Using Onenote in a Primary School

Microsoft Innovative Teachers 2005

Using OneNote in a Primary School –

Creating an E-Portfolio

Introduction

One Note can be easily used to create a learning environment for children to work with. This learning environment can help provide opportunities for personalised learning and assessment for learning.

OneNote is often associated with Tablet PCs, but it is an ideal application for desktop PCs and laptops.

Find out more about OneNote and download a free trial from

Learning Environment - Creating a Project Page

OneNote allows text to be place anywhere in the page. By placing simple titles and instructions on a page children can be directed to various activities involving various application and websites.

Adding text to a page.

This is very simple. Click anywhere on a page and type, the text can be formatted by select the tools from the tool bar or the format menu.

Adding a hyperlink to a page

To add a hyperlink to a page simply copy and paste the URL from an Internet browser or type the URL(including

By using hyperlinks opportunities

can be created for children using

a wide variety of applications

Make some space observations

To hyperlink to a document in an application

To add a hyperlink to a document select the document and copy and paste it on to the page. Or minimise the OneNote window, select the document and drag and drop it on to the page. OneNote will automatically create a link to that document.

This dialogue box will appear.

selecting 'copy the file….' will

place a copy of the file into the OneNote folder, making transfer

of the project simpler. If the project

is going to remain on the computer

it was created then 'Insert link….' can be selected

A useful tip is to create a support document in Word which can have more details of what children need to do in each activity. Children can keep referring back to this document. This allows them to be more independent in their learning. Children could be further supported as this document could be a video or sound clip.

Adding Flags to a page

By adding flags to project children and teachers can engage in assessment activities that inform learning and allow children to develop their own learning.

To add a flag, click next to a project activity and select

Format > Note Flags > To Do or use the Flags Tool button.

This will insert a box, which when clicked, a tick will appear.

This can be used by children to indicate that they have completed

the activity. (See using Flags for more info)

Personalised Learning

Children will able to choose from the project page the activity that theywould to undertake. They will need to create there own page.

Create a new Section and Page

Children can create new section if the want to organise their work separately. Or they can just create a new page. To create a new section click File > New and choose New Section from the side menu that appears repeat the process to create a new page. Alternatively click on the New section or new page icons on the tool bar. New pages can also

be added by clicking the new page icons on the note side bar.

Personalising a Page

If children would like a page that reflects their ideas or how they want to present their work then they can create their new page from Stationary.

Click Format > Stationary. Choose Decorative form the side menu that appears. Click to select the stationary designs for the new page. If children do not like the design, they can right click on the note and select delete.

Adding work to a page

Children can either type directly on to a page or if they a using a Tablet PC write directly on to the note. Children can use a combination of methods.

Children may want to expand their workspace by inserting extra writing space. They can do this by clicking Insert > Extra writing space or clicking on the Extra writing space button on the tool bar. Using the cursor icon that appears, click and drag on the bottom of the page or where in the text where they want to add more space.

Inserting Screen Clippings

Children can graphics, images and text from websites by using the

Screen clipping tool. Make sure the application or website is open, return to OneNote, Select Insert > Screen Clipping, the screen will change to opaque and the website or application will appear. Click and drag to select the chosen are. When the mouse button us released OneNote will reappear and the clip will inserted in to the page. OneNote will also indicate the source of the screen clip.

Microsoft Office OneNote 2003

Screen clipping taken: 30/04/2005, 08:50 PM

Using Flags

Flags can be used by children to give feedback about the activities. These can be analysed through searches by Teachers giving a picture of the learning that is taking place and the success of the activities.

Inserting To Do Flags next to activity titles on the project page enable children to indicate which activities they have completed. Children can also give feedback about activities and their learning. If a child has really enjoyed an activity they could Insert flag to indicate this e.g.

They may have a question to ask they can indicate this by using the question mark flag

Searching Flags

Once children work has been collected into one section the Flags can be searched using the Note Flag Summary. Click View>Note Flags Summary or the Note Flag summary Button on the Toolbar

The details of flags used will appear on

the right, in the Group note flags by: choose Note Flag Name

The list will show where Flags have been inserted. As a Teacher the stars

will indicate the successful the activities have been, the To Do flags which have been completed. The question marks allow Teachers to see wherechildren have had problems or have an question about the work.

Clicking in the Flag on the list will take you directly to that piece of work.Children can also search flags to see the feedback a teacher has made.

More on searching

Using the text search allows a Teacher to search the work of the class to find out if certain information has been used illustrating if the class has taken on aspects of learning

The search bar will change

and turn yellow. Click View listthis will show which childrenhave used the word or phrase.Both text and handwriting can

be searched

Using Flags and text search

provides a powerful method forassessing the learning that has taken place.

Using Audio and Video Recording

Click View> Toolbars > Audio and Video Recording

With a Microphone connected an audio note can beinserted on to the page.

Downloading the OneNote SP1 from the Microsoft website adds video recording to OneNote.

With a simple webcam video notes can be inserted. As the video is being recorded notes can be made. These are then time linked to the relevant section of the video. When these notes are selected the relevant section of the video plays. This makes it an extremely useful tool for assessing children's learning through speaking and listening.

Using OneNote in this way allows teachers and children to create an e-portfolio, containing the learning activities, the children's work and assessment of their learning.

The nature of the entering information on to a note page, enables to children to draw upon previous learning and include it in their work, especially if the work is shared across a network.

It is the simplicity of OneNote and the ability to link to it other applications that make a very powerful learning tool.

Stuart Ball

UskChurch in WalesPrimary School

Monmouth Rd

Usk

Monmouthshire

NP15 1SE