Microsoft Teams – An education game-changer that boosts productivity and saves precious time

Continuing her series of blogs, Kristy Hill looks at Microsoft Teams in education. Teams is the latest tool which promises to increase productivity and it’s successful adoption by many educational institutions is proof that this single collaboration platform really does give back precious hours.  

“As Educators, we are always striving to do more in less time and productivity tools have become vital to ensuring that our valuable time is used most effectively.

Microsoft Teams is a true game–changer in education and is rapidly becoming the number one tool schools, colleges and universities are now using to bring together conversations, content, assignments, and apps; so that staff and students alike can easily collaborate to achieve more. Through Microsoft Teams Students, teachers and staff can seamlessly work together, create content and share resources all from a single, easy-to-learn and simple to use platform.  

Collaborative Classrooms 

Designed specifically for education, the hub for teamwork in Microsoft 365 opens many opportunities for educators. It allows creation of collaborative classrooms that save teachers time and better engages students in modern learning, ​meaning that resources are readily available anytime and anywhere and they can work together on assignments or group projects. Here are some of the fabulous Teams integrations optimal for use with students:  

• Communication – stay connected with teachers and peers through 1-1 chat and channel conversations. 
• Assignments – create meaningful assignments, provide transparent guidance, and share rich feedback.
• Gradebook – organise and track each class’ assignments and grades directly from a class team. 
• Notebooks – create and store resources with OneNote in Teams. 
• Third-Party Apps – customise your experience with Flipgrid, Turnitin, MakeCode, and other learning tools. 

Streamline Staff Communication 

Better still, Microsoft Teams optimises educators non-teaching time and truly enables flexible working by connecting staff in professional learning communities, whether this be for professional development or departmental organisation. Here are some of the Teams integrations optimal for use with staff: 

• Collaboration – co-author files and share resources with built-in Office 365 apps. 
• Communication – stay connected with persistent chat, channel conversations, and meetings. 
• Personalisation – personalise Teams with your favourite education and organization tools. 
• Notebooks – store planning resources or policies in the integrated Staff Notebooks. 
• Meetings – transform whole staff or departmental meetings for flexible working with online interactive meetings which can be recorded alongside notes directly within Teams.    

Built in Accessibility  

With accessibility now at the forefront of Education, using Microsoft Teams will ensure you are covered. With seamlessly embedded Immersive Reader, users can consume content individually tailored to their own personal needs with no impact upon their ability to collaborate and co-author alongside peers or colleagues. In addition, the accessibility features now present in Teams meetings and combined with Microsoft Stream also ensures that live or recorded team meetings or lesson content is streamlined to meet accessibility needs as well.”