Creating with Sway

Return: http://ly.tcea.org/sway

Introducing MS Sway

Ready to learn and create with Microsoft Sway? While you can create and share interactive reports, presentations, assignments, projects, and more, today, we will be exploring Microsoft Sway.

What is Sway? Podcasting?

  • Sway is a presentation program that allows users (alone or collaboratively) to combine text and media to create a presentable captivating presentations
  • Sways are stored on Microsoft's servers and are tied to the user's Microsoft account
  • Podcasting involves placing audio/video on a website that is subscribable via RSS feed, such as a blog. Embed an audio Sway into a blog to create a podcast out of it!

What types of devices does Sway work on?

Everything! MS Sway works on most devices, including via your web browser! There are also apps for Android and iOS!

Get started with it at Sway.com

In Today's Session

  1. Getting Started with MS Sway
  2. Inserting Cards
    1. Text
    2. Media
    3. Group
  3. Exploring Sway in Schools
  4. Podcasting with Sway

Let's get started!

#4 - Podcasting with Sway

#3 - Exploring Sway in Schools

10 ways to use Sway in the Classroom

Sway is 100% teacher friendly and can be used in variety of different ways. Check out my top ten ideas below to get you thinking of ways to use Sway in your teaching.

  1. Presentations – Teachers and students can use Sway as a presentation tool for learning
  2. eTextbooks – create your own eTextbook with links, information, videos, images and questions. You can then direct students to different website, using Sway as the base learning pathway
  3. Picture Books – get students to create a storybook using Sway
  4. Experiment and Research Reports – use sway to show research, experiment videos and results. You could even make your next science report using Sway
  5. Artwork or Multimedia Portfolio – Use Sway as a product portfolio to show a number of your own creations. Spend some time to explain what your project was, and why you created it
  6. Dictionary – Sway would make n awesome picture dictionary for English as Another Language or Language Other Than English students. Set groups the task to create dictionaries complete with audio tracks (uploaded to sound cloud)
  7. Book and Film Reviews – This multimodal tool makes a wonderful platform for students to create literacy focussed tasks such as reviews and analysis pieces
  8. Professional Learning Resource – Create a Sway for professional learning by bringing together links, help, examples and advice for teacher colleagues with which you are working
  9. Flipped Learning content delivery – use Sway to deliver your unit of study. Bring all the content together and allow students to view it at home in one space. Share the link, and you’re done
  10. School Showcases – Bring the best of your school together, simply choose images, text and video then embed your Sway on the front page of your school website. What a cool new way to share your school’s success.

#2 - Inserting Cards

The INSERT menu enables you to search the Internet and add a wide variety of content (check list below) to your Sway.


One neat point is that Sway keeps track of the source of the item that you add to your Sway!

You can insert all sorts of content into Sway!

Sways are composed of multiple cards that are combined into a storyline. Cards are containers that hold text, images and videos.

You can combine cards into groups. A collection of cards make up the storyline.

In addition to adding text, media, and group cards, you can easily incorporate tons of external content! See list below.

Interactive Multimedia in Sway - https://sway.com/IoxJQBigNCnNnrgZ

Add Interactive Content!

Create data in an Excel chart and you can get the "embed code" for that place it in the Embed Card.

Find out more.

The Cards Menu

These card types allow you to quickly insert content.

The Text Set

This card set allows you to add headings and text content.

The Group Set

Group cards let you combine your cards as shown to organize and present your message. You can use embedded slideshows, a grid, and several others.

The Media set

This set allows you to incorporate image, video, tweets, audio, and embed content. This last item (embed) gives you access to a wide variety of sources on the Web.

Content You Can Embed

Sway currently supports embedding content from the following sites:

  • Esri ArcGIS Online
  • GeoGebra
  • Giphy


  • Google Calendar
  • Google Docs
  • Google Forms
  • Google Maps


  • Infogram
  • Microsoft Channel 9
  • Microsoft Docs.com
  • Microsoft Office Mix
  • Microsoft OneDrive (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF documents)


  • Microsoft Power BI
  • Microsoft Pulse
  • Microsoft Sway


  • Mixcloud
  • Poll Everywhere
  • Sketchfab


  • SoundCloud
  • Vimeo
  • Vine


  • YouTube

#1 - Getting Started with MS Sway

  1. Sway Handout and more tutorials
  2. Embed a Form in Sway

Get a Free Office 365 Account or Microsoft Account

1.Go to Office.com/teachers (or use your existing Microsoft account)

2.Enter your school email address

3.Click on Get Started

4.Click on I’m a Teacher

5.Check your email for a confirmation link

Get Started with Sway

  • Sign in using your Microsoft account (you could use a hotmail.com, outlook.com, live.com etc) to the Sway website
  • Create a new Sway – you’ll soon see the below interface pop up
  • Give your Sway a name – Add a title and image and click on the small cross to add a new content area. Think of these areas as pages on a PowerPoint file
  • Add some content to your Sway – When you click on the + Sign you will be given the option to add a ‘Heading, Text, Media, Upload’. Choose the appropriate content
  • Arrange your section – Use the Layout Button and then the Change Layout area to move around the parts within your sections
  • Add Media – When you add media you have a choice of a number of sources. Some may or may not work with a filtered school environment. If this is the case, you can just choose to upload your own content. As you can see below, you can bring media across from a number of sources. All this media applicable for use under creative commons
  • Choose the Mood of your Sway – in the top right hand of the interface is an area where you can choose themes and fonts for your Sway. Navigate through ‘Mood’ to choose the theme you like, or choose ‘remix’ for Sway to suggest a theme to you
  • Publish your Sway – Once done, choose ‘share’ and get the link for your Sway. You can then share this with anyone in anyway you would usually share. Options for Embedding or sharing through social media are also in this area.

Source: Pip Cleaves