Microsoft 365 Quick Resources for Faculty

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This guide provides Ithaca College faculty with comprehensive resources to adopt and effectively use Microsoft 365 tools following recent policy changes. It covers essential applications, communication, collaboration, accessibility, and integration with Canvas, along with support resources.

Audience

This article is intended for IC faculty.

Quick Start
Your Core Tools at a Glance
Communicate & Schedule
Document Creation & Workflow
File Storage & Sharing
Teaching & Learning Tools
Accessibility Tools
Additional Microsoft Apps
Key Benefits
Additional Resources

Quick Start

Sign In: Sign in with your IC credentials via apps.ithaca.edu or Microsoft 365.
Access: Use web apps for collaboration and quick access, desktop apps for advanced formatting (install apps), and mobile apps on the go.
Sync Devices: Sync files to your computer using the OneDrive desktop app for fast access (Windows and Mac) and install apps on your mobile device for flexibility.

Your Core Tools at a Glance

Microsoft 365 icons including Copilot, M365, OneDrive, Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint

Your core tools at a glance:

Use Case	Ithaca College Tools	Similar Non-IC Tools	Tips & Resources
Access Your Suite of Tools including Office Apps	Microsoft 365 Home	Google Workspace	Get started with my Microsoft 365 apps - Microsoft Support
Group Collaboration Space, Meetings, & Team Files	Microsoft Teams	Google Workspace	Get started with Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support
Your Personal Files	Microsoft OneDrive	Google Drive	OneDrive video tutorials - Microsoft Support

Communication & Schedule

Talk and meet with students and colleagues:

Use Case	Ithaca College Tools	Similar Non-IC Tools	Tips & Resources
Email, calendar, contacts	Outlook - (Note: IC policy requires use of your ithaca.edu email (Office 365) instead of Gmail, Hotmail, etc. You can still use your choice of the Outlook or Apple Mail software to check your ithaca.edu email.)	Gmail	Set your work hours and location in Outlook - Microsoft Support Article - Signatures in Outlook Knowledge Base - Email and Calendar Articles
Organize and filter your email	Outlook (Categories and Rules)	Gmail (Labels & Filters)	Use Categories to label/ group messages - Use categories in Outlook Then use Rules to automatically apply categories or move messages - Using rules in Outlook
Schedule office hours or student meetings	Outlook & Bookings (when enabled)	Google Calendar Appointment Slots	Article - Microsoft Bookings Article - Hosting "Virtual" Office Hours
Schedule meetings with colleagues	Outlook Calendar	Google Calendar	Use Scheduling Assistant for ad‑hoc meetings and Scheduling Poll to vote on meeting times. Article - Microsoft Outlook
Host virtual class meetings, committees	Microsoft Teams or Zoom	Google Meet	Integrates with Outlook for scheduling. Teams in Canvas: Article - Using Microsoft Teams & Meetings in Canvas Present slides with PowerPoint Live or present content in Teams

Document Creation & Workflow

Create and collaborate on course materials:

Use Case	Ithaca College Tools	Similar Non-IC Tools	Tips & Resources
Write documents, create syllabi, give feedback	Word	Google Docs	Use Track Changes for student feedback, comments, collaborate in real-time. Article - Microsoft Word
Spreadsheets, grading sheets, data analysis	Excel	Google Sheets	Excel offers robust formulas and charting options. Article - Microsoft Excel
Presentations, lectures	PowerPoint or Sway	Google Slides	Engage your students with Live Presentations or PowerPoint Live in Teams. Learn more: Article - Microsoft PowerPoint
Real‑time collaboration with students & colleagues	Office on the web (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote)	Google Docs/Sheets/Slides	Leverage the web for optimal real-time collaboration and Install desktop apps for advanced formatting Version history & document recovery available Leverage built-in Office templates Explore Microsoft tips and “how-to” videos

File Storage & Sharing

Store & share course resources:

Use Case	Ithaca College Tools	Similar Non-IC Tools	Tips & Resources
Store, sync, and organize personal/ instructor files	OneDrive	Google Drive	Save files to OneDrive with auto‑save, version history, and recovery features available. Knowledge Base - OneDrive
Department/ committee file storage	Teams / SharePoint	Shared Google Drive	Use Microsoft Teams (or SharePoint) for anything owned by a department or committee & for long-term storage. Use OneDrive for personal files. Knowledge Base - Teams
Access files anywhere	OneDrive Sync App	Google account sync	OneDrive Sync App (Windows, Mac, Mobile) - allows seamless synchronization of cloud files across devices Leverage “Add shortcut to OneDrive” feature for quick access to Teams files from File Explorer/ Finder College-owned devices automatically backup Documents, Pictures, and Desktop with the OneDrive Sync app
Easily share links with students & colleagues	OneDrive Share Links	Google sharing links	Secure, granular access controls are available with options to share directly with individuals or “People in Ithaca College with the link”.

