Sway Use Case - encouraging creativity & reflective story telling

Sway Use Case - encouraging creativity & reflective story telling

Audience

Teaching staff looking for interactive, visually sophisticated alternative to PPT

Prerequisites

LSE account with full access to the MS Office365 suite

What is Microsoft Sway?

Sway is a web-based tool for creating visually rich, interactive presentations or story-based content. It allows text, media, and embedded resources to be combined into scrollable pages.

Access Sway

Does it integrate with Moodle?

Yes. Sways can be embedded using HTML or shared as a link.

Why use it?

  • Deliver content in engaging, accessible formats

  • Support asynchronous learning with scrollable content

  • Encourage student creativity in alternative assessment formats

  • Allow dynamic inclusion of videos, charts, links, and text

Real Example

The University of Reading uses Sway for student-created case studies and reflective storytelling, especially in disciplines like education and social work.

How might students use it independently?

Students can use Sway to present coursework, build reflective portfolios, or summarise research findings in a non-linear format.

Digital/Web Literacy Opportunity

Sway supports skills in digital storytelling, information design, and media embedding — all valuable for multimodal scholarship.

Similar Tools

  • PowerPoint (linear slides; more suited to live presentations)

  • Prezi (zooming presentation paths; steeper learning curve)

  • Keynote (Apple-only presentation tool)

Further Resources

⚠️ Warning about Microsoft Tools

Important Note:
While these tools are currently available via LSE’s Office 365 subscription, Microsoft frequently retires or rebrands services with limited notice (e.g. Stream Classic, Forms Pro, Jamboard deprecation). We recommend avoiding over-reliance on any one tool without a fallback option. Always download or back up critical work and avoid designing assessments around tools with uncertain lifespans