Tag: education technology

Posted on by Edsys

Microsoft Teams is a popular chat-based collaboration and communication tool. It has been commonly used by organizations for interactions, and file and information sharing these days.  Primarily meant for businesses, Microsoft Teams also has an Education version meant for classroom management, live classes, and for online learning. But as a tool for education, as in schools, colleges, or training of employees in an office, Teams still has a long way to go.

Requires Continuous Internet Connectivity

Teams cannot work without constant Internet connectivity. Any issues in connectivity during an ongoing presentation or meeting can cause users to miss out what is being said.

 Confusing File Structure

This is one of the main drawbacks of Microsoft Teams. Online learning involves lots of file sharing. It is not really possible to find where exactly these files are stored, considering the different folders created.

Even if you remember the file location, it can be confusing.  Whatever files that are uploaded during a Teams conversation are stored in the channel root folder. Finding the one you need among them can be quite tiresome. Trying to organize the files might cause the links with the conversations to break.

Education App Directory Banner

Complex Outlook Transition

Microsoft Outlook is commonly used by all organizations and most employees might be used to the email platform. This makes transition to Microsoft Teams a bit difficult. The best way is for all team members to focus entirely on Microsoft Teams and leave out Outlook.

But, at the same time, abandoning Outlook altogether and using only Microsoft Teams is not wise either. Office 365 still depends on Outlook for many other functions. For example, while writing, Teams does not support Group calendars. Also, it is not possible to send links to Word documents through Teams chat. During such instances, email seems to be the better option.

Challenges in Inviting an Outside User

A member from outside of your organization can be added to Teams through External or Guest Access. And then, there are many steps to be followed to make sure that the outside users can access Teams with the right permissions.

Flexibility is Limited

Creating a new Team on the platform requires building everything from scratch. Microsoft Teams is not that flexible when it comes to replicating structures. If you are replicating a Team, everything has to be done manually. This can use up lot of your productive time and affect the efficiency.

Permission Setting Challenges

Most organizations prefer Microsoft Teams because it makes information sharing easy. Though all members can access all channels and all files in the Team and also other features, there are times information sharing has to be more specific. But it is not possible to change the permission settings accordingly at present. For example, you can create private channels in a Team with specific permissions for the channel, but you would not be able to invite guest users.

No Unified Chat

Microsoft Teams does not have a unified chat feature. This makes it impossible to search any information you want from all the conversations. You will have to remember the conversations in each chat and then search for a particular conversation within a specific chat.

Uses up Space

Anyone using Microsoft Teams can create their own Teams and channels. But with each team being created, it takes up space in the institute’s server. Restricting the people to create groups is not a plausible solution, as it requires extra work and maintenance.

No Warning for Similar Team Names

Microsoft Teams does not warn or notify you if you create a team with an already existing name. As a result, more than one team with the same team name will be created, making it confusing to the users.

Channel Limit

In Microsoft Teams, the number of channels you can be a part of is limited. A person can be part of only 200 public channels and 30 private channels. Though it seems enough in most scenarios, it can be a limitation if you want to be part of a few more channels.

Competition

Microsoft Teams is too crowded with many tools having similar or overlapping features. This confuses the users, making it difficult for them to choose the right tool.

White Labeling

 All features of Microsoft Teams were not developed by the company itself. There are some features that have been bought from lesser known brands and were rebranded by Microsoft. White labeling is legal. But, it is disadvantageous to the lesser known brands that actually developed those features, since they will never be given credit.

Online Classes

Online education has become the norm considering the pandemic situation requires everyone to remain at home. Organizations and educational institutes are relying on collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams, to carry out their activities.

Before, Microsoft Teams was a collaboration tool meant solely for businesses. But with the introduction of online classes, Microsoft came up with Microsoft Teams for Education. But, is Microsoft Teams an effective tool for online learning? Maybe not.

The most reported issue about Microsoft Teams during an online class is the technical problems. A large part of this problem is due to poor network connectivity, which can interrupt the smooth running of classes.

In January, students in Scotland had reported issues regarding Microsoft Teams. The students were not being able to use the “Join” button to join their online classes. There were also reports of services and chat functions being delayed. Similar issues with Microsoft Teams were reported in other countries as well.

(Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/some-scottish-students-struggle-study-online-due-microsoft-teams-issues)

In terms of usability, Microsoft Teams is a highly customizable platform. But the teachers/trainers have to work on setting up the class just right even if they are using basic features. Also, grading in Teams is a bit cumbersome.

