A new Microsoft Teams update for summer 2021 brings a whole bunch of benefits for both students and teachers, helping schools deliver blended and hybrid learning efficiently and in an engaging way. We’ve rounded up our top features that you need to try out in your lessons. Here’s a quick summary of the update: Set … Read more
Teams has introduced a new group assignments feature, allowing students to work together and submit one assignment for the whole group. Teachers can then provide feedback and grades to either each individual student within that group or give out an overall grade for the group. Below is a walk-through of how you can: Create a … Read more
Cloud Design Box has achieved Microsoft SDS Advanced Partner accreditation. Microsoft SDS (School Data Sync) simplifies class management in Microsoft 365, reading class data from your school, academy or trust’s MIS and creating classes and groups for Microsoft Teams. The Partner Success Series for Microsoft SDS is a brand new accreditation. “We’re thrilled to have been awarded these … Read more
In this podcast episode, we speak with Rachael Howarth, Vice Principal of Bradford Girls’ Grammar School about how they’re using Microsoft 365 to assess and engage students in a blended in-classroom and remote learning setting. Rachael walks us through some key ways in which they’re using Microsoft Forms, Class Notebook, Polls and Insights to increase … Read more
The Microsoft School Data Sync (SDS) rollover process 2021 has changed slightly since last year, so we have created a video guide to walk you through the process. If your profile has expired and you’re ready to start the academic year, then this guide is for you. One thing you’ll notice is that there is … Read more
Keep everyone in your organisation in the loop with the news feature on SharePoint. Whether you’re using Microsoft 365 for business or education, this feature is a brilliant way to share important information, announcements and updates. The best part is that it’s incredibly easy to set up, create and publish eye-catching content to your SharePoint … Read more
Cloud Design Box is hosting a free virtual event for Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) to demonstrate how our Cloud Box package can help streamline teaching processes, enhance learning resources and save teacher time using Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. The one-hour session takes place on Wednesday 23 June 2021 from 11am until 12pm and runs through … Read more
Reading Progress is a tool in Microsoft Class Teams that supports teachers in tracking their students’ reading fluency and progress. The feature allows students to record themselves reading assigned passages and automatically generates data based on their performance. In this guide, we show you how to set up Reading Progress and tailor it to your … Read more
In this podcast episode, we speak with David James, Head of Education at Cornerstone Academy Trust and Anthony Lees, Deputy of Westclyst Community Primary School. The Cornerstone Academy Trust is made up of four primary schools, including Broadclyst Community Primary School, Westclyst Community Primary School, Yeo Valley Community Primary School and Monkerton Community Primary School. … Read more
Using Presenter Mode in a Microsoft Class Teams meeting gives teachers more control over their lesson. They have access to their presenter notes and all the usual Class Teams tools, plus additional presenter options. Presenter Mode is only available in the desktop application of Teams. In this quick guide, we show you how to use … Read more
In this podcast episode, we speak with Stuart Carvell, Assistant Head at Eaton Bank Academy, which is part of the Fallibroome Trust about how Microsoft 365 is being rolled out across the trust and its academies and schools. “Microsoft 365 was an obvious choice for Eaton Bank Academy. Many of the schools in the Fallibroome … Read more
Microsoft Viva Connections is a great way to communicate and publish information to users in Microsoft Teams. If you are already familiar with SharePoint, then the simple way of describing Viva Connections is “A SharePoint Intranet inside a Microsoft Teams App”. It means that users can access company news, policies, and other published information without … Read more
When considering Teams for your school, there are several different approaches, you can create your own Class Teams manually, use a PowerShell script or take advantage of Microsoft’s School Data Sync. Below, we have rounded up the pros and cons of each method so you can decide which is best for your school, academy or … Read more
In this guide, we show you how to distribute a page from a non Class Notebook to a students’ Class Notebook within a Class Team. Here we have a Notebook that has been stored within an English resources folder on SharePoint. Within the Notebook, there’s a worksheet that we need to distribute to the Year 7 English … Read more
The chat feature in Microsoft Teams is a useful tool that allows students to communicate with their teachers and peers during online lessons. However, there may be times where the chat feature isn’t necessary and is causing distractions during lesson time. Similar to the mute feature on Teams, this can easily be controlled and turned … Read more
Locking a page within Class Notebook is important when marking and assessing work, to prevent the student from editing the document after its deadline. In this guide, we show you how to review students work in Class Notebook and how to lock a page to prevent further editing by a student. How to review pages … Read more
In this guide, we show you how to lock the collaboration section in a Class Notebook. The collaboration space in a Class Notebook is where all students can edit the same pages and work together on projects. After using it, teachers may wish to lock the section to prevent students from editing the page, or … Read more
In this guide, we discuss how we can prevent unwelcome guests from joining our online lessons in Microsoft Teams. Enable lobby for all Class Teams meetings in your school. Making sure the meeting policy for teachers within this school’s tenancy is set so that the lobby is enabled. Firstly, make sure your meeting policy for … Read more
Cloud Design Box has been working with Wilberforce College, a further education Sixth Form College in Hull, to support them in moving to Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, through training and strategy sessions, as well as software set up and implementation. Assistant Principal at Wilberforce College Jonathan Butler recently joined us on a webinar to discuss … Read more
Cloud Design Box is partnering with Senso Cloud to deliver a free live workshop on Safeguarding in Microsoft Class Teams. Sign-up for free here. Senso Cloud provides real-time monitoring of Teams chat using AI and we are working with them to help our customers safeguard online learning in Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. With the rapid … Read more
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