Being a teacher doesn’t just involve standing in front of your class and giving lessons (if only!). For every hour you spend in class, there are several more spent planning lessons, marking homework, keeping on top of admin, attending staff meetings and liaising with parents and students.
You need all the help you can get when it comes to improving time management and becoming more efficient. You might not have control over the size of your classes, your workload or behaviour in the classroom, but you can use technology to make life a little easier. Microsoft Edge extensions can vastly enhance your user experience by doing just that.
Here are six of our favourite Microsoft Edge extension hacks we think you should start using:
How to install Microsoft Edge extensions
Before you can enjoy Microsoft Edge extensions, you need to download and install them. The top right corner of your browser is where the extensions tab is located. Don’t see it? Just click the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, and select ‘Extensions’ from the "More tools" drop-down menu. Once you’ve found it, you can start browsing the Windows Store’s range of Microsoft Edge extensions for teachers. Click on the ones you want to download and they’ll automatically be installed on your browser. When prompted, turn on the new extension and you’re ready to start using it.
1) Migrate your Google Chrome Extensions over to Microsoft Edge
Window 10’s anniversary update for Microsoft Edge offers a host of nifty extensions to the browser, which you can use alongside its useful features that let you annotate webpages, browse website without the clutter and access all your saved content in a few clicks. If you also use Google Chrome, you can simply transfer all the extensions you know and love over for use in Microsoft Edge. Check out this helpful webpage on the Microsoft website for a breakdown of how to achieve this.
2) Browse any web page in the world, regardless of what language it’s in – with Translator
Your lesson planning research can take you to all over the web, and some of the resources you find might be in a foreign language you don’t understand. Installing the Translator extension will let you browse without the hassle of copying and pasting chunks of text into Google Translate. This extension works a bit like the translation feature of Google Chrome: when the browser detects a foreign language, an icon pops up in the address bar which gives you the option of translating the text.
3) LastPass: Microsoft Edge’s password manager
With the sheer amount of login details the average person has to remember, no browser would be complete without an extension that remembers your passwords. With LastPass you no longer need to worry about jeopardising the security of your sensitive information (whether that’s school reports or student coursework) by forgetting those important logins.
4) OneNote Web Clipper lets you use Microsoft Edge and OneNote at the same time
We’ve written about the beauty of OneNote for teachers in a previous blog. With Microsoft Edge’s extensions for teachers, you can create a seamless experience between the two apps. OneNote Web Clipper is brilliant for collecting and storing inspiring content – entire web pages or sections thereof – as you browse, without having to jump between apps. The Web Clipper lets you clip things you find while browsing with Edge and send them straight over to your OneNote notebook.
5) Access all your Office 365 documents online from one browser
Office 365 is an indispensable part of a teacher’s life, inside and outside the classroom. Office Online is a brilliant Microsoft Edge extension for teachers that allows you to access all your online Word, Excel and Powerpoint files from the Edge browser. You’ll win back heaps of time you would have otherwise spent scratching around your hard drive for files that have gone AWOL.
6) Turn your keyboard into a cockpit with Mouse Gestures
One way to enhance your efficiency is through installing the Mouse Gestures extension of Microsoft Edge. The tool lets you create a number of keyboard shortcuts (for performing actions like opening new tabs, scrolling, zooming, drag and dropping and switching applications, to name a few) to personalise your web experience. The extension lets you perform actions on screen, as well as with your mouse. Mouse Gestures creates an experience that helps you browse more efficiently.
If you’d like to find out more about using Office 365 tools to make your life as a teacher more manageable and efficient, sign up for our free webinar.
Do you want more tips and tricks? Try our Skooler webinars:
