasks.

Improve your students’ AI literacy

Building students’ AI literacy is essential to preparing them for the future. Use these pre-planned lessons and immersive experiences to demonstrate AI concepts while fostering critical thinking and responsible AI use:

• AI Foundations – Discover a set of accessible, engaging materials for building AI literacy with Minecraft. The program is designed to empower students, educators, and families with a fundamental understanding of how AI works and how to use AI tools responsibly.
• CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper – Help students develop responsible AI habits by exploring academic integrity, human oversight, and data privacy in this engaging Minecraft world.
• AI Classroom Toolkit – Access lesson plans, activities, and teaching strategies for students ages 13-15 to introduce AI literacy into your classroom.

By incorporating these experiences into your curriculum, you’ll empower students to understand and interact with AI responsibly. Encourage continued learning by fostering discussions about the role of AI in society and the importance of human-centered skills for future careers.

Build a solid foundation with online safety

Empowering students and their families to support informed choices about their online activity is crucial, especially in the context of generative AI. As students engage with AI, it’s important that they have the skills to stay safe and make informed decisions. In 2024, we launched a Family Safety Toolkit which provides guidance on how to use Microsoft’s safety features and family safety settings. This toolkit supports and enhances digital parenting and offers guidance for families looking to navigate the world of generative AI together.

Take the opportunity to build your AI skills on National AI Literacy Day and continue to enhance them throughout the year. By embracing AI literacy, you can empower yourself and your students to confidently navigate the evolving digital landscape. Get started with our free AI literacy resources today to deepen your understanding, integrate AI into your teaching, and prepare your students for the future.

The post Level up your AI skills on National AI Literacy Day appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Pi Day not only highlights the importance of this fundamental concept but also serves as a reminder of the beauty and wonder of mathematics. Whether students are exploring fractions through the new Minecraft Education world Ratio Riddles or geometry through PiCraft, building skills with Math Progress, or engaging with activities you designed with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, find creative and innovative ways to make math more meaningful for Pi Day 2025.

Solve Ratio Riddles with Minecraft and Cambridge Mathematics

Ratio Riddles, a brand-new mathematics lesson from Minecraft Education, introduces the concepts of ratio, proportion, fractions, and scale through a series of three engaging games designed for students ages 8-14. This is an easy-to-teach lesson designed to engage learners in foundational mathematics principles while fostering curiosity and confidence.

• Help the Professor of Cartography rescue students from the gardens using fractions.
• Assist the Guild Master with the installation of new stained-glass windows using scale factors.
• Compete in the Professor of Alchemy’s well-diving challenge by using ratios to concoct powerful potions.

Made in collaboration with Cambridge Mathematics and accompanied by lesson guides, Ratio Riddles makes these essential mathematics concepts concrete and fun! For educators new to teaching with Minecraft Education, explore more easy math lessons and resources.

Immerse students in the world of math

As Pi Day approaches, we invite educators, students, and families to embark on an educational adventure with PiCraft! This student workbook offers a unique blend of gaming and learning that transforms the abstract concept of pi into a tangible, interactive experience. By engaging in activities such as estimating and calculating the area of a circle within the Minecraft universe, students can grasp the practical applications of pi in geometry. This hands-on approach demystifies complex mathematical concepts, making learning both accessible and enjoyable.

Designed for students ages 8-14, PiCraft encourages critical thinking and problem-solving through immersive challenges. Along the way, students also learn coding with Microsoft MakeCode, applying mathematical concepts through block-based or Python programming. Easily integrate these activities into your Pi Day lesson plans and encourage students to explore math in a dynamic, engaging way.

Personalize math practice with Math Progress

Bring engaging math practice to your classroom on Pi Day and throughout the year. Math Progress, a powerful Learning Accelerator, streamlines math assignment creation, provides student performance insights, and helps educators determine course trends at the student or class level. With Math Progress, you can tailor your teaching strategies and differentiate instruction to support student success. Get started with Math Progress with Microsoft Teams for Education and use it to assign personalized math problems to your students.

