Microsoft Whiteboard for Windows 10 will enable teachers and students to share ideas

By John Callaham
published

Microsoft is currently developing a new Windows 10 PC app, Microsoft Whiteboard, that's being created for the education market. It will be designed to give students and teachers a way to create and collaborate on ideas.

In a post on Microsoft in Education blog{.nofollow}, the company revealed the features of the upcoming Whiteboard app:

  • Write and draw naturally – Multiple people can write on Whiteboard at the same time with a digital pen or using their own fingers. Whiteboard is also designed for the big screen which means getting around feels natural on large, interactive whiteboards when connected with a Windows 10 PC.
  • Bring doodles, sketches, and ideas to life – Handwriting and shape recognition is built-in which makes drawing basic shapes and angles a breeze.
  • Create interactive lessons on the big screen – Whiteboard makes it easy to pull in web content, videos, and content from your own library and place them front and center helping keep students engaged.
  • Share and collaborate in real time – Connect Whiteboard with a Collaboration space in OneNote Class Notebook to share content with a whole class and make changes together in real time from the devices you already use. Creating assignments is easy too. With a quick gesture, any text or content can be made into an assignment in Microsoft Classroom. Assignments flow into the learning management system (LMS) you already use when connected with School Data Sync. Students can also access assignments from Microsoft Classroom web and mobile apps.

Microsoft Whiteboard is expected to be released for free in the Windows Store later in 2016.

John Callaham
John Callaham
32 Comments
  • I know the target is education, but I would love this for design sessions at work.
  • I was just thinking the same thing.
  • Yup. It would make perfect sense on the surface hub
  • Yeah, this should be useful for any type of work that requires virtual whiteboard for brainstorming and other stuff.
  • Looks like the Whiteboard app on the Surface Hub.
  • Wonder why the names sound so similar...
  • Sweet
  • Gorgeous
  • awesome... I need this when I teach friends and family :)
  • So it's like a simplified version of OneNote? Could be good as OneNote can be a tad difficult to figure out how to use. On the other hand, Microsoft seems to have a ton of apps that overlap in function. What is better: 10 apps that do 10 different things, or 1 app that does 10 different things? Specialization is handy thanks to its simplicity, but organization becomes a mess as you try to keep track of 10 different apps.
  • Does Onenote have Shape recognition?
  • Yes. When I was trying out the SP4's pen at the store the other day, shapes drawn in OneNote would automatically "fix" themselves after I poorly drew them. I assume this is what you mean.
  • Yes, it has but in the Mobile app only. I don't understand why such a handy feature didn't make it to the desktop app.
  • It does on my Surface. So I think it's there.
  • It's not in the OneNote 2016 Desktop app on my Surface Pro 2, but it is there in the Windows Store app (which I avoid using 'cause it's forcing me to move my notes to SpyDrive). How are you getting it in the Desktop app?
  • You don't use an app only because you think your life is interesting enough for them to peek at it?
    You should treat yourself
  • To me it sounds more like advanced onenote
  • Great innovative app. I liked it. I believe that it has organizing feature for stak/compile up the work as a book.
  • I already enjoy using Windows Ink on the SP3, therefore I know I'll like this.
  • Awesome. Marking up PDF files maybe? Posted via the Windows Central App for Android.. But waiting for the HP Elite so I can get rid of this junkie Galaxy S5...
  • This is great. Microsoft really needs to target the education market and hard as Google is dominating this space to the point that I can't even justify Windows laptops in favor of Chromebooks.
  • Greetings from China.  Who or what is a Google?  And how can they "dominate" a space they aren't even in?  Maybe in your small country, but certainly not over here where most of the people live.  Also, what is a Chromebook?
  • Does it cost more than a blackboard?  I hate to see schools flush more taxpayer money down the toilet on technogy that ends up not being used a few months after it is installed.  Oh sure it works great during the demonstration. 
  • What do you think about the benefit of this on children against the solvent from whiteboard pens?
    Well, and to lesser extent, dust from poor quality blackboard chalks.
  • until the internet goes down or the hosted site you log into is down. without internet or a hosted site, how different is a chrome book from a thin-client or a ghosted system for that matter?
  • I had this in the 4th class when I 10 - 11 years old
  • This seems awesome, like a combo between SmartBoard software and Google Classroom. Has real potential if they market and implement it right.
  • Love it! Definitely a WIN.
  • Also for mobile but for iOS and Android only. Sorry.
  • Also,  when released it will actually be just a white board with four different color markers and the teachers and students can interact that way.  Seems to be microsofts way this past year. 
  • I'm hoping that schools in the US will see that Chromebook is not a viable option and throw away that piece of sh*t in favor of Windows notebook Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • How is the Chromebook NOT a viable option?  The required software is there, They are inexpensive and easily purchased.   Please...fill us in.  Because it does not run windows software is not a reason to call it a peice of ****.