Now we understand the benefits, let’s take a look at how Microsoft Teams can be used for teaching.

Setting Up Your Teaching Environment

• Getting Started: First, make sure you have an Office 365 Education account. Microsoft Teams can be accessed via web browsers, desktop applications, and mobile apps. For teaching, using the desktop app is recommended for its broader range of features and stability.
• Creating a Team: In Microsoft Teams, ‘Teams’ are akin to virtual classrooms. To create a team, click on ‘Join or create team’ at the bottom of the Teams list, then select ‘Create team’. Choose the ‘Class’ type for educational purposes. You can name your team (e.g., “Mathematics Grade 10”) and add a description.
• Adding Members: Add students or participants by entering their email addresses. They will receive an invitation to join the Team. You can also create a code that students can use to join.
• Setting Up Channels: Channels are subsections within a Team, useful for organising different topics or subjects. You can create channels for each subject or thematic area you’re teaching.

Effective Communication And Collaboration With Teams

Below, we’ve included some advice on how to use Teams for comms and collaboration when teaching:

• Posts and Announcements: Use the ‘Posts’ tab within your channels to communicate with your class. You can make announcements, start discussions, and provide updates.
• File Sharing and Collaboration: Teams allows for real-time collaboration on documents. You can share lesson materials in the ‘Files’ tab. Students can view, edit, and collaborate on these documents, depending on the permissions you set.
• Using the Assignment Feature: Assignments can be created and assigned to students within Teams. This feature allows you to provide instructions, due dates, and resources. Students can submit their work directly on Teams, and you can provide feedback and grades.
• Breakout Rooms for Group Work: Use breakout rooms to facilitate group work or focused discussions. This feature allows you to split your class into smaller groups for a specified time, after which they can return to the main session.

You can learn more about MS Teams Rooms here.

Conducting Live Classes With Teams

When it comes to live classes, there are a few functions in Teams you should familiarise yourself with – these are:

• Scheduling a Meeting: You can schedule live classes using the ‘Calendar’ feature. Create a new meeting, add details, and select the relevant team as attendees. You can also schedule recurring meetings for regular classes.
• Interactive Teaching Tools: During live classes, utilise tools like screen sharing, the whiteboard, and breakout rooms. These features enhance interactivity and student engagement.
• Recording Sessions: Sessions can be recorded for students who couldn’t attend live. The recordings are automatically saved in the cloud and can be accessed later.

Assessments And Feedback

There’s more to Teams than conducting lessons – below, we’ve shared some insight into how to get feedback and track your student’s progress:

• Creating Quizzes and Polls: Use Microsoft Forms, integrated with Teams, to create quizzes and polls. This is an effective way to assess understanding and gather feedback.
• Tracking Student Progress: The Grades tab in Teams allows you to track student progress. You can see submitted assignments, grades, and missed deadlines, helping you monitor each student’s performance.

Enhancing Engagement And Accessibility

One of the benefits of Teams is that you can integrate relevant apps and tap into features that will be needed for diverse students – let’s take a look:

• Using Apps and Integrations: Teams supports various educational apps and integrations like Flipgrid, Kahoot!, and Pear Deck, enhancing the teaching and learning experience.
• Accessibility Features: Teams includes features like immersive reader, automatic captioning in live classes, and voice commands, making the platform accessible to all students.
• Linking External Resources: Enhance your curriculum by linking to external resources such as e-books, online articles, and educational websites. This broadens the scope of learning materials available to students.
• Guest Speakers and Virtual Field Trips: Invite guest speakers to your Teams class or organise virtual field trips. These experiences can provide valuable real-world context and diverse perspectives to your subject matter.

Incorporating Multimedia And Interactive Content

The best lessons on Teams use interactive and multimedia approaches:

• Use of Video and Audio: Enhance your teaching by incorporating videos and audio clips. Teams allows you to easily share multimedia content, which can be particularly useful for subjects that benefit from visual and auditory aids.
• Interactive Lessons with Digital Whiteboard: The digital whiteboard in Teams is a powerful tool for illustrating concepts, brainstorming, and collaborative problem-solving. It’s a great way to make your lessons more dynamic and engaging.