Microsoft Teams in education & training
Overview
Use of Microsoft Teams
Introduction
Welcome to the OER on Microsoft Teams. This OER will feature the benefits of using Microsoft Teams, examples of Teams in Education & key features in the implementation of the program
Objectives
At the end of this module you will be able to:
Understand what is Microsft Teams
How Microsoft Teams work
Know the key features and their use within the platform
Understand the educational features of Microsoft Teams
See some of the challenges with using this platform and learn and use some tips and tricks for using the program
Review a case example of an organization using the Microsoft team
Learn the future implications of Microsft Teams in K-12, Higher education, and Corporate training
Microsoft Teams: How it works
In this section, you will be
1. Introduced to Microsoft Teams
2. Review how Microsoft Teams works
Pre-lesson exercise:
Create a word cloud using your prior knowledge of Microsoft Teams.
What is Microsoft Teams?
Teams is a Microsoft-based application that is used for communication, sharing, teaching, training, and collaboration. It allows an organization already using Microsoft-based applications to create groups called Teams.
Each group or Team can be based on a project, department, or job title.
Each Team can be a private or public, and Team owners can add or remove users based on an individual's need to be a part of a particular Team
Within each Team, you can engage in a chat conversation, share files, schedule or start a meeting or engage in public or private conversations within the Team
Here is an introduction to Teams:
Module 4 Review:
Using your pre-lesson word cloud, create or add to your word cloud and write a one-page discussion comparing each cloud.
Microsoft Teams: Key features
In this section, you will be able to identify the key features of Microsoft Teams
Key features
Teams
- Specific groups of people based on job title, project, or for education learners within a classroom
- Individualized,
- Easily share documents & assignments
Channels
- Project or topic-specific section within a team
- Content-specific to a topic grouped within a channel
Individual chats
- Members of a team can chat individually
- Ability to rename chat for easy searching
Group conversation
- Discussion boards
- Messages can be shared with all team members simultaneously
Share documents & storage
- Share with all team members
- Storage using Microsoft compatible applications
- Sharing information with learners
Online meetings
- Easily send invites to all team members
- Classroom options in Teams for Education
Screen sharing
- Streamline screen sharing
- Real-time view in meetings/classrooms
End of module exercise:
Create an infographic highlighting the key features of Teams.
Microsoft Teams: Educational features
In this module, you will be able to identify the educational features of teams
Microsoft Teams for Education features offer features that are heard toward the educator and students that are not offered in the conventional program. These features provide benefits to the educator and learners including the following.
Class type Teams
Specific types of Teams that support classroom features
- Assignments
- Screensharing
- Class materials folder
- Grades
- One Note for the classroom
- Insights
- Mute disruptive students
Early educator Access
- Ability to set up class prior to adding students
LMS & SIS Integration
- School Data Sync (SDS) - Free tool offered by Office 365 to read data from educational institutions Students Information System (SIS) or LMS
- Bulk Team Creation
- Sync student information
- Updated enrollment information
- Educator & student memberships
Traditional Team features used in Education
Immersive reader
Whiteboard
Raise your hand
Together mode
Accessibility
Custom background
Setting a Class Type Team for Teachers
End of Module exercise:
Create a classroom in Microsoft Teams. What were some of the benefits of the platform? Challenges? Write a one-page discussion based on your experience creating this team.
Microsoft Teams: Challenges & downsides & tips
What are the challenges/downsides to using it and what tips can you give users to deal with these?
- Chat conversations are not continuous
- Tip: Rename conversations for easy searching
- A slightly different screen configuration than some group meeting programs
- Tip: Use the program. With practice, you can adjust the screen configuration
- Large space consumption on the company server
- Tip: Only create necessary Teams
- A limited number of channels
- Tip: Can create over 200+ channels. This challenge may only be for a small number of users
- Similar products on the market
- Tip: Use what is best for you and your company. With Office 365 compatibility, there are many benefits of using Teams
- Lack of notifications
- Tip: Check the notification option on all devices
Benefits
- Compatible with Microsoft programs
- One Note
- Outlook,
- Powerpoint
- Forms,
- Sharepoint
- Word
- Excel
Team collaboration
Breakout rooms
Hide low-priority channels or teams
Organize your teams and channels
Messages
Title conversation
Include mentions
Microsoft Teams in Action: Case example
Microsoft Teams in action: Case example
Here is an example of a school using Teams in a classroom setting
Microsoft Teams: Why Microsoft Teams
Why Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Team is a great tool for training, education, and collaboration. Teams can increase the productivity of your teams by minimizing the time to learn a brand new software and onboarding it to educators, students, or employees. As a part of the Microsoft family of programs that are used or familiar to users. Compatibility in the interoperability is another reason to use Teams. My selection for this project was based on my level of exposure to the program
Microsoft Team: Future Implications
What are the future uses and implications of this technology in the context of three education levels: K-12, higher education & corporate training
K-12 education: K-12 education can benefit from Teams by incorporating them into their current LMS as Teams. In the case examples provided, Teams is incorporated into the classroom, taking advantage of the many features offered by the program. Using the SDS program, administrators, educators, students, and parents are offered current information within the system due to the interoperability and compatibility of Teams with many SIS and LMS platforms in use.
Higher education: In higher education, Teams can be an option for group work, collaboration for projects, and the use of channels for topics, scheduling, and organizing assignments. Many higher institutions use the Microsoft group of programs for communication (email), so adding Teams for meetings, group scheduling, and other efforts will not require extensive setup or training
Corporate Education: Corporate education and training have seen an increase in the use of Teams in recent years. With the covid-19 pandemic, an increasing number of employees were working from home. Since working face to face was no longer an option, using Team can bring groups together for projects. Onboarding training and education is another area in that TEams have a positive impact on corporate education
OERs
Briefly describe your views on OERs.
OER's are great resources for students and educators. In a world where we are aware of disparities in resources, including education. OERs provide a means for those with internet access but limited availability to time, finances, or geographical location for an in-person college experience. OERs can also be used to supplement lessons by educators, providing alternatives, and accessibility to students, and allowing for the option to share the information with others. Education and learning, in my opinion, should be made available to anyone and everyone that would want to continue to learn.
References
1. www.logo.wine. (2022). Logo Wine. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.logo.wine/logo/Microsoft_Teams
2. Welcome to Microsoft Teams. (2019, August 20). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jugBQqE_2sM
3. What is Microsoft Teams and who should be using it? (2021, December 29). Compete366. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.compete366.com/blog-posts/microsoft-teams-what-is-it-and-should-we-be-using-it/
4. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-teams-5aa4431a-8a3c-4aa5-87a6-b6401abea114?ui=en-us&rs=en-us&ad=us#ID0EAABAAA=Assignments
5. Collaboration wheel. (2022). [Image]. https://www.syskit.com/blog/10-pros-and-cons-of-microsoft-teams/
6. Education, M. (2019, June 10). This is Teams for Education [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28vnu0LbYR4&feature=youtu.be
7. How to Teach Online with Microsoft Teams - A Guide for Teachers. (2020, May 30). YouTube. Retrieved April 29, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nHeFu32aUQ