Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


Microsoft Adds SEL Elements to Teams and OneNote for Teachers

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 10/07/20

Microsoft has added new features for Teams and OneNote that are designed to help educators promote social-emotional learning and transparency through their remote and hybrid instructional practices. Among the new functions are "praise badges" in Teams to acknowledge moments of SEL growth; a reflect tool in Teams that makes emotional check-ins a daily routine; and an SEL "sticker pack" for OneNote to provide a way to give feedback.

According to Mark Sparvell, director of Microsoft Education, the praise badges can be used by teachers to point out students' social skills, expand their emotional vocabulary and recognize "daily "wins" in their learning. The badges recognize the pursuit of goals, respect, thoughtfulness and nine other skill practices. They're intended to be used with students ages 10 to 15. They're available for use in chats and class team channels.

Microsoft Adds SEL Elements to Teams and OneNote for Teachers

The new reflection tool allows educators to use questions and polls to guide students to reflect on how they're feeling and promote their self-awareness.

The sticker pack for OneNote recognizes the same 12 skills displayed through the praise badges. In an article about the new features, Sparvell wrote that they're intended to be used in OneNote Class Notebook alongside other features, such as audio and video recordings, typed notes and inking as a feedback mechanism for helping students learn.

Microsoft Adds SEL Elements to Teams and OneNote for Teachers

The company said that the SEL callouts were developed using a human-centered design approach, with input from teachers and students. The new features need to be enabled by the district or school IT administrator who manages Microsoft applications.

More information and links to implementation guides are available on the Microsoft Education website.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • child stands with a laptop, in front of various drawings related to math and science

    Why Screen Time Limits Are Not the Answer

    At a fundamental level, screen time policies and laws aim to address academic achievement by balancing digital instruction with traditional teaching methods. But they do not tackle how devices are used.

  • Digital document and folder warning alert with error

    When Cyber Attacks Disrupt Learning, Recovery Matters More than Ever

    As schools become more dependent on digital platforms for instruction, grading, student services, and family communication, resilience depends not only on preventing attacks, but on how quickly leaders can restore trusted data, recover essential services, and keep disruptions from cascading across the school community.

  • Blurred silhouettes of business people in a modern office with a glowing blue network overlay

    Open Secure AI Alliance Moving Under Linux Foundation

    Governance of the Open Secure AI Alliance has moved to the Linux Foundation, giving the initiative what the organizations describe as a neutral home for developing open source tools, shared standards and defensive practices. The Alliance was launched by NVIDIA in July to develop open security technologies for AI systems and agents.

  • education funding and graduation symbols on wooden dice

    What Is the Education Freedom Tax Credit and How Will It Work?

    The federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC) is a new source of funding for education that could benefit 90% of students in states that have opted in to the program. However, some confusion and misconceptions exist surrounding details of the program, including which programs may qualify, how parents can apply for scholarships, and how public school students can benefit.