Microsoft Teams meetings is a web conferencing tool. For a quick tour see: Teams meetings: Interface overview
How to use this checklist
This checklist is designed to be a quick guide to help you get started with Microsoft Teams Meetings for teaching. The checklist includes links to useful resources and tools. Please use this checklist as starting point and add to, and personalise the list based on your session requirements.
- Session preparation
- On the day of the session
Session preparation
Equipment required
- An internet-connected computer with the Microsoft Teams Application installed, or the recommended browser Google Chrome installed
- ones with microphone to avoid audio feedback
- Webcam (if you wish to be seen by others)
- Headphones with microphone to avoid audio feedback
Set up the sessions for students
- Create a new Teams meeting through the Blackboard Teams integration or via Outlook/Teams calendar.
- Make the meeting link available for your participants (e.g. check you have provided a visible link on Blackboard).
- Choose your meeting options
- Decide what students joining your session will be able to do. See guide Teams: Controlling who can present in a meeting
Send instructions to participants
- Via a Blackboard announcement or email.
- Include the following:
- Session date and time
- Joining instructions and include participate resources for using Microsoft Teams
- Check if participants have accessibility needs
- Recommend students downloading the Teams app, or a supported browser (Chrome/Firefox) to attendees.
- Etiquette / set expectations – outline your expectations for online session conduct – if you are doing an active session, make sure they know you want them to participate in the activities so they can prepare their equipment and space accordingly
- What behaviour should they exhibit? Is it a formal or informal session?
- How do you expect them to interact with one another – challenge but don’t offend
- Send instructions to Guest speakers (if applicable)
- See guide: Invite Guests to a Session
Familiarised yourself with Teams meeting features
- Practice using Teams features in advance
- Create a meeting for yourself, or use the “Meet Now” option to open a session to familiarise yourself with the controls. For example, key controls such as Adjust your video feed, Manage your audio, enable Live Captions and practice Sharing Slides.
- Other functions you might like to try out:
- Raise-hand
- Annotate slides
- Using breakout groups
- Using Polls & Word clouds
- Using a Whiteboard
- Using Loop components
Prepare your session materials including
- Create a detailed session plan include timings and moderator roles
- Plan your welcome slide:
- Welcome your students.
- Remind about start time.
- Let them know if the session will be recorded.
- Invite them to participate in a fun little warm-up activity while they wait
- Prepare resources such as quizzes, graphics, links to videos etc. Create any poll questions with accompanying slides – Polls in MS Teams
- Prepare etiquette and session instruction information
- Check accessibility requirements as required. See guides – Teams Meetings: Accessibility
- Enlist help (if applicable) – having an assistant to text chat and answer participant questions during the session is recommended
- Book a quiet space with wired internet (preferred) or Wi-Fi connection to hold the session.
On the day of the session
Before the session (up to 30 minutes)
- Join the session at least 20 minutes before the scheduled start time. Tip: mute your audio /mic before until you start the session.
- Clear your screen of applications / private documents not needed for the sessions (especially important if sharing your screen)
- Load your slides and resources to the session space (via Teams)
- See guide – Teams Meetings: Share Slide
- Settings checks
- Is your microphone, video and audio working? (you will be prompted to check these when you first join the session.
- Check you have given presenter rights to any co-moderator and/or guest speaker
- Choose whether you want participants to be able to speak or be seen in the session
- Check participants can enter a scheduled session early to carry out their checks
- Welcome message – provide a slide with the session start time and participant instructions to check their settings and equipment.
At the start of the session
- Greet participants as they join the session via text chat or audio
- Remind participants to test their microphone and speakers
- Give a brief overview of the Teams interface and how to use it during the session, including using to text chat and icons (i.e. raise hand)
- Remind participants the session will be recorded (if applicable) and that the recording maybe viewed by people who have not taken part in the session.
- Start recording (if applicable) – Teams Meetings: Recording Sessions.
- Guide participants throughout the session and remind them how they can interact and locate features on the Teams interface
- If you wish to designate breakout groups, set up your breakout rooms once all participants have joined (note, you could save yourself time if you simply create a PowerPoint slide listing the group numbers and ask students to self arrange once you have set up the required number of groups)– Teams Meetings: Breakout rooms
End of the session
- End the recording (if the meeting is being recorded)
- Get participant feedback (if applicable) – post a slide / poll / or survey link at the end of the session (if applicable)
- Save a copy of the whiteboard pages and chat (if required)
After the session
- Session capture – Remind students that session recordings are available in Blackboard via YuