When you create a new team in Microsoft Teams for Education, you’ll be asked to select from one of four team types. Learn below about how each team type meets different educating and learning goals.

class

Class

Professional Learning Community (PLC)

Staff 

Other

Description

Educators and students collaborating on group projects, assignments, and more.

Educators collaborating within a professional learning community. Examples: academic department, grade band, or group working on a shared goal.

Staff leaders and staff members collaborating on school administration and development.

Students and school employees collaborating in interest groups and clubs.

Team owners & team members

Educators are team owners and add students as team members.

Educators form the team and other educators join the team.

Staff leaders are team owners and add staff members as team members.

Any combination of students and school staff can form a team and add members.

Permissions

Educators moderate student conversations and posts. Students only have writing permissions in certain areas.

Educators share equal reading-writing permissions.

Staff leaders control posting settings. Staff members only have writing permissions in certain areas.

Team members share equal reading-writing permissions unless the team owner(s) alter the settings.

Features

Class Notebook

Assignments

Conversations

Files

Video and audio calls

Chat (if enabled)

Pinning new tabs with documents or sites like Microsoft Forms

OneNote notebook

Conversations

Files

Meetings

Video and audio calls

Chat (if enabled)

Pinning new tabs with documents or sites

Staff Notebook

Conversations

Files

Meetings

Video and audio calls

Chat (if enabled)

Pinning new tabs with documents or sites

OneNote notebook

Conversations

Files

Meetings

Video and audio calls

Chat (if enabled)

Pinning new tabs with documents or sites

Educational goals

Assign, track, and review student work

Export grades

Collaborate and communicate in the classroom

Make announcements

Administer quizzes and polls

Work in student groups

Share and organize rich content

Invite virtual experts into the classroom

Collaborate in professional learning communities

Communicate

Make announcements

Share work

Organize virtual or face-to-face meetings

Work in smaller groups

Share and organize content

Oversee professional development, staff, and administrative goals

Communicate

Make announcements

Share content and progress reports

Work in smaller groups

Organize virtual or face-to-face meetings

Collaborate and communicate with team members

Make announcements

Share content

Organize virtual or face-to-face meetings

Work in smaller groups

Learn more

Best practices for school leaders creating teams and channels

Create a team for Classes

Create a team for Staff

Create a team for PLC

Additional resources for educators

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