Microsoft OneDrive (Microsoft Education)

  • You can use Microsoft (MS) OneDrive via Microsoft Education to create a collaboration with a Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file. You can select individual users, multiple users, or groups as part of a collaboration. 
  • You can view files in your OneDrive (Microsoft Education) folder in Canvas. This is accessed from the Course Navigation Menu. You can embed in Modules, Pages, Announcements, and Discussions.
  • You can create an online assignment in Canvas that embeds a document directly from your MS OneDrive folder. Accepted assignment types are: MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
  • If you have any questions or issues in using MS Teams Classes, please reach out to your division.

Quick Links

Important

  • At Johns Hopkins, access to MS OneDrive is available to all active JHED users so you need to have a JHED to use these integrations in Canvas courses.
  • The default option approved in the Collaborations menu is for OneDrive.  Additionally, OneDrive is also an option for Assignment types (formerly Office 365 Cloud Assignment).
  • For Groups for Collaboration for OneDrive as there is a known issue per Microsoft and Instructure on the Group Space Collaboration area.
    • This is when a member of the group tries to access Collaborations from the Group Space Navigation Menu, it indicates “launching this tool from this context is not supported”.

What Canvas Roles Work With This Tool?

MS OneDrive is available to all active JHED users so you need to have a JHED to use these integrations in Canvas courses.

Possible Course RolesAccess Level
TeacherView and Create Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive, an add OneDrive Assignments
StudentView and Create Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive
Waitlisted StudentView and Create Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive
TAView and Create Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive, an add OneDrive Assignments
GraderView and Create Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive, an add OneDrive Assignments
DesignerView and Create Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive, an add OneDrive Assignments
ObserverView Only Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive
Guest FacilitatorView Only Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive
Leaders (used in Community Sites Only)View and Create Collaborations for OneDrive, Connect to OneDrive, an add OneDrive Assignments

Using The OneDrive Migration Tool

  • To migrate the classic OneDrive content to the new tool (part of Microsoft Education), you must have a teacher role or admin role to have access to the migration tool in a course. The course does not need to be Published in order to run the tool. You can access the tool on course Home page.
  • Note, this tool retires with the classic Microsoft OneDrive LTI on September 17, 2026.
You can access the tool on course Home page.
  • Select the Authorize button to grant access for the migration. It scans your course for classic OneDrive LTI file links and displays content items containing file links that can be migrated. Content type (includes Announcements, Assignments, Classic Quizzes, Discussions, Modules, and Pages), name, and number of file links found are displayed. Deselect a content item to exclude it from migration. This tool will not migrate content from New Quizzes or Collaborations.
Select the Authorize button to grant access for the migration.
  • Old Collaborations will fail to launch after September 17, 2026 and cannot be migrated with this.
  • Confirm the content items to be migrated and select the Migrate button. A popup appears to confirm you wish to proceed with the migration. Select Migrate to continue.
Confirm the content items to be migrated and select the Migrate button. A popup appears to confirm you wish to proceed with the migration. Select Migrate to continue.
  • When the migration is finished, a summary appears confirming success for all files that were migrated. Select Done to close the view and return to the migration tool start page. The migration tool start page scans the course to confirm there is not any more to migrate or none were found.
When the migration is finished, a summary appears confirming success for all files that were migrated. Select Done to close the view and return to the migration tool start page.

How To Use

Collaboration in OneDrive in Canvas Courses (OneDrive in Microsoft Education)

Overview

  • Collaborations allow students to work collaboratively on a given document. Students and educators can start a collaboration. The document under collaboration remains accessible to educators even if the educator is not added to the collaboration. 

Setting Up OneDrive (Microsoft Education) Collaboration

  1. To start the collaboration, select Microsoft Education from the dropdown.
  2. Choose your Type, Document type, and insert Description.
  3. Tap or click Select Existing Document.
  4. Note: This opens OneDrive file picker. 
  5. Select the file to collaborate on and click or tap Select.
  6. Assign the collaboration to students (or groups) and select Save.
To start the collaboration, select Microsoft Education from the dropdown.
  • This creates the collaboration for selected users, including the educator. 
  • If you are using private mode of Safari browser, you will not be able to assign a collaboration to a group of students.  It is recommended that you user Chrome or Firefox to set this up.
  • If you are using Firefox browser, a dialog box may appear asking you to Resend or Cancel. You will need to Cancel to create the collaboration to continue.
  • With the new MS Education Collaboration, this allows you edit permissions and access it via Groups.

Accessing OneDrive (Microsoft Education) Content in Canvas

Overview

You can view all files in your Microsoft Education (OneDrive) link in Canvas. The OneDrive app for folder view is accessed from the Course Navigation Menu.

Notes on OneDrive (Microsoft Education) Content Access

  • You can only view one OneDrive account at a time in Canvas. Make sure you are logged in to the account you want to view in Canvas.
  • If necessary you can log out of your account and authenticate with a different account.
  • OneDrive files cannot be accessed from course or personal files in Canvas.

Accessing Your OneDrive (Microsoft Education) Content from Microsoft Education Course Navigation

  1. In Course Navigation, click the Microsoft Education link. Select OneDrive in the list of apps.
  2. You may be asked to authenticate your account. Click the Log In button.
  3. In an external window, enter your JHED (Ex. [email protected]) and password.
  4. View the files and folders in your OneDrive (Microsoft Education) folder.
  5. OneDrive displays file name and the date it was modified.  Files also display the file size.
  6. To open a file, click the name of the file. You can edit the document directly in your browser.
In Course Navigation, click the Microsoft Education link. Select OneDrive in the list of apps.

Creating a OneDrive (Microsoft Education) Assignment in Canvas

Overview

  • Cloud assignments are templated assignments. All students get their own copy of the assignment and can edit their own copy. 
  • When students submit the assignment, their own copy gets submitted and is available to the educator in the speed grader for assessment.
  • Microsoft OneDrive allows you to use Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to provide assignment instructions to students or assignment templates for students to edit and submit.  

Setting Up OneDrive Assignments (or Pages, Announcements, or Discussions)

  1. To include instructions about the assignment as an Office file within your assignment, select the Power Plug icon in the editor and select Microsoft Education.  
  2. Note: For the first time, Microsoft Education may not show up. In that case, you can choose View All and select Microsoft Education from the popup.
To include instructions about the assignment as an Office file within your assignment, select the Power Plug icon in the editor and select Microsoft Education.  
  1.  Select a file from the OneDrive file picker to embed or link the file.
  2. This works the same way for other Canvas areas (like Pages, Announcements, or Discussions).
  3. To add a templated assignment, select External Tool as the Submission Type and select Find.
  4.  Note: After selecting Find, a popup should open.
To add a templated assignment, select External Tool as the Submission Type and select Find.
Note: After selecting Find, a popup should open.
  1. Select Microsoft Education to open the OneDrive file picker.
  2. Select the file you want to serve as the templated assignment and select Attach.
  3. Note: It will attach the file and show the popup again. 
  4. Click or tap Select to confirm the selected file. 
  5. Select other options for Submission Attempts and Assign, then Save or Save & Publish.

Important Reminders

  • After a Microsoft OneDrive cloud assignment via Microsoft Education is published, it should not be edited. If you edit it, a new document will be created and shared with students.
  • If the students have attempted the previous assignment and you share a new assignment, the previous work of the students will be lost. 

Best Practices and Accessibility 

Best Practices

Accessibility

Accessibility in MS Integrations

Additional Resources 

Student Guide (from Instructure) – How do I submit a Microsoft Education file as an assignment submission using Assignment Enhancements?