Alternatives

Microsoft Teams might be a good tool for interaction. But when it comes to sharing content and live meetings, there are few flaws that affect the overall productivity of an organization. That is why using alternatives, such as Vimeo and YouTube, seems to be a better option.

Vimeo

Microsoft Teams for Education_Vimeo

Vimeo is primarily a video sharing and hosting platform meant for the arts and creative industry. But, lately, the application has found its way into the field of business as well. Vimeo allows hosts to password-protect videos, which is great if you are only sending to specific contacts.

Livestreaming

Apart from Vimeo being a platform where you can upload and share videos, it also provides a live stream option that businesses can utilize to hold meetings. The chat option that works simultaneously with the livestream can be used for interactions. You can also record your screen, webcam, or both using Vimeo Record.

Keep Your Videos in One Place

This is one advantage Vimeo has over Microsoft Teams. Sure, you can share content through Teams. But you will have to manually record the live lectures, which might not give a good result in case of bad network or similar issues. Vimeo, on the other hand, allows you to store, manage, and host videos and live streams in the video library, which is secure and easy to search, without compromising the quality.

Host Meetings/Conferences Publicly or Privately

You can embed the player on your organization’s website by setting viewing permissions, and also, password-protect videos and live streams. You can also choose to host virtual meetings or conferences exclusively for your team. The videos can also be replaced without changing the URL.

Accessible to Everyone

Sometimes the videos you share is meant for a larger group of audience, may be including some with limitations, in terms of cognition, vision or physical abilities. Vimeo is accessible to anyone, anywhere making it easy for anyone to access.

Make It Interactive

Since Vimeo is mainly a video hosting platform, there is a common notion that the interaction is only one way. But, in reality, it is possible to make the videos interactive with call to actions, video chaptering, or closed captions despite the device used and thus, create engagement.

Customizable

Vimeo is customizable, thus enabling businesses to create videos that match their branding.

Vimeo comes with a free plan, but it enables only a maximum storage of 500 MB per week. Since businesses need a larger space in the library to store and manage videos, the paid Plus or Pro plan would be a better option, and it is absolutely worth it.

YouTube

Microsoft Teams for Education_YouTube

YouTube, another alternative to Microsoft Teams, is commonly known as an entertainment platform. It has been around for over ten years and has managed to gather a wide variety of audience for its different video content. Apart from being an independent video hosting and sharing platform, YouTube can also be integrated to other platforms.

Free of Cost

YouTube is absolutely free and is easily accessible to anyone, making it a usable tool to share video content within your organization. You can upload videos, even without having a Google account.

Available Anywhere

Now that the pandemic has transformed work life from offices to the comfort of your home, you will need a platform to connect from anywhere. YouTube allows you to upload videos or go Live from anywhere. A working Internet connection is the only requirement.

Form a Network

Sometimes different teams of an organization have to collaborate for projects and to explain the details to each team depending on their schedules would be a tedious task. With YouTube, you can share the videos containing information related to the projects with all teams at once. They can watch the video whenever they can.

Videos Can Be Watched Again

The best part of using YouTube is that the videos remain there until it is removed by the user. This enables everyone to go back and watch the lessons as required.

YouTube Live

YouTube also has a livestreaming option which organizations can use to hold meetings or conferences, be it for a big or a small group of people.  Interaction between the presenter and the team is possible through the comments section.

YouTube has come a long way from being a platform for entertainment to one used for education and businesses. The best part about YouTube is that whatever you upload is going to stay there until you want it removed.

Conclusion

Microsoft Teams is a good tool when it comes to interactions. But if you observe it as an educational app, there are many features that need improvement. May be the improvements will happen in the future. But, to wait for it until it happens is not reasonable. So the best way is to look for better alternatives, like Vimeo and YouTube.

Now, if you are wondering which to choose among Vimeo and YouTube, see here.

Edsys is an experienced educational software provider with clients around the globe. If you are looking for a development partner to create online learning tools, Edsys would be a great fit. Connect with us to discuss in detail.

Posted on by Edsys SEO

Good news awaits all the educators, students and school administrators for the year ahead.

Much to the surprise of all the stakeholders, a number of exciting trends are predicted to shape up, revolutionizing the educational sphere.

The year 2018 is all set to shed light on a number of concerns and topics that are poised to transform the way educators teach and students learn.

If you are keen on exploring the much anticipated and imminent educational trends that will make a mark for themselves in 2018, here is a long list of 15 such instances that can be expected.

  1. The Internet Will Continue to be the Omnipresent and Omnipotent Learning Tool

It is now the age of technological learning that provides umpteen learning opportunities to students and teachers alike. With the booming use of internet, students will expect the seamless use of technology in classrooms as well. Since technology has already penetrated into their homes, the present generation students would be poised to bank on the internet to realize all their learning aspirations.

