The Undiscovered Country
I admit that I’m not very familiar with Visio. I have used it a few times, but I still have a lot to discover about how I can make full use of it in education admin and supporting teaching and learning. However, from my limited experience I have found Visio very easy to use and helpful – it has allowed me to create visual aids and diagrams that explain complex information better than words. So think of this blog as more of an introduction to Visio – a Microsoft 365 web app that you may not have encountered before. It’s a 1 on the IPI scale, so It’s definitely worth a look.
What is Visio?
Visio is a Microsoft 365 app that helps you create and share diagrams using data-linked shapes, templates, and stencils. You can use Visio to create flowcharts, diagrams, organisation charts, and more via a number of free templates (or you can create your own). Visio can help you simplify and communicate complex information in a visual way. Schools in NI have access to Visio in Microsoft 365 on the web for free. However, this option has a fair few limitations. You can only make simple diagrams and you can’t work with data or advanced shapes.
How to Use Visio for Education?
Open Microsoft 365, click on apps and open Visio.
Visio can be used for various educational purposes, such as:
- Creating lesson plans and curriculum maps
- Designing classroom layouts and seating charts
- Illustrating concepts and processes
- Making infographics and posters
You can use Visio to create diagrams that illustrate various concepts and topics in science, maths, music, sports, and more. You can also use Visio to make posters, timelines, and schedules for school activities and events.
Creating Lesson Plans and Curriculum Maps
Visio can help create lesson plans and curriculum maps that show the objectives, activities, resources, and assessments for your courses. You can use the built-in templates or create your own custom ones and add hyperlinks to where your resources are stored. Not all diagrams are available in the Microsoft 365 version. Types of diagrams that are supported in Visio in Microsoft 365 – Microsoft Support
Designing Classroom Layouts and Seating Charts
You can use Visio to design classroom layouts and seating charts that suit your teaching style and students’ needs. You can also use the org chart template or the hierarchy template to create seating charts that show the names of your students.
Illustrating Concepts and Processes
You can use Visio to illustrate concepts and processes that are difficult to explain verbally or textually. The flowchart template or the basic diagram template creates diagrams that show the steps, decisions, and outcomes of a process. You can also use the network diagram template or the brainstorming template to create diagrams that show the relationships, connections, and dependencies among different elements. The Venn diagram template or the block diagram template will create diagrams that show the similarities, differences, and interactions among different sets or groups. I created these information guides using Visio.
Making Infographics and Posters
You can also use Visio to make infographics and posters that are attractive and informative. Use the infographic template or the poster template to create diagrams that combine text, images, icons, and shapes to convey your message. The smart shapes feature or the icons feature can add dynamic and interactive elements to your diagrams. You can also use a themes feature (very limited in the 365 version) to apply different styles and colours to your diagrams.
Visio will be particularly useful as a learning tool in the following curricular areas:
Mathematics and numeracy: You can use Visio to create graphs, charts, shapes, patterns, and other mathematical objects that illustrate concepts and relationships.
Science and technology: Using Visio to create diagrams that show the structure and function of living things, physical phenomena, chemical reactions, and technological systems.
Environment and society: Create maps that show the location, features, and distribution of places, people, and resources. You can also use Visio to create timelines that show the sequence and significance of historical events.
Conclusion
Visio is a versatile and useful tool that can help you create and share professional-looking diagrams for data visualisation, and decision making processes. You can use Visio for various educational purposes. Visio can help you simplify and communicate complex information in a visual way and enhance your teaching and learning. The Microsoft 365 version is pretty limited, but it’s ease of use and ability to convert your work to image files make for a productive experience.
I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. Thank you for reading and happy diagramming! 😊