Microsoft Education Overview

The Microsoft Education app is now available in Canvas, bringing all your favorite Microsoft Education tools into a single, seamless experience inside your course. No more juggling multiple integrations—just streamlined access to everything instructors and students need, right where they work.

This unified integration includes:

Direct access to OneDrive file sharing, Teams creation, Teams meetings, OneNote Class Notebook, Reflect, and unique Microsoft Assignment types
Replacement for deprecated Teams Meetings and Team Sync functions
Replacement for the standalone OneDrive app in Canvas
Expanded support for:
- Class Notebooks via OneNote
- Well-being check-ins via Microsoft Reflect
- Expanded support for Microsoft Assignments including Quizzes via Forms, Whiteboard assignments, Flip video assignments, and learning accelerators

What's Changing?

OneDrive in Canvas

The OneDrive option in Canvas is now called "Microsoft Education." Wherever you would've selected "OneDrive", or seen the blue cloud icon, you'll now select "Microsoft Education." While the core functionality remains the same, several enhancements have been added:

Existing features continue to work:

Insert and share OneDrive files through the Rich Content Editor without worrying about permission management
Full support for course copy (links don't expire)
Assignment submissions through student OneDrives
Individual collaborations based on OneDrive files

New capabilities:

Group collaborations are now supported with OneDrive files
OneDrive files can be managed and organized directly from the Microsoft Education menu in course navigation

Microsoft Teams Meetings

Teams Meetings are now accessed through the Microsoft Education menu rather than as a standalone option. This overhaul maintains all original functionality while adding significant improvements:

Existing features:

Schedule and edit Teams Meetings from Canvas
Single-click option to add all course enrollments to the invite list

New improvements:

Automatic roster syncing multiple times daily and when Canvas roster changes occur
No manual setup required for using the "Add Entire Class" option, which seamlessly adds the entire course roster to the meeting invite.
New option allowing anyone in the course to join/see meetings, eliminating the frustrations of "Students cannot see my meeting."
Better organization with sections for upcoming, personal, and previous meetings
Instructor-only attendance tab for at-a-glance meeting participation
Meet Now option for instant meetings or quick link sharing

Course Groups and Teams

The sync process for creating Course Groups/Teams has been separated. Previously, creating a course group automatically created a Team space, even if unused. Now, the course group is created when you first set up Microsoft Education for a course, but creating a Team space is optional. This separation provides more instructor choice and reduces clutter.

What's New?

OneDrive File Sharing

Enhanced OneDrive integration under the "Microsoft Education" name brings improved file sharing capabilities to Canvas workflows.

Class Notebook (OneNote)

Create a shared Class Notebook via OneNote, accessible to all students in your course. These notebooks feature specific sections with controlled visibility and editing permissions, plus the ability to add custom sections. No manual enrollment required.

Create a Class Notebook in Canvas

Reflect

Microsoft Reflect promotes student well-being through emotional check-ins and insights. Foster connection and empathy by creating check-ins to gauge how students are doing, then view aggregated results to make informed decisions.

Create Check-ins with Reflect in Canvas

Teams

Create and manage a Microsoft Team space based on your Canvas roster to support collaboration and communication outside the Canvas course environment.

Create a Team From a Canvas Course

Teams Meetings

Schedule, manage, and join Microsoft Teams meetings directly from Canvas with enhanced functionality and streamlined workflows.

Schedule Teams Meetings in Canvas

Assignments

A new 'Microsoft Education' assignment option enables diverse assignment types with full gradebook support:

Quizzes created from Microsoft Forms
Assignments using Microsoft Whiteboard
Flip video submissions for short-form video assignments
Learning accelerators for reading comprehension, speaking practice, math, and more

Assignments and Learning Accelerators Guide