Microsoft has announced a new feature for its Teams for Education service that aims to make lesson planning easier and more organized for teachers. The feature is called the Classwork app, and it is a one-stop shop to create and manage class resources in Teams.
The Classwork app allows teachers to create different types of resources for their classes, such as assignments, OneNote Class Notebook pages, web links, files, and Teams channels. Teachers can also create new text or video files directly from within the app, without having to switch to another application.
“Classwork is a one-stop shop to create and organize class resources, including Assignments, OneNote Class Notebook pages, web links, files, and Teams channels. This means you no longer have to navigate multiple apps and platforms to find what you need. With Classwork, you can curate a view of content and resources that will help your students navigate the class and see everything in one place.”
One of the main benefits of the Classwork app is that it lets teachers create new assignment modules in advance, but keep them hidden from the students until they are ready to be published. This way, teachers can prepare their lessons ahead of time and avoid any confusion or mistakes. Once a module goes live for the students, it cannot be hidden again, but it can be edited or deleted by the teacher if needed.
Future Plans to Expand the Classwork App
Another advantage of the Classwork app is that it helps teachers organize their class resources in a clear and structured way. Teachers can group related resources together in modules, and assign them to specific classes or groups of students. Teachers can also view all the resources they have created for a class in one place, and easily access them from the Teams app.
Microsoft says that it plans to add more features to the Classwork app later this year, such as the ability to reuse modules from previous classes or terms. This will save teachers time and effort, and allow them to share best practices with other teachers.
The Classwork app is part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to improve its Teams for Education service, which is used by millions of educators and students around the world. Microsoft Teams for Education will also benefit from the upcoming “New” Teams, which will offer major increases in performance and reliability.
Microsoft says the Classwork app is now available for all Teams for Education users. To access it, teachers need to go to the Apps section in Teams and search for “Classwork”. Then, they can add it to their class team and start creating their class resources.
