6 Insights on Technology Planning for Schools Using MS Teams

The e-schooling revolution is no longer on the horizon—it's already here. Approximately 44% of organizations have increased their speed of digital transformation, as evidenced by the 270,000 educational institutions connecting with platforms like Microsoft Teams.

As institutions future-proof their tech stacks and plan for digital or hybridized environments in the cloud, keeping a finger on the pulse of modern trends will be critical for success. Schools using MS Teams should stay abreast of coming changes to streamline digital education for students, teachers, and administrators.

Let’s explore the current environment of educational change and the baseline reasons to extend the value of MS Teams.

What is technology planning for schools?

In the world of online education, technology planning refers to the time, effort, and resources needed to develop the best tech stack for students, faculty, and staff. There is no set methodology for completing this process, though it’s usually designed around five core principles:

• Gathering insights
• Defining needs
• Assessing resources
• Writing a plan
• Exploring platforms

You should effectively implement each to uncover insights for your technology needs. However, let’s focus on the first and most indispensable of these: gathering insights.

Six insights to streamline technology planning for schools

As the educational environment changes, so too does your technology planning. Here are six insights that you can use to streamline your technology planning process with MS Teams and beyond.

1. The tech stack

Tech stacks are becoming more complex as educational workflows require greater integrations. In fact, the average school district uses 1,055 edtech applications every month. Teachers may be forced to waste valuable instructional time managing multiple applications, while IT directors stay on high alert for compatibility issues caused by updates.

Technology planning should look for ways to reduce stack inflation as much as possible. This includes the acquisition of single, all-in-one learning apps. Tools like Beedle reduce your tech stack by a sizable amount and streamline workflows by eliminating excess integrations.

2. Reduced engagement

Online learning may be less engaging to students, as educators report lower coursework completion percentages. This affects K-12 schools as much as it does colleges and universities. Poor engagement leads to poorer outcomes, which limits opportunities for students down the line.

You should integrate with learning apps that engage students with ease. Choose apps that seamlessly optimize your existing strategies, including Beedle’s components for feedback, objectives, and resource sharing. Schools of any size and age group can employ the tools that they need to engage students at scale.

3. Processing hiccups

Digitization doesn't always lead to better organization. In fact, teachers spend up to seven hours per week searching for instructional materials. Coupled with expansive tech stacks and multiple applications, teachers often struggle with process hiccups that lead to wasted time.

You should increase your visibility of the instructional process with intentional optimization. Stay organized with Beedle’s lesson planning, stored resources, and shared calendars, then use the time that you save to focus on what’s important: instruction. Teachers and students alike will thank you.

4. Parental satisfaction

Online education is poorly understood by many parents and guardians. In fact, K-12 parents are more satisfied with in-person education than hybrid or online classrooms. If students are not as engaged with coursework or learning objectives, it may be due to a disconnect between home and school.

Technology planning should look for ways to involve parents and guardians at scale. Beedle’s Parent App provides guardians with plenty of insight into their child’s education, informing them of their progress and learning objectives. More insight leads to more engagement, ultimately leading to higher levels of satisfaction.

5. Absentee ratings

Students are chronically absent in online education. Today, 35% of teachers report an average online class attendance of 0% to 25%. Worse, 55% of teachers say that less than 50% of their students attended online classes in 2020.

The best way to address absenteeism is by consistently tracking metrics. Students who face higher levels of accountability may be more likely to attend online classes. Beedle provides a simple attendance tracker that helps teachers keep an eye on student attendance rates all throughout the year.

6. Cybercrime rates

Online education inherently serves as a target for cybercrime. Interestingly, educational facilities were the most targeted institutions for cyberattacks in 2021, with an average of 1,605 cyberattacks per week. This number is up 75% from 2020, with no signs of slowing down.

IT directors need to take the initiative to protect against these threats. By using comprehensive security software and a suite of preventative tools, you can rest assured that your school is as safe as possible against bad actors and dangerous cyber criminals. Beedle integrates with Microsoft Azure to ensure the ultimate security for teachers, students, and admins.

It’s vital to accomplish your technology planning by taking all these insights into account, especially alongside the world-class solutions afforded by Beedle.

Using Beedle to reduce technology planning stressors

Beedle is a powerful MS Teams app designed for today's educational institutions. Each component was built to address insights old and new. It also has various other features:

• Beedle is a one-stop-shop app for all your educational needs and doesn't inflate your tech stack.
• Its engagement tools make life easier for students and encourage learner success.
• Teachers can easily locate learning materials with built-in journals and planners.
• School administrators can set guardian expectations with the inclusion of the Parent App.
• Staff members can instantly check student attendance and keep an eye on overall performance.
• Beedle protects your data behind Microsoft Azure’s state-of-the-art SSO, ensuring the lasting defense of sensitive material.
• Beedle is trusted by over 700 schools in eighty-seven countries.

Beedle is an all-in-one solution for teaching and learning in Microsoft Teams, giving schools the power to leverage Teams for improved resource and lesson planning, class management, insight organization, and more!

If you’re in a Teams district or school and want to unlock the true potential of Microsoft Teams, contact our specialists to maximize the worth of your Microsoft Teams investment today!