Students can rely on web portals to submit educational projects and assignments. Paving the way for computerization of schools, the internet will continue to provide the much-needed, unlimited access to information for students.

  1. Augmented Reality Will Rule the Roost

A number of studies that were conducted over the last couple of years have put the technology behind Augmented Reality (AR) on a pedestal. AR is the buzzword that will enhance learning alongside improving classroom interactions. Students who bank upon AR will enjoy experiential learning alongside motivating them to perform better in studies.

AR is the next big thing for tertiary learning institutes like colleges and universities. The year 2018 will witness AR to transform into a mainstay learning technology, especially for subjects like humanities, arts and sciences. AR will team up with 3D modeling software systems, allowing you to submit 3D assignments and project presentations; from your smart devices. Students majoring in architecture can employ this technology to build 3D models and assist them in their college and university project submissions.

  1. Widened Scope for Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals who support the activities of teachers will witness a plethora of opportunities in 2018. They will bring in quality learning experiences through a number of creative methods. Paraprofessionals will have access to information that will hone their skills so that they can employ them for the collective welfare of the students of a classroom. The year 2018 will see the rise of professional development opportunities for these paraprofessionals for different school districts attached to every country.

  1. A Rise in Cost of Education Continues

College education is becoming expensive on account of many reasons. Inflated costs will definitely fleece the budget of colleges, forcing them to compensate through an increased tuition fee. Along with a deliberate cut in state funding for education, public schools and colleges are forced to jack up their tuition fees. This trend of high education costs will make its strong presence felt in 2018 as well. Given the fact that low-income students are finding it difficult to enroll for college education, colleges have decreased the college enrolment fees, eventually hiking the tuition fee.

  1. Trauma-Informed Practices Will Experience a Fillip

The future lies with educationalists having a keen interest in information concerning trauma-informed practices. The present day educators and students are relying on the professional resources which can ease the effects of trauma. It is an eye-opener to know that students under the age of 16 have already experienced the debilitating effects of stress. Given the number of factors can lead to stress in students, it is for the educators to identify them. Once these are recognized, it is for the administration to come up with strategies aimed at better management of classrooms. These trauma-informed practices will help new age students to counter and surpass any sort of educational or behavioral stumbling blocks they encounter.

  1. Flipped Classrooms – The New Age Learning Arenas

Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams along with One Drive will soon become the indispensable learning tools in modern schools. Flipped classrooms will continue to make their presence felt in education, guaranteeing the benefits of collaborative learning. The year 2018 will make these online learning tools very significant and pivotal to students to make the most of modern educational practices.

  1. Niche Learning – The New Kid on the Education Block

All in an attempt to address the increased demand for skilled professionals required by various industries, it is the need of the hour to tread the path of niche learning. Enrolments to certification courses will see a rise with organizations spending monies on equipping their workforce with on-the-job trainings and certifications. This trend is expected to open up millions of jobs for certified professionals. It is for these certifications that schools will tie up with industries who are scouting for skilled workers. This will lead to a smooth transition for the learned to pass out of college and immediately get placed in companies scouting for trained professionals.

  1. Micro-Credentialism Will Witness A Major Push

Similar to niche learning that is the much-needed form of education to thrive in this highly-competitive business environment, the concept of micro-credentialism is steadily gaining ground. Businesses are no longer in need of students who attend colleges in pursuit of knowledge about various subjects. On the contrary, they are constantly on the lookout for professionals who are abreast with the working of a streamlined vocational environment. It is through micro-credentialism that students of the present generation will have to sign up for niche learning courses so as to fill the widening gap between the demand and supply of skilled labor.

  1. The Use of Collaboration Tools Will Witness a High

In 2018, as in the previous years, students will rely on technology to not only socialize and make friends but also to collaborate. While this is an external parameter to a classroom, this trend is expected to percolate into the classroom as the entire class will use similar technologies to make education enjoyable. This will not only set the stage for students to learn from each other, but also to engage better with their topics.

  1. The Prominence of Video Communication Tools

Google Expeditions is a Virtual Reality (VR) learning tool that allows students to enjoy virtual trips by travelling to any nook and corner of the globe. This is a video communication tool that holds great promise to students of modern times to enjoy real-life learning experiences that are far-fetched with traditional teaching styles. Such video-driven learning tools permit you to make the most of online content that makes visuals thrilling to watch and learn.

