OneNote Class Notebooks created with SharePoint app v created with App Launcher in OneDrive

[Philemon Burney]

There are currently at least two ways a teacher can create a OneNote Class Notebook

(A) The original way - using the SharePoint app creating it in a SharePoint site

(B) Using the tile in the "App Laucher" - this creates it in a OneDrive folder.

Q1 - will both methods continue to be supported? Method (B) seems to have the larger feature set, but is tricky to manage as it is stored in that teacher's OneDrive and there are difficulties if that teacher changes/leaves etc.

The Class Notebook Add-in for OneNote 2013/2016 is designed for Method (B). Not all of the features work for Method (A).

Q2 - Is there a way to move/convert a notebook created with one Method to the other?

[#2]

Hi there. I cannot comment on which will be supported, but if I were a betting man I would say that (A) will be phased out. One of the challenges of (A) was that it required ICT in many schools/organisations to create the Sharepoint sites that had the app installed. In most cases, this wasn't how teachers and ICT interacted and bypassing ICT actually dramatically increased the use of the tool (at least here in Australia!). 

Given the direction with Microsoft Classroom, I would imagine that (A) will most likely turn into MS Classrooms (based on Office Groups). Office Groups/Classrooms come with their own set of challenges, which then leads us to School Data Sync. If you are a school with a fully functioning SIS/SAS feeding into School Data Sync those 'hit by the bus' scenarios (teacher sick, teacher leaves, teacher quits, etc) become less of an issue.

To answer your final query the easiest way to move notebook from (A) to (B) is actually to simply copy and paste sections etc. You can do some other workarounds, but I generally teach my teachers that method because its easy and because it is applicable to other activities. Generally most of our notebooks have less than 20 or so sections in them, so the process just involes a little moving. 

[#3]

With the creation of a Class Notebook in Classroom, there's an option (c) to add to the mix.

[#4]

Hi, I'm hoping to create some more conversation and hopefully authorative comment from Microsoft on the Sharepoint App to create [EduOneNoteAppDocuments].

If this Sharepoint Online document library name doesn't make sense, in the screenshot below you will see that we have over 2000 ClassNotebook items in this particular Sharepoint Library.  Why... because they are school wide resources - owned by groups of teachers - and in our humble opinion not suited to a OneDrive model.

Our Problem.  You cannot effectively use the ClassNotebook Management features on ClassNotebooks created and stored in Sharepoint Sites/Libraries.  They simply do not show up in your list of manageable notebooks.

It gets more complex if you suggest Teams, as the O365 group and subsequent site and class notebook created by a Team - can be easily deleted due to the transient nature of the Teams group.

I need expert advice on whether to continue with the Sharepoint Online Class Notebook Creation App (not the default waffle menu one) - does it have a future?

[#5]

Some interesting thoughts there @Chris Laycock Microsoft seems to be focusing on the use of Teams with Class Notebooks in there. I'm not sure what you mean "can be easily deleted due to the transient nature of the Teams group". @Alex Pearce @Alex Pearce might have some thoughts.

[#6]

Clarifying my comment wrt "transient" ;)  perhaps (as an older Sharepoint user) I'm struggling with the difference in creating a Sharepoint Online "Site" that exists within a hierarchical structure versus an "Office365 Group" that is created through a App such as Teams, Yammer, MS Classroom, Planner - that exists in the 'bucket' of content.

For content (Notebooks, files, documents) that are going to exist, be edited, maintained for long periods (6-10 years) I'm questioning the 'bucket approach'.  Do we expect a MS Team (Teams for Education in my case) to have a lifespan of 6 years?

Don't get me wrong... I love the "bucket" metaphor and the discovery paradigm of Delve to discover it... BUT are the O365 Apps that create "bucket' content long term solutions.

Thanks for your opinions and feedback.

[#7]

I feel there are a few things to mention here.

The first is yes you can move notebooks between OneDrives and OneDrive or onedrive to sharepoint (Groups, Teams, SPO) using the API.

The app that was added to sharepoint is no longer supported and theres no further development to this.  You are going to get the features you from either the Class Notebook, Teams or the API.   I don't think Microsoft will get rid of the app launcher version of the Class Notebook and force us to use Teams.  It would be a real shame if they did as so many use this and not ready for Teams.  Teams isn't for everyone (from what we are seeing with our customers) but they do still want the notebook.

You can still create notebooks in SharePoint using the API.  We have done some extensive work around this and have built a solution that will create all the notebooks in a SharePoint Online Site Collection based on the OneNote API and your MIS. Works great once you understand how the API, timeouts, throating etc work

[#8]

Thanks Alex.  We are currently running some trial MS Teams to investigate the ease of management and distribution of content/sections between up to ~30 Class Notebooks as part of our Student Wellbeing programme.

I understand the API is capable of achieving much... however with limited school budgets and management coming down to academic admin officers - I'm not sure whether the API is a solution for most schools.

Thanks for your response.... it's steered me in the Teams direction.

[#9]

This is definitely a feature worth pursuing.  We are trying to find a way to have school SharePoint Sites have a OneNote Staff/Class Notebook on the left navigation list that allows for new users/teachers to have access to the OneNote Notebook as they become employed at the school, and if a teacher leaves, they would lose access to the Notebook.