Integrating Microsoft Teams with Google Classroom

 In this article I'll be discussing one of the many ways you can use Microsoft Teams with Google Classroom. This provides a quick way to not duplicate efforts of trying to collaborate with your administrators and colleagues in one app and your students and parents in another. During the course of this article, I'll reference official Microsoft documentation because Teams is a cloud app and is subject to change so I want to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information. 

Note: This article assumes that you are familiar with and know how to use Google Classroom. If you DO NOT know how to use Google Classroom, click here. 

Introduction

What is Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams is a digital hub that allows educators to have conversations, create content and assignments, while also working with apps together in one place, creating a vibrant learning environment. With Teams educators can build collaborative classrooms and connect with colleagues – all from a single pane of glass.

Teams allows educators to communicate with students, share files and websites, create a class notebook using OneNote to allow for assignment creation and grade distribution. OneNote Class Notebook is a built-in feature that allows for end-to-end assignment management resulting in an organized interactive lesson; while providing effective and timely feedback. School personnel can stay up-to-date and collaborate using Staff Teams for announcements and conversations.

Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom

Both Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom offers the ability for educators to create virtual classrooms where they can create and manage coursework, collaborate with students, distribute assignments, grade and send feedback in one single pane of glass. Typically, schools have Microsoft Teams as a way to communicate with not only personnel within the school but also with other schools within the district as well as other districts, partners, vendors, and various companies.

With the advent of Covid-19 and the need for districts to implement a virtual learning environment; many districts rolled out both Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom with the mandate to use both but leaving educators confused as to how to utilize both tools because of their similarity of offerings. This article serves as a guide for one of the many options educators can integrate Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom to utilize the best of both worlds.

Scenario

We will be utilizing Microsoft Teams for Education as the hub for communications, collaboration and a gateway to Google Classroom. The classroom will serve as a repository for assignments, assessments, and grades.

To integrate both products, follow the steps below:

1. Create/select your class in Microsoft Teams

2. Create a Wiki page inside of the newly created Teams channel 
3. Add the course syllabus to the newly created Teams channel
4. Link Google Classroom to Microsoft Teams

4.    Note: This article assumes that Google Classroom has already been set up. For instructions on how to setup/use Google Classroom; click here.

Creating/selecting a class in Microsoft Teams

Depending upon your school and how your I.T. Administrator has configured Teams; you’ll need to either create a class or select your class that has been created for you. There are three options to choose from:

• Creating from suggested classes
• Creating a team from scratch
• Creating a team from a group

Creating from suggested classes

Your IT Administrator may create suggested classes for you based on your class list and student rosters using School Data Sync (SDS) or another method. With this option, you only need to choose the pre-made classes to automatically add your students and set up your class teams. Click create from suggested classes, to see steps on how to create your class.

Creating from scratch

Creating a team from scratch means that you will be adding students to the team yourself, as well as any other identifying details. Contact your IT Admin if you'd like to explore other options for class set-up.  Click creating a team from scratch to see steps on how to create your class.

Creating from a group

Your IT Admin may create groups based on your classes and their rosters using School Data Sync (SDS) or another method. With this option, you choose the group as you create your team to automatically add your students and set up your class team.  Click creating a team from a group to see steps on how to create your class.

Once completed, you should see your classroom in the Teams view.

Creating a new classroom from a template

See the video below on how to create a new classroom from an existing classroom template: 

Creating a Wiki page inside of Microsoft Teams Channel

The wiki page will serve as the landing page for students.  Here you will welcome your students, link to the course syllabus, provide instructions on how to use Teams, how to access Google Classroom, and any other questions.

Creating the Wiki Page

To create the wiki page:

 Click on your classroom from the Teams dashboard

1.     Click the + sign to Add a tab.

Select the Wiki app from the list, type “START HERE!” and click Save

 

1.     Type in a title for your class and add sections by clicking on +Add section here, and add the following sections:

a.     Welcome

b.    Class Syllabus

c.     How to use Teams during this course

d.    Accessing Google Classroom

e.     Questions

When finished your wiki should look something like this

Video: Creating a Wiki page

Video: Adding Files to Teams

Linking to Google Classroom from Microsoft Teams

See the video below on how to link to Google Classroom from Microsoft Teams