Microsoft Teams VS. Zoom

Microsoft Teams Overview:

Microsoft Teams is a powerful tool that allows you to stay connected and collaborate with your colleagues and students. It brings together simultaneous document editing, chat, video conferencing, project management tools and third-party apps into one shared workspace.

Zoom Overview:

Zoom provides a seamless way to connect face-to-face with your students. It specializes in video and audio conferencing with a simple user interface. You can schedule live classroom discussions (or even host virtual office hours), share your screen, poll students, and have break-out sessions for students to work together in your virtual session. Videos can be recorded, closed-captioned, and added into your DC Connect.

What is the Difference Between MS Teams and Zoom?

Microsoft Teams and Zoom are both effective tools that serve similar purposes, but they have their individual strengths.

When it comes to features, both Zoom and Teams enable online meetings, chats, breakout rooms, screen sharing, and file sharing. The difference between the two is really Microsoft’s integration between Teams and its other Office 365 products such as OneDrive. Zoom is the simpler user experience when it comes to video conferencing. Setting up a class meeting is as simple and scheduling a meeting to generate a link and then copying that link into DC Connect. The Microsoft Teams set up is more involved. With Microsoft Teams, you will need to set-up your own team and invite your students (it isn't difficult, but it is another step). Does your class have a lot of group work? If so, Microsoft Teams may be a better fit for your course as students can get used to the platform and use it to collaborate with their groups. Consider your industry as well, if your industry is using Microsoft Teams, it may provide students an edge in the workforce if they can say they've used Microsoft Teams.

It is up to you to choose whichever tool works best for you, your level of comfort, your content, and your students! And, both of these applications are supported by Durham College.

You should check what tool your program team is using. For the student experience, it's best if the program uses the same platform for synchronous sessions. This platform would also be what you would use for 1:1 student meetings as required.
Differences Between Synchronous Platforms
Features Microsoft Teams Zoom
Screen Sharing Yes Yes
Bandwidth Requirements https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/prepare-network#bandwidth-requirements https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-requirements-for-Windows-macOS-and-Linux
Software Available Yes – It is highly recommended but not required, that users download the Microsoft Teams app as it provides the most seamless experience with greater functionality. See 'Browser compatibility' row below. Yes – It is highly recommended but not required, that users download the Zoom desktop client as it provides the most seamless experience with greater functionality. See 'Browser compatibility' row below.
Present Using a Whiteboard

Yes – Microsoft Whiteboard can be used by going to the 'Share' icon in the share tray that is available during a video call.

In the Whiteboard section of the share options, select Microsoft Whiteboard.

For more information, see Microsoft’s support page for Whiteboard.

Yes – Zoom whiteboard is available as an option by going to the 'Share Screen' icon in the functions tray that is available during a video call.

In the Share Screen option select Whiteboard.

For more information, see Zoom's support page for sharing a whiteboard

NOTE: Zoom also offers an Annotation Tool. This tool allows meeting participants to annotate on a shared screen. The functions of the annotation tool includes: select, text, draw (shapes, lines, arrows, etc), stamps (hearts, stars, checkmark, question mark, etc), spotlight, and more. In addition all annotations can be saved.
Upload a Presentation Yes Yes - Sharing a PowerPoint as your Virtual Background is in Beta
Live Captioning Yes - Instructions here. Yes
Browser Compatibility

Some browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Safari, and Firefox, support the Microsoft Teams web app but don't support some of the Teams calling and meeting features. These missing features can prevent webcam sharing, screen sharing, and prevent the microphone from working. You can learn more about unsupported browsers for Microsoft teams here.

Microsoft encourages users to download the desktop app or the mobile/tablet app if not on desktop machines.

Desktop - Download desktop app, Google Chrome, Firefox.

*sharing camera does not work on Firefox.*

Mobile/Tablet - Download app.

Microsoft Teams is available to students through their dcmail.

