Microsoft Teams will get these 25+ new features for education users

In the past few months, because of the COVID-19 situation, Microsoft Teams for Education has become an invaluable tool to educators, students, and families. In order to improve the Teams experience for education customers, Microsoft recently announced several new Meetings-related features coming to all Microsoft Teams users in the coming months.

Microsoft expanded the Teams grid view to 7×7, which will accommodate up to 49 participants at once on a single screen. Microsoft also announced that educators will be able to create virtual Breakout Rooms so students can meet and collaborate in small groups.

Today, Microsoft highlighted the 25+ new features that are coming to Microsoft Teams for Education users. You can find the list of new features below.

1) Run engaging classes through online meetings

Large Gallery view (aka 7×7) – expected in August
(New) Together Mode – expected in August
(New) Dynamic view – expected in August
(New) See more videos on iOS or Android devices – expected in August
(New) Attendance Report post-meeting download – expected in early September
(New) Whiteboard in Teams features – available now
(New) Digital Whiteboard without student access – available now
(Update) Teams meetings now 300 interactive participants – available now
(New) Teams meetings up to 1,000 interactive participants – coming in the last quarter of 2020
(Update) Virtual Breakout rooms – no later than early Q4 2020

2) Maintain student safety with control of meetings and classrooms

(New) Hard Audio Mute – expected in early September
(New) Control when students can join meetings – expected in August
(New) Students Wait in Lobby – available now
(New) Custom video background policy – available now
(New) Delete cross posts – available now

3) Easily Deploy and manage Teams for your school or institution

(New) GradeSync to OneRoster API – expected in August
(New) Group policy assignment – coming soon
(Update) SDS adding back team creation– expected in August
(New) Educator-led team creation – expected in August
(New) Early Class Access API – expected in August

4) Do more with Assignments in Teams

(Update) View assignments across all classes (again) – expected in August
(New) Link thumbnail preview – expected in August
(New) Anonymous Grading/Marking – expected in August
(New) Assignment settings – expected in August
(New) Four additional overall improvements – expected in August
(New) New Assignment languages supported – available now

5) Keep learners engaged and collaborating in the classroom

(New) Class Materials on Android – available now
(New) New Turn-in celebrations – expected in August
(New) D2L’s Brightspace Course Connector – expected in August

6) Nurture social and emotional wellbeing outside of the classroom

(New) Reflect messaging extension – expected in early August

You can read about each of the above features in detail from the link below.

Source: Microsoft