  1. The Modern Age of Data-Centric Schools

Another educational trend that you should be in the know of concerns the use of statistical information in school management. Be it the seamless monitoring of attendance registers or the storage of educational projects, the year 2018 is all set to witness a sea change. Schools will begin to incorporate a widespread use of EMIS (Education Management Information System) so as to better monitor the performance of both students and teachers alike. EMIS helps schools to have up-to-date and relevant information that can be retrieved effortlessly. With the EMIS in place, schools will be in a strong position to make better decisions when they can compare past trends to current happenings.

  1. Reading Will Become A Pleasure Through E-Books

It is not an overstatement to quote that e-books have a positive impact on the reading habits of students who are reluctant to hold a book in their hands. You can now pick an e-book of your choice and read it so as to not only improve your reading skills but also for the sheer pleasure of befriending black and white text. By 2018, you can expect all the schools to employ e-books as promising reading tools to make the assimilation of knowledge a pleasure for life.

  1. The Upcoming Benefits for Teaching Fraternity

New age teachers will begin to enjoy better career pathways through typical classroom practices like teacher leadership roles and mentoring skills. Given the fact that teaching is considered a flat career without any promotions, the attrition level in the teaching line is quite high.

Some teachers will sign up for new teacher mentoring roles while some become instructional coaches. It is through these novel career options that a fresh breathe of life can be bestowed to teachers. These education-centric admin roles that the teachers will embrace will help them gain recognition for their expertise in the fields of delivering curriculum. They will also become the vital instrumentals in the growth of new teachers who are aspiring to teach and inspire students.

  1. Teacher Shortage Continues To Be A Matter of Concern

Shortage of teaching staff linked to subjects like science, math and special education will still persist in 2018 apart from registering a rise. While schools continue to face a serious shortfall of teachers, it is also crucial to retain new teachers. With a steady rise in the number of school-going students coupled with a low teacher retention rate, most of the schools, across the globe will face an acute shortage of teachers in 2018 as well.

  1. The Growing Popularity of Inclusive Practices in Education

The year 2018 will witness a steady popularity of inclusive educational practices. It is through such practices that differently-abled students can be brought into the educational mainstream. These practices will help such students to excel in their academics through an endearing support coming from educators. Enabling them to meet their numerous learning needs, a free-thinking and a collaborative learning pattern will support them in more ways than one.

Closing Thoughts

There is so much in store for all the stakeholders concerning the sphere of education in 2018. The above-explained pointers highlight the developments that you can expect in 2018. It is through these fact-based predictions that you can come to a conclusion that a paradigm shift in education is imminent and here to stay.

Posted on by Edsys SEO

It is the endeavor of teachers to prepare their wards in such a way that they can face the challenges that life throws at them at all times. Given the omnipresence of technology, gadgets will come as accessible instruments to favor technology-centric teaching methods. Along with this, the time is ripe to focus on personalized learning so that every student learns at his own pace to transform into a knowledgeable and responsible citizen. All such developments are lined up for the teacher-student fraternities as part of promising educational trends in 2018.

Here is the rundown of all such educational trends that will make their strong presence felt in 2018.

  1. Career-Centric Programs

It is now time for school leaders and teachers to make the most of opportunities that help them take on the role of trained leaders and mentors. They will now be able to impact the lives of other students in more ways than you can imagine. These groups of individuals will involve themselves in induction programs by extending support and mentoring students as part of building up their careers. Such programs will not only benefit students to develop management skills but will also lead to the retention of new teachers.

This can be seen as a promising career-support initiative that will weave magic in the lives of both students and teachers alike. Such opportunities are waiting to be unleashed by teachers who will carve a niche for themselves so as to tread the path of professional development.

  1. The Impressive Presence of Technology

Teachers and students will be in a favorable position to leverage the benefits of technology in education. Young children are already tapping the potential of Flipgrid; a platform which promotes social learning. This is a community learning interface which allows students to share knowledge through online discussions about various topics.

It is through short videos that students share their responses by participating in various learning dialogues. Tagged as a simple yet powerful means, it is through Flipgrid that teachers can encourage student engagement. All those young learners who lack writing abilities now have a platform to express themselves through this creative learning platform.

  1. The Prominence of Screen Capture Videos

Another impressive use of technology to learning and teaching comes in the form of screen capture videos. These are identified as the next big thing that will enable teachers to assess the assignments of students, permitting them to share personalized feedback.

Through a screen capture video, educators in 2018 can record a lecture, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of students by displaying their assignments online. Students get to learn their innate positives and areas of improvement through this form of online feedback. This trend of receiving feedback via a laptop screen is poised to continue in 2018 as a promising means to modern teaching and learning mechanisms.