Desktop - Google Chrome

Mobile/Tablet - iPhone/iPad can use Safari.
Collaboration

Share word, excel, PowerPoint files that students can collaborate on at the same time.

Break-out sessions.

Professors can share their files with students but once the meeting has finished those files will no longer be available to retrieve.

Break-out sessions.
Group Chat Yes – Teams offers a live feed (like Facebook or other social media platforms) where you can “@” or tag your teammates to share ideas as well as a private messaging tool. Yes – There is a group chat feature available. In addition to chatting with the whole group you can chat with individual participants.
One-on-one calls Yes – Users can choose to call individual members within Microsoft Teams using the "Video call" or "Audio call" feature. Yes – Faculty can create a link for 1:1 office hours.

The following activity selection grid provides examples of tools that can be used both in Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

HIDDEN – Teams vs. Virtual Classroom

What Are the Primary Differences? - last updated: 05/20/2020
Features Microsoft Teams DC Connect Virtual Classroom

Screensharing

Yes

Yes – Desktop share within Virtual Classroom is only fully supported in Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium). In Firefox, you can only share a specific application window*. If you want to share your entire screen, use Chrome.

*In Firefox 70, screenshare will not work if you are in private mode. To avoid this issue entirely, please update to Firefox 70.0.1.

Bandwidth Requirements

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/prepare-network#bandwidth-requirements

https://bongolearn.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034469833-Virtual-Classroom-Bandwidth-Requirements-

Software Available

Yes – It is highly recommended but not required, that users download the Microsoft Teams app instead of using their web browser to access Teams. See 'Browser compatibility' row below.

No – Additional software not required or available.

Present Using a Whiteboard

Yes – Microsoft Whiteboard can be used by going to the 'Share' icon in the share tray that is available during a video call.

In the Whiteboard section of the share options, select Microsoft Whiteboard.

For more information, see Microsoft’s support page for Whiteboard

Yes – The whiteboard is available to you as soon as you start a Virtual Classroom session.

Virtual Classroom meetings are pre-loaded with 10 pages of whiteboard space. You can also upload your own presentations and share your desktop.

To navigate between whiteboard or presentation pages, use the arrow buttons or drop-down menu.

Upload a Presentation

Yes

Yes – automatically converts PowerPoints into PDFs. Playing YouTube videos will not work. Videos should be shared as pre/post-classwork.

Live Captioning

Yes - Instructions here

Yes - Using Powerpoint 365 in Virtual Classroom

Browser Compatibility

Some browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Safari, and Firefox, support the Microsoft Teams web app but don't support some of the Teams calling and meeting features. These missing features can prevent webcam sharing, screensharing, and prevent the microphone from working. You can learn more about unsupported browsers for Microsoft teams here.

Microsoft encourages users to download the desktop app or the mobile/tablet app if not on desktop machines.

Desktop - Download desktop app, Google Chrome, Firefox.

*sharing camera does not work on Firefox*

Mobile/Tablet - Download app.

Microsoft Teams is available to students through their dcmail

Desktop - Google Chrome, Firefox only (does not work on Safari)

Mobile/Tablet - iPhone/iPad can use Safari

Collaboration

Share word, excel, PowerPoint files that students can collaborate on at the same time.

Break-out sessions.

Professors can share their screens with students.

Break-out sessions.

Group Chat

Yes – Teams offers a live feed (like Facebook or other social media platforms) where you can “@” or tag your teammates to share ideas as well as a private messaging tool.

Yes – There is a group chat feature available upon entering a virtual classroom. You can also chat via video/audio sharing.

User Friendly

Yes – See how to begin using Teams here.

Live Video Meetings

Yes

Yes

One-on-one calls

Yes – Users can choose to call individual members within Microsoft Teams using the "Video call" or "Audio call" feature.

Yes – Faculty can create a link for 1:1 office hours. Students cannot initiate a call to faculty or meetings with other students.

If you would like for students to have the ability to initiate calls or meet with each other in groups, please see our page on Video Assignments through Bongo in DC Connect.