MC1199766 – Learning Activities now available in Microsoft 365 Education and Copilot (archived)

Product:

Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft 365 suite

Platform:

Education, Online, Web, World tenant

Status:

Change type:

New feature, User impact

Links:

Details:

Summary:
Learning Activities is now available in Microsoft 365 Education and Copilot, enabling educators and students to create interactive practice tools like flashcards from existing content. It rolled out worldwide by December 2025, is enabled by default for eligible licenses, and can be disabled by admins if desired.

Details:
[Introduction]
Learning Activities is now available as part of Microsoft Education experiences. This feature helps educators and students transform passive content into active learning. With just a few selections, users can create engaging practice activities such as flashcards directly from existing learning content, improving interactivity and knowledge retention.
[When this will happen:]
General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout began in mid-October 2025 and completed in early December 2025.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:

Created:
2025-12-19

updated:
2025-12-19

Task Type

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Docu to Check

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MS How does it affect me

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MS Preperations

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MS Urgency

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MS workload name

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summary for non-techies**

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Direct effects for Operations**

User Confusion
Users may be confused about the new Learning Activities feature, leading to frustration and decreased productivity as they navigate the changes without prior training or communication.
   - roles: Educators, Students
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/education/guide/1-reference/manage-microsoft-365-education-ai-features#learning-activities

Increased Support Requests
The introduction of Learning Activities without preparation may lead to a surge in helpdesk inquiries as users seek assistance with the new feature, straining IT support resources.
   - roles: Helpdesk Staff, Educators
   - references: https://learningactivities.edu.cloud.microsoft/

Disruption of Teaching Methods
Educators may struggle to integrate Learning Activities into their existing teaching methods, potentially disrupting lesson plans and student engagement.
   - roles: Educators, Students
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/education/guide/1-reference/manage-microsoft-365-education-ai-features#learning-activities

Documentation Gaps
Internal documentation may be outdated or lacking information about Learning Activities, leading to inconsistencies in user experience and support.
   - roles: Helpdesk Staff, Educators
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/education/guide/1-reference/manage-microsoft-365-education-ai-features#learning-activities

Feature Misuse
Without proper guidance, users may misuse the Learning Activities feature, creating ineffective or inappropriate content that does not meet educational standards.
   - roles: Educators, Students
   - references: https://learningactivities.edu.cloud.microsoft/

Configutation Options**

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Opportunities**

Enhanced User Engagement through Interactive Learning
By leveraging the Learning Activities feature, educators can create engaging content like flashcards that enhance student interaction and knowledge retention. This can significantly improve the learning experience and outcomes for students, making lessons more dynamic and participatory.
   - next-steps: Provide training sessions for educators on how to utilize Learning Activities effectively. Develop best practice guides and examples of successful implementations.
   - roles: Educators, Curriculum Developers, Instructional Designers
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/education/guide/1-reference/manage-microsoft-365-education-ai-features#learning-activities, https://learningactivities.edu.cloud.microsoft/

Streamlined IT Support for Educators
With the introduction of Learning Activities, IT support can create targeted resources and FAQs to assist educators in using the new feature. This can reduce the volume of support requests and improve the overall efficiency of IT operations.
   - next-steps: Create a dedicated help section for Learning Activities on the internal IT support site. Schedule regular check-ins with educators to gather feedback and address common issues.
   - roles: IT Support Staff, Helpdesk Personnel, Training Coordinators
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/education/guide/1-reference/manage-microsoft-365-education-ai-features#learning-activities, https://learningactivities.edu.cloud.microsoft/

Optimized License Management and Compliance
As Learning Activities is enabled by default for eligible licenses, IT can review and optimize the licensing structure to ensure that only necessary licenses are assigned, potentially reducing costs while maximizing feature utilization.
   - next-steps: Conduct a license audit to identify users who do not need the Copilot license. Consider consolidating licenses where possible and communicate changes to affected users.
   - roles: IT Administrators, Compliance Officers, Finance Managers
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/education/guide/1-reference/manage-microsoft-365-education-ai-features#learning-activities, https://learningactivities.edu.cloud.microsoft/

Potentional Risks**

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Data Protection**

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IT Security**

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Hypothetical Work Council Statement**

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DPIA Draft**

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explanation for non-techies**

Microsoft 365 Education has introduced a new feature called Learning Activities, which is designed to help educators and students create interactive learning tools like flashcards from existing content. Imagine you have a textbook filled with information. Traditionally, students would read through it, highlighting important parts and maybe jotting down notes. With Learning Activities, this process becomes more dynamic. It's like having a digital assistant that helps you turn those highlighted sections into interactive flashcards, making study sessions more engaging and effective.

This feature is part of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app and is available to educators and students with specific Microsoft 365 licenses. It's set up to be available by default, meaning that once you have the right license, you can start using it without needing to do anything extra. However, if for some reason an organization decides it's not suitable for their needs, administrators have the option to turn it off.

Think of it like having a new tool in your toolbox. It's there to use if you need it, but you can choose to set it aside if it's not the right fit for your current project. The goal is to make learning more interactive and help students retain information better, much like how a well-organized study group can make preparing for exams more effective than studying alone.

There's no immediate compliance concern with this feature, but as with any new tool, it's wise to review it within the context of your organization's policies. For those managing IT or educational resources, it's a good idea to communicate this new capability to educators and update any internal guides that list available apps and features. This ensures everyone is aware of the new possibilities and can make the most of them in their teaching and learning activities.