With 2026 just around the corner, we’re approaching the end of the Zoom era at Cambrian. While many of us have fond memories using Zoom to meet colleagues’ pets and stay connected from home during the pandemic, but it’s time for a change.
Starting January 5, 2026, Microsoft Teams will become Cambrian’s platform for video conferencing–including virtual meetings, online/flex classes, and collaborative work.
Zoom will be unavailable for Cambrian staff, faculty, and students beginning January 5, 2026.
As always, the Hub and IT are here to support you through this transition! With that in mind, we wanted to share a few resources to help you feel confident in using Microsoft Teams.
What’s Next?
To help you prepare for the transition, here are a few recommendations:
Start Using Teams Today!
- All Cambrian employees can access and use teams already. We encourage you to start using Teams today to become more familiar with it.
- Note: for virtual classes currently running, please continue to use Zoom for the remainder of the semester. We will transition students to Teams in the Winter.
Download Zoom Recordings
- Zoom recordings, and other associated files, will only be accessible until January 5, 2026.
- Please download any Zoom cloud recordings and save them to your OneDrive.
Update Zoom Meeting and Chat Links
- Zoom meeting and recording links will no longer work starting January 5th. Use Teams to create new links for any meetings or classes you need in the Winter term.
- Zoom chat channels will also be inaccessible starting January 5. If you have any links, files, or other resources in your Zoom chat, save those prior to the transition.
- If you have colleagues you communicate with regularly through Zoom, you can start messaging them on Teams now.
Other Information
- Students can access to Microsoft Teams through their Microsoft 365 accounts in the new year.
- You will sign into Teams with your Cambrian email and password.
- Teams will be installed on all classroom systems and corporate laptops. If you come across a device that doesn’t have Teams, please notify the IT Service Desk by submitting a ticket.
Microsoft Teams Guides
We’ve created a set of guides and supports to help with the transition:
- How to Schedule a Meeting in Teams
- An Overview of Teams Meeting Options
- Tips and Tricks for Teaching in Teams
- How to Add a Link to a Teams Meeting to Your Moodle Shell
Teams Training Sessions
The Teaching & Learning Innovation Hub and the IT Department will be offering Teams Meeting training sessions on the following dates:
- Thursday, December 4 | 1:00–2:00 PM | Room 3430 | Online or In-person
- Tuesday, December 9 | 11:30 AM–12:30 PM | Room 3412 | Online or In-person
- Tuesday, December 16 | 10:00–11:00 AM | Room 1414 | Online or In-person
Please note: in-person classroom seating is limited for these sessions. We encourage you to join online and/or view the recording as well.
Drop-in Teams Sessions
The Hub will also be hosting drop-in sessions for Teams support before the Winter 2026 term:
- Tuesday, January 6 | 10:00–11:30 AM | HUB Classroom (1271B) or Online
- Thursday, January 8 | 2:00–3:30 PM | HUB Classroom (1271B) or Online
Zoom vs. Teams: Feature Comparison
Here’s a quick reference chart at how familiar Zoom tools translate to Teams:
| Feature | In Zoom | In Teams | Notes |
| Schedule meeting | Zoom app
Zoom website Outlook Moodle |
Teams Meet app
Teams Calendar app Outlook calendar |
|
| Breakout rooms | Breakout Rooms | Breakout rooms | In Teams you can auto-assign or manually create breakout rooms.
|
| Polls | Zoom Polls | Microsoft polls | Is a light version of MS Forms, results will be saved in your Team chat and MS Forms and can be reviewed after the meeting. |
| Chat | In meeting chat | Chat panel | Is persistent even after class. |
| Screensharing | Share screen | Share | All the same options with he added PowerPoint Live which has added presentation controls |
| White board | Zoom whiteboard | Microsoft whiteboard | Collaborative and is automatically saved to your OneDrive. |
| Attendance | Available to admin only | Attendance report | Automatically generated and stored in the chat. |
| Closed Captioning | Live captions, transcripts | Live captions, transcript | Automatically generated and saved to OneDrive when you record, is searchable for easy review of recording. |
| Waiting room | Waiting room | Lobby | |
| Recording | Zoom Cloud or Desktop | OneDrive | Automatically saved to your OneDrive for 150 days and a link which can be shared is provided in the meeting chat. |
| Co host | Alternative host | Co-organizer | |
| Attendee Limit | 300 | 1,000 | |
| Meeting Time Limit | 30 hours | 24 hours |
Noteworthy Features
Here are some noteworthy features we think you will really like about Microsoft Teams:
Better Recording & Transcripts – Recordings save automatically to your OneDrive with a transcript included.
PowerPoint Live – This feature gives you eyes on everything—slides, notes, chat, and participants—all in one place. Students can also translate slides into their own language.
Persistent Chat Space – Your meeting chat, links, and shared files stay available after your meeting, making it easy for attendees to revisit resources.
Teams Support
For additional training and support, contact the Hub team.
If you are experiencing a technical issue, or find a classroom computer that doesn’t have Teams installed, please notify the IT Service Desk by submitting a ticket or calling 705-566-8101 x7370.