Sway ePortfolio Guide

Updated 09 January 2025 19:38

~ minute read

What is Sway?

Use Sway to create a digital ePortfolio presentation. Sway is one of the Microsoft Office 365 Suite apps. Mohawk students have free access to Sway using their Microsoft 365 accounts.

How do I use Sway?

Sway has two modes: Storyline and Design. When working with a template, use Storyline to add your content. When you have added your content, switch to Design Mode.

Storyline Mode

Design Mode

Use this mode to add and organize your content. Content is added by using cards, each of which holds the type of content you want such as headings, text, images, videos, or links. The order of cards can be rearranged at any time to suit your needs.

Use this mode when you want to change the design of your Sway. Click Design on the menu bar, and then select Styles.

You can also adjust a specific part of the currently applied style, such as colour, font, and textures, by clicking on the Customize button in the Styles pane

Adding Cards

Add new content cards by accessing the Add Content button, which looks like a big “+” sign at the bottom of a Card. Clicking the Add Content button will show the options to add specific types of Cards, such as a Header Card, Text Card, Image Card, Video Card, or Layout cards, called Groups.

Heading Cards

Use a heading card to start a new section in your Sway. The heading card will be the title for that section. You can add text, images, and videos to each section.

Text Cards

Use text cards to add information such as course information, learning goals or reflection. You can type directly into a text card or copy and paste from a document.

Media Cards

Use media cards to add images, audio, and video files.

Using Media

Add images, audio, or videos from your computer or OneDrive. Sway can also search the Web for copyright cleared media.

From the Add Content button, choose a media card, then choose a media option: images, audio, or video. From here, you can search using the box in the top right corner to search for media, or click Suggested to select a media source from your device or OneDrive. Choose one or multiple items, and select Add to insert them into the selected box in your Sway. You can also drag and drop anywhere in your Sway. Sway - Media card.png

Images

When adding your own images - pictures, certificates, awards, etc, - ensure that they are images (.jpeg or .png), not PDFs.

Add alternative text (or alt text for short) to the image. Be descriptive with the alt text as it is used by screen readers to describe the image to visually impaired readers. How would you describe your image to someone?
Change the size of your image small, medium, or large.

Sway - editing media card.png

Audio & Video

Sway supports all common Audio (.mp3, .wav) and video (.mp4, .mov) formates.

When using audio or video you need to follow file size guidlines.

Linking to online content

The following instructions demonstrate how to add links to your ePortfolio. This feature can be used to link to online documents or websites. For online documents, you will need to use your personal cloud storage (Google Drive or personal OneDrive). NOTE: Your college OneDrive account will not allow you to share links publicly.

Start by adding a text card.
Next, select link from the menu.
In the pop up, in the Web Link box, paste the link you copied from your cloud storage. In the Display Text box, type the text you want to be displayed. The text would reflect the content of the document being linked to.

Select OK.

Sway tips

Scanning Documents

Accessibility Features

When using a scanner to scan a document, ensure that you are scanning the document as an image. This will have one of the following file formats: .jpg, or .png.

Microsoft Lens

App Store | Google Play

Download the app to your mobile device. With Microsoft Lens, you can scan certificates directly to your OneDrive account.

Learn more about Sway's built in Accessibility features.

Learn how you can create an accessible. Sway presentation by following the best practices guidlines and testing your presentation in accessible mode.

Assignment Templates

Find your assignment based on your program area

Bridging for Internationally Educated Nurses
BIEN Template

Canadian Health Care
CHC Template

Cardiovascular Technology Clinical 1 (CLIN 10055)
CVT 10055 Template

Cardiovascular Technology Clinical 2 (CLIN 10031)
CVT 10031Template

Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography
DCS Template

Early Childhood Education
ECE Template

Institutional Learning Outcomes
ILO Template

Office Administration
OA Template

Working with templates

Step 1: Open the template

Your instructor will post the template in MyCanvas, or you can find it in the template section above. You will now have Sway open in two tabs.

Step 2: Open the options menu

It is located in the top right-hand corner. Select Duplicate this Sway.

Step 3: Rename your Sway

Change the name to your full name and ePortfolio. This will be the name of your Sway file.

Step 4: Edit your Sway

Sharing your Sway

Create a link to your Sway

When you are ready to share your Sway:

Click the Share button.
Choose how you would like to share. For an assignment, or to share with an employer, select Anyone with a link.
Beside the choice Invite People to, choose view if submitting an assignment or to share with an employer. Choose edit if you are working on a group project and want your group members to edit.
Copy your Sway link.

To submit your Sway presentation, paste the share link in the "Website URL" submission option in MyCanvas.

Exploring or printing your Sway

Your Sway ePortfolio can be exported as a Word Document or PDF.

From the Options menu, select Export.
Choose your format (Word or PDF).
You can also print your Sway by selecting print from the Options menu. Your Sway will download as a PDF, and then you can print it.