Math Progress offers access to:

• Problem generator – Easily create sets of math problems based on specific concepts or assign custom problems tailored to your class needs.
• Customizable assignments – Personalize assignments by allowing students to “Show their work,” requesting they upload images or links to OneNote pages to demonstrate their problem-solving process.
• Real-time feedback – Students can work through problem sets at their own pace, receiving immediate guidance to reinforce key concepts and address common mistakes.
• Performance insights – Access powerful insights at both the student and class level to prepare for upcoming math topics with student performance data, misconceptions, and the most frequent question difficulty ratings.
• Inclusive learning – Math Progress is available in over 80 languages, making it easily accessible to a diverse population of learners.

Immerse students in deliberate practice with real-time coaching on key math concepts—while streamlining and simplifying lesson planning. Use Math Progress to help your students improve math fluency, build confidence, and celebrate their progress.

Enhance math instruction with assistance from Copilot Chat

Pi Day is a great time to reimagine math instruction, and enriching your math lessons doesn’t have to stop there. Copilot Chat can be your math instructional assistant year-round. Whether brainstorming creative activities, solving complex problems, or generating fun math challenges, Copilot Chat can help you make learning more interactive.

Take your math instruction to the next level with support from generative AI. Try these customizable Copilot Chat prompts to spark curiosity, reinforce key concepts, and make learning more engaging throughout the year:

• Explain how [math concept] is used in real life, especially in [industry or career]. Provide examples that students in [grade level] can relate to.
• Suggest interactive, hands-on activities to teach [math topic], using [list available classroom materials or technology].
• Give me three thought-provoking questions to start a class discussion on [math concept].
• Create a math challenge in which I ask students questions about [topic], and students must answer before receiving the next clue or question in a fun, game-like format.
• Create a problem based on [math topic] with a common mistake and generate a question I can ask students to identify and correct the error, explaining their reasoning.

Refine your responses by providing more details in the prompts or selecting questions suggested by Copilot Chat. Interested in learning more about prompting? Check out five prompting tips to get more from your AI assistant.  

For Pi Day 2025, explore math in fun and engaging ways with your students. Bring essential math concepts to life with Ratio Riddles, PiCraft, Math Progress, and Copilot Chat. Create impactful learning opportunities that inspire curiosity and confidence in your students, making Pi Day—and every day—a journey of discovery and encouragement in mathematics.

The post Design interactive Pi Day activities with Ratio Riddles, PiCraft, and Math Progress appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

To help you bring these stories to life in your classroom to celebrate Women’s History Month 2025, check out our list of tools and resources that will help make learning more meaningful and engaging. Students can explore the triumphs of strong, female leaders in Minecraft Education, learn valuable information literacy and presentation skills with Learning Accelerators, and discover contributions of local women through lessons you create with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. These tools help inspire curiosity, support critical thinking, and connect students to the powerful stories of women who have shaped our world.

1. Experience the courage of Hispanic women in LatinExplorers 2

Introduce your students to a remarkable group of Hispanic women who have shaped their communities and the world. With Minecraft Education’s LatinExplorers 2, created in partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, students will discover how Gloria Estefan, Ellen Ochoa, and Monica Ramirez made an impact through music, science, and advocacy. Along the way, they’ll develop leadership skills, build empathy, and learn how to tackle challenges—just like these fearless women.

Classroom connection: Before getting started, explore supporting files on the LatinExplorers 2 webpage. You’ll find an educator guide to help facilitate the experience in your classroom, along with a toolkit for using LatinExplorers 2 at a family event.

2. Walk in the shoes of Noble laureates

Conflict resolution is a critical leadership skill, and Minecraft Education’s Peace Builders lesson helps students develop their capacity to deal with problems through real-world examples. In this immersive experience, created in partnership with the Nobel Peace Center, students meet four Nobel Peace Prize laureates who addressed global conflicts in unique ways—including Jody Williams who worked tirelessly to ban landmines in post-war Cambodia. Through Williams’ story and other peace builders, students will explore strategies to prevent and resolve conflict, strengthening their ability to lead with empathy and action.

