Microsoft Teams - The Big Sell!!

[stebo730]

Happy Friday

 

We have been using Microsoft Teams for sometime in small numbers but now we want to launch it throughout the school. The problems we have and are trying to preempt are blow back from staff members. Questions or comments such:

 

- Now I need 2 system opened to monitor my messages!

- I can do all that on Outlook now so why change?

- I don't have time to learn a new system!

 

Is there anything I could add into Teams that would get everyone in and using daily.

 

Has anybody had experience we are about to enter a round of presentations to Staff and experience would be very helpful? A killer response would be great!

 

 

Thank you.

[FishCustard]

This isn't meant as a flippant question, but to help you think of a response:

 

Why are you pushing Teams? What problems does it solve (either for IT or for users)?

[LTurner3692]

The big plus we found was the fact multiple pleople can edit the same document at the same time through Teams.

[stebo730]

Good angle, thanks.

 

reducing email communications (stress has been mentioned in IIP session because of increasing inbox size)

easy and quick communication.

easy access to files and resources

reducing our need to provide ever increasing server space.

it can be fun and more engaging than email, particularly for Pupils

[FishCustard]

Good points - so a good way to present it is a pros-cons sort of thing. Yes, there are some cons in terms of change, but the benefits outweigh those (presumably!).

[cw222]

I am currently trying to push Teams so that we can get rid of our VLE (which comes with homework/parent comms) and move to a better+cheaper solution for MIS/homework/parent comms. Teams fills a gap, and when integrated with sharepoint/notebooks, you can have quite a powerful structure.

 

On top of the previous things mentioned in this thread some things that we personally like :

 

Meeting notes, discussion topics easily shared and amendable/edited.

Access rights are easy to manage for different levels of write/view users.

Syncing MIS timetables to Team Calenders, so staff can book appts, schedule meetings through the use of O365 easily.

Syncing MIS classes and creating a class team, for easy distribution of assignments/class notebooks/lesson notes.

Sharepoint as a one stop for subject materials.

Secure remote environment for students.

Customisable Sharepoints for subject resources.

We have an IT Support Wiki with common troubleshooting for staff /students (and a private one for more technical stuff) in teams.

We are experimenting with a "Live" chat to help staff/students.

 

 

Have a look at some of the Managed teams solutions (Salamander?) if these would be easier to push also!

Edited May 3, 2019 by cw222