Asked: May 17, 20222022-05-17T18:49:17+00:00
2022-05-17T18:49:17+00:00In: Teams
What is the difference between Microsoft Teams and 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.
| 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. |
Professors can share their files with students but once the meeting has finished those files will no longer be available to retrieve. |
| 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.