Copilot will revolutionize the way that Microsoft Office works. The interaction of Copilot and Microsoft Office will super charge what humans can do in the office suite. If your institution has access to Copilot in the Microsoft Office Suite, then here are some activities that you can try in the classroom. We mixed in a few different ideas 

·      Create Calculated Fields in Excel: Copilot can review a data set and recommend new calculated fields. You will need to give Copilot context about the data. Is it related to sports, business, or biology? Give Copilot a scenario, then watch it develop new calculations for the data.

  • Note: To help Copilot work effectively, use data that is organized in columns. 

·      Have Copilot Boost Your Presentation: Microsoft has long had clip art and shapes that you can add to a presentation. However, Copilot takes this to a new level. Instead of depending solely on existing options, Copilot can create graphics for your presentation. 

  • Note: The more clearly you explain what you want in an image, the stronger Copilot’s output will be for your presentation.

·      Rewrite Portions of a Document: Students are already using AI to create and edit content using the major AI platforms. However, moving between applications can be inefficient. With Copilot, students can revise text directly in the application they are using. 

  • Note: Highlight the text you want to revise, identify the intended audience, and be as specific as possible when asking Copilot for help.

·      Add Graphs to a Spreadsheet: It can be difficult for students to identify the correct graph to use with different types of data. However, this is not a challenge for Copilot. Students can ask Copilot for help identifying useful chart options and explains why certain visuals may fit the data better than others.

  • Note: Take this exercise to the next level by asking students to explain why AI chose a particular graph. This can help them understand when different graphs should be used.

·      Turn Data into a Narrative: Copilot is very effective at turning raw data into a narrative explanation. Paste data from any source into a table in Word, then ask Copilot to turn it into a detailed summary. 

  • Note: If you want students to see how to write for different audiences, then have students develop explanations of the data for different groups. Students can also be challenged to write about how the output differs based on the audience. 

These are just a few ideas you can try using Copilot in the Microsoft applications. There really is no “right” or “wrong” approach. The key is to immerse students into the experience and challenge them with different approaches to using AI with Microsoft Office to teach them how to be productive and efficient using these tools.