Classroom connection: Check out the supporting files and use the Jody Williams Class PowerPoint to introduce important concepts and guide your students in creating their own campaign to address issues that matter to them.

3. Introduce strong female role models with Lessons in Good Trouble

Inspire your students to become catalysts for positive change in their community by learning from civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, and Emmeline Pankhurst in Minecraft Education’s Lessons in Good Trouble. In this experience, your students will work alongside outspoken activists to understand historic periods when women were denied educational opportunities and voting rights. The courageous women in Lessons in Good Trouble demonstrate how peaceful activism can challenge injustices and create a more equitable society for everyone.

Classroom connection: Enhance your students’ learning by making Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, or Emmeline Pankhurst the focus of a research project. Use a Learning Accelerator such as Search Progress or Search Coach to help take their learning to the next level.

4. Research influential women with Search Progress and Search Coach

Extend learning beyond Women’s History Month while helping your students build essential digital literacy skills with Search Progress and Search Coach, two Learning Accelerators. An assignment in Search Progress empowers students to find, evaluate, and use credible online sources to develop critical information literacy skills along the way. And, both tools make it easy to track student learning in real-time.

For example, you might create a Search Progress assignment that asks students to research Emmeline Pankhurst’s contributions to the women’s suffrage movement. Using Search Coach, your students receive real-time feedback on their queries, helping them to refine their research strategies while building background knowledge on this influential leader.

To get started with Search Progress and Search Coach, explore these resources:

• A quick guide to Search Progress
• A quick guide to Search Coach
• A guide to Search Progress for educators
• A guide to Search Coach for educators
• Search Progress and Search Coach learning module

5. Practice presenting with Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach

Help students share their Women’s History Month learning by creating a PowerPoint and practicing their presentation skills with Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach, two Learning Accelerators. Use Speaker Progress to create presentation assignments and track your students’ growth at the individual, class, grade, and school levels. Then have your students use Speaker Coach to complete the assignment, while receiving real-time, AI-powered feedback on pacing, pitch, clarity and more.

To integrate Minecraft Education learning with presentation assignments, have students create a PowerPoint on ways to increase diversity just as Ellen Ochoa modeled in LatinExplorers 2. They can practice their delivery in a private space with Speaker Coach, helping to boost their confidence as they strengthen their communication skills.

Get the most out of Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach with these resources:

• A quick guide to Speaker Progress
• A quick guide to Speaker Coach
• A guide to Speaker Progress for educators
• A guide to Speaker Coach for educators
• Speaker Progress learning module

6. Expand on Women’s History Month with Copilot Chat

Copilot Chat can help you create classroom materials, activities, and lessons tailored to Women’s History Month topics or even more of your students’ interests. Use generative AI to streamline lesson planning by copying and pasting one of these ready-to-use prompts into Copilot Chat:

• Generate a list of five women from [geographic area or country] who have made significant contributions in the past [two decades]. Include a paragraph on their achievements, challenges, and leadership. Include an engaging activity for students in [grade level] that requires them to explore information in an interactive way.
• Write an oral reading passage about Jody Williams, detailing her Nobel-prize winning accomplishments. The passage should be at a [700L] Lexile level and under [number] words. Provide three comprehension questions for a [grade level] student.

Make sure to check out “Meet your AI assistant for education” to discover more ways Copilot Chat can help you personalize learning, support brainstorming, provide feedback, and more.

From Minecraft Education experiences with women leaders to Learning Accelerators that help students practice their skills, find an activity that will make Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day 2025 memorable and inspiring for your students. Start inspiring the next generation of leaders in your classroom today!

The post 6 ways to inspire future leaders during Women’s History Month appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.