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Hi all
I'm new to this community. Ive been designing online learning for some time but we've only recently started exploring live online training. I think it could be a fantastic solution for my organisation. Problem is, theyve just invested in 365 and say that this includes a virtual classroom solution and therefore won't invest in any additional platform. I was hoping for something like Zoom or Go To Training.
From what the IT guys have shown me, 365 allows for pretty much no interaction from learners compared to those platforms I've mentioned. Am I right, or am I missing something....?
I'd appreciate any thoughts/ opinions
Thank you!
SarahÂ
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Replies
Hi Sarah,
I must admit I have very limited knowledge on using 365 for virtual classrooms.
I have just read this page from their site -Â https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2017/05/02/moder...
It looks like you can achieve a version of breakout rooms and whiteboards but could have some additional hurdles along the way to achieve it.
It looks to me that it is more about knowing what applications can do what and then educating faciltiators and attendees alike on how you want them to be used.
I'm sorry i could not help more. Hopefully some other Community members can provide some information.
Mike
Hi Mike
Thanks for that. I think so far it's only been 'Stream' that has been suggested to me, so it's helpful to know that there may be other apps that could contribute.
I find O365 so big it's difficult do get to grips with what involves!
Thanks for taking the time to respond
Cheers
Sarah
Hello Sarah,Â
As a couple of people have mentioned it is possible to extend the use of Teams Meetings to enable a great range of learning activities through the use of apps. I have myself combined it with Padlet, to create a post-it note type activity. I did this in the simplest way by adding a link to the Padlet in the chat panel. Â
A colleague has been using Team Meetings in a more extensive way and they embed links to other apps in their Powerpoint using Webviewer to provide a more seamless experience. They have done this with both Padlet and Slido for quizzes. Â
I have also written a blog about using the wider functionality of Teams to support learning - this goes beyond the use of Teams Meetings, so it is a little out of scope for this community, but I think it might be of use to use as this is the tool you have - Jo and Mike can always slap my wrist!  I think this could enable you to create and deliver more of a blended approach.
https://rachelburnham.blogspot.com/2020/03/teams-everywhere.html
I hope this is usefulÂ
RachelÂ
Â
Fantastic share Rachel, thank you so much!
Hi Sarah,Â
Welcome to the community and great question. I usually say the tool you have is what to go with. I've been having a discussion with someone about wanting to use Zoom rather than Teams, so here are the things I've shared with her:
This is a really great document that shows what is not available in Teams (raise hand/emoticons, breakout rooms, polling, whiteboards): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/driving-adoption/ms-teams-fo...
If you need more detail, this site has lots of what is and isn’t in the two: https://www.getapp.com/collaboration-software/a/microsoft-teams/com...
And this is more descriptive to read: https://www.unifysquare.com/blog/microsoft-teams-vs-zoom-which-plat...
This is a really great document that shows what is not available in Teams (raise hand/emoticons, breakout rooms, polling, whiteboards): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/driving-adoption/ms-teams-fo...
If you need more detail, this site has lots of what is and isn’t in the two: https://www.getapp.com/collaboration-software/a/microsoft-teams/com...
And this is more descriptive to read: https://www.unifysquare.com/blog/microsoft-teams-vs-zoom-which-plat...
I haven’t listened to this podcast, but the description looks interesting about what Teams for Educators covers (and there are other podcasts on this subject too): https://www.tonyishere.co.uk/office-365-user-adoption-podcast-episo...
What I’m seeing with a quick google on Teams for Educators is it’s just that, for school, not corporate training. These videos give an overview of using it. I’ve just skipped through them and it’s all about documents, chat and organisation, none of these videos covered synchronous live sessions: https://education.microsoft.com/en-us/course/87c99804/0
This shows what the live events can do (and at the bottom you can look at other help videos too): https://support.office.com/en-us/article/produce-a-live-event-using...
The Live events in Teams look good for webinar style broadcast, but aren’t the same as a virtual classroom. Teams is designed primarily as a collaboration tool within Office 365, not as a webinar/virtual classroom and external meeting tool. You can do some stuff in Teams, and if it’s all you have, you make it work. But if you are looking at doing quality training for paying external clients, Zoom wins hands down in my experience and opinion.
Hope that helps! Let us know your thoughts and how you get on :D
Hi Jo
Thanks for your response- I'm going to take a look at that now. It's great to hear someone echo my thoughts on 365 as a virtual classroom tool (i.e. not the best!). It may help with my appeal to IT that as a learning professional, I know what will and wont work.
I fear it will end with us having 365 and doing the best we can, which for a large employer is disappointing, but with current events as they are I dont imagine anyone will look at investing in anything now.
Hope everyone out there in the learning community is doing ok!
Regards
Sarah
I've done live online learning through Adobe Connect and WebEx in companies but now also lecture at a college where we are now (trying to) use MS Teams. I have to admit it is quite frustrating compared to the tools that are created specifically for live learning. So you don't have the option to raise hands and other nice features. But you can use a whiteboard and I use the Chat box for interaction. You can also integrate it with OneNote so it is possible to create collaborative space for learners.Â
And of course it will integrate with a whole load of other Microsoft tools, which is where it gets tricky. It's just a huge learning curve but it is possible, with some adaption.Â
Good luck with it!Â
LouiseÂ
Hi Louise,
Great points about the collaboration tools, thanks for sharing. I hope it's worth the learning curve that you can take advantage of those other features.Â
The hands up feature is coming to Teams:Â https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams-blog/what-s-...
Thank you again for the comments. It's amazing to see how people out there in the community have been so innovative with combining different apps and platforms. Thank you so much for sharing- it's hard when I dont know what I don't know!
I'm not going to get the chance to play with this for a while now- I have been redeployed to help key business areas through the current situation. But what i have now is a sense that Teams can be made to work if that's what we have to do :)
Stay safe everyone
SarahÂ
Here's a guide to Teams which is pretty comprenehsive!
https://learn.filtered.com/microsoft-teams
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