Microsoft Teams is a digital platform that supports collaboration and communication between educators and students. Teams enables the creation of virtual learning spaces where participants can share materials, communicate via chat and video, and conduct online teaching sessions. Educators can structure content in channels, integrate assignments, and use file sharing to support the learning process.
Teams can be used to conduct live teaching sessions with screen sharing, recording, and active participation through, for example, polls and hand raising. The platform also supports group-based work, allowing students to collaborate in dedicated group rooms and use collaborative tools such as shared documents and whiteboards.
Conducting online teaching and supervision using video, audio, and screen sharing.
Structured communication with students via chat, posts, and channel organization.
Creating group spaces for student collaboration – both synchronous and asynchronous.
Integration with tools like OneDrive, Word, PowerPoint, and Whiteboard for collaborative work.
ACCESS FOR STUDENTS | All students get access to Office 365 when they are admitted to AU. They can access all Office apps at https://m365.cloud.microsoft/?auth=2&home=1. |
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ACCESS FOR INSTRUCTORS | All AU staff have access to Office 365 via https://m365.cloud.microsoft/?auth=2&home=1. Many of the applications are also pre-installed on your AU computer. |
A "team" in Microsoft Teams functions as a digital learning space where teachers and students can collaborate and communicate. A team can be created for an entire course, a class, or a specific project.
Within each team, the teacher can create channels that serve as structured sub-areas for different topics, activities, or groups. This allows for organizing materials, discussions, and assignments – for example, one channel for study groups, another for submissions, and a third for academic questions.
Channels help provide structure and support both individual and group-based learning.
Microsoft Teams is tightly integrated with Office 365, making it easy to work with familiar applications such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel directly within Teams. Teachers and students can open, edit, and collaborate on documents without leaving the Teams platform.
This means group work, feedback, and shared notes can be handled in real time, and all files are automatically saved in the team’s file structure.
A video call in Teams is a digital meeting space where teaching and meetings can take place online. It is the educator’s opportunity to bring students together – no matter where they are – and create an interactive learning environment. In a video meeting, the teacher can share their screen, use breakout rooms for discussions, record the session, and engage students through features like hand raising, reactions, or polls.
The video meeting can be used for lectures, supervision, and group work – serving as a flexible alternative or supplement to in-person teaching.
Teams supports both synchronous and asynchronous group work, allowing students to collaborate regardless of time and location. With group spaces (channels), shared document access, and chat features, groups can coordinate and work together in real time – for example, during a live session – or contribute continuously at their own pace.
The teacher can monitor the collaboration, provide feedback, and make materials and assignments available in the group’s channel. Teams creates flexible conditions for collaboration, supporting diverse working styles and needs.