Teaching & Learning Tools

Microsoft 365 teaching tools with Canvas:

Use Case	Ithaca College Tools	Tips & Resources
Assignments & OneDrive	Microsoft Education in Canvas	Microsoft 365 LTI is now Generally Available \| Microsoft Community Hub Article - Using Microsoft Education Tools in Canvas Article - Using OneDrive in Canvas as an Instructor
Meetings	Teams Meeetings in Canvas Zoom Meetings in Canvas	Article - Using Microsoft Teams & Meetings in Canvas Article - Using Zoom in Canvas
Student Notebooks	OneNote Class Notebook	Article - Microsoft OneNote
Learning Tools in Canvas that integrate with Microsoft 365	Kahoot! LinkedIn Learning Microsoft Forms OneDrive OneNote Class Notebook Zoom	Learning Tools Integration (LTI) with Microsoft Education - M365 Education \| Microsoft Learn

Accessibility Tools

Microsoft 365 accessibility tools:

Use Case	Microsoft 365 Tools	Tips & Resources
Check documents for readability & accessibility issues	Accessibility Checker	Ensures syllabi and course docs meet accessibility best practices.
Speech‑to‑text tool in Word, Outlook, & Office apps	Dictate	Saves time drafting documents.
Grammar, clarity, conciseness suggestions	Microsoft Editor	Helps produce polished academic materials.
Read text aloud, adjust spacing, translate, improves focus	Immersive Reader	Supports accessibility, multilingual learners, and neurodiverse students. Available in a wide range of platforms.
Translate selected text into multiple languages in Office apps	Translate	Useful for international students and global programs.

Additional Microsoft Apps

Explore additional Microsoft apps:

Use Case	Microsoft 365 Tools	Tips & Resources
Use AI to generate text and images, refine content, ideate, summarize and analyze, get help, learn new skills and more	Copilot	Article - Microsoft Copilot: Access AI Tools in Microsoft 365 7.1.4 Standards of Academic Conduct \| Ithaca College
Create surveys, quizzes, and polls for feedback or assessment	Forms	Gather responses from students, faculty, or staff, view analytics, easily share and embed forms. Article - Microsoft Forms
Collaborative digital workspaces for real-time content creation and organization	Loop	Simplify notes for departments, committees, students, or research with dynamic content and portable elements that sync across devices and Microsoft 365 tools. Article - Microsoft Loop
Track data sets or workflows	Lists	Research logs, equipment tracking, track tasks for teaching assistant onboarding. Article - Microsoft Lists
Lightweight project/task management	Planner	Committee work, event planning, team coordination. Article - Microsoft Planner
Personal task management, flagged emails	To Do	Manage deadlines, daily priorities, student follow‑up. Article - Microsoft To Do
Diagramming, flowcharts, mapping	Visio	Curriculum planning, workflow mapping. Article - Microsoft Visio
Collaborative visual workspace	Whiteboard	Brainstorming, problem‑solving, group activities. Article - Microsoft Whiteboard

Key Benefits

Unified Platform: Provides centralized access to email, files, and collaboration tools, utilizing single sign-on for streamlined entry.
Enhanced Security: Delivers advanced protection for sensitive academic data and ensures secure sharing within @ithaca.edu accounts.
Collaborations Made Easy: Supports real-time co-authoring, Teams meetings, and applications that integrate seamlessly within the Microsoft 365 environment.

Additional Resources

Explore these additional resources to get started:

Microsoft 365 Quick Guide for Faculty

If you have any questions feel free to contact the Project Management and Process Innovation team for a consultation.

For teaching and learning support contact the CIE team for a consultation, or stop by drop-in hours for help with:

Migrating files from Google Drive
Designing assignments using Microsoft tools
Best practices for student collaboration
Accessibility and document design in Microsoft 365