  1. Drift Away From the One-Size-Fits-All Educational Approach

The concept of personalized learning has caught up in such a way that it is spreading its wings into all the spheres of education. When you blend this concept with technology, you will begin to unleash the benefits of a novel teaching approach that argues against the prominence of one-size-fits-all. Since a class is made up of students with different IQ levels who demonstrate different means of expression, personalized learning supported by technology will be the continuing trend in 2018 as well.

Teachers will be employing the next gen online tools that deliver the benefits of personalized learning. They will encourage students to communicate, collaborate and work in tandem with each other.

  1. Teachers Will Partake in Residency Preparation Programs

The year 2018 will see the teaching faculty enroll themselves with residency-based preparation programs. These residencies are primarily meant to lend a helping hand to areas which demand greater student-teacher participation, especially with subjects like science, math ad special education. These are the subjects which register a huge teacher turnover in prominent city school districts.

Through such residency preparation programs, teachers will be encouraged to not only benefit from graduate educational programs but will also receive stipends. Allowing teachers to transform into experienced teachers, it is through residency preparation programs that the present day teachers can secure their jobs for longer periods.

  1. The Inclusion of Trauma-Informed Practices

Stress is a common factor that runs havoc in the lives of modern individuals. Students too are not spared from the harmful effects of unnecessary tension. Hence it is the need of the hour for teachers and educators to rely on professionals so as to counter the effects of traumatic events witnessed by students in their past.

A study suggests that 25% of students under the age of 16 have already become the victims of trauma. Kids who have experienced turbulent childhoods call for immediate action. Teachers and school administrators should pay extra attention to stressed out students. The latest trend in this regard will be the active involvement of school authorities with stressed out students. Supporting them to face life with renewed vigor and confidence will become the ultimate goal of educationalists; an attempt to nip off the after effects of stress in students in the bud itself.

  1. Shortage of Teachers

The previous trend with regard to teacher shortage is predicted to continue in 2018 as well. There will be a dip in the number of teachers who specialize in science, math and special education. With such a situation, schools which are meant to educate low-income students, color students and those who are eager to learn the English language would need a stronger force of trained teachers.

When the society begins to register a growing number of school-going kids without the assistance of educated staff, underdevelopment is all that you can expect. This is a trend that should be addressed on a war footing for a holistic change to manifest.

  1. SEL Efforts Will Attract The Limelight

Another educational trend that you can expect in 2018 concerns the efforts towards Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in assessing the progress of a school. With a determination to build the self-esteem of students, schools will start encouraging kids to face the life ahead by introducing them to modeling teamwork. Equipping students with the social and emotional strength to resolve conflicts with peers, schools will work hard in demonstrating empathy.

It is through such well-informed moves that schools will turn into stress busters for students so that they can effectively beat the reasons causing anxiety and stress in them. Teamed as a generation which promotes a positive school culture, it is the right time for schools to offer a safe, healthy and understanding environment for students.

  1. The Promise Behind A Healthy School Culture

You can expect a number of advancements with regard to the culture of schools throughout 2018. Now is the time when a lot of attention will be given to a positive school culture which promises a healthy, scholastic well-being. Healthy school philosophies are a function of expectations, beliefs and attitudes which will be periodically expressed by the internal and external participants.

To promote a healthy school culture, it is very important to inculcate strong leadership traits amongst both teachers and students. Bringing in the importance of a group effort, it is through constructive feedback that you can take the first step towards building a strong internal and external school environment. This positive trend is expected to continue into the next year as well.

  1. School PR Strategies To Get A Fillip

Given the fact that schools are the strong pillars of every community, the year 2018 is expected to offer a host of opportunities for leaders to accept complete responsibility. When leaders start extending efforts in the direction of building a strong school brand in every community, you will be attracting the attention of stakeholders including parents, teachers and students. It is here that a strong public relations (PR) strategy should be built, giving utmost importance to transparency and study material.

Addressing the needs of these stakeholders is to reach out to them in the best possible manner. Along with smart devices, a host of PR tips like the use of conventional and social media will take on center stage. There is every chance for you to witness public schools operating via a PR and Communication professional; a liaison between the school and the stakeholders. All in an attempt to offer the best means of open communication between the various parties, it is through such tips that the right message about a school reaches the ears of active listeners.

Closing Thoughts

All set to drive a lasting and positive change in the various spheres of education, the above discussed trends will make their strong presence felt in 2018. It is hence recommended that you stay tuned to all these occasions that will slowly yet steadily unveil themselves by the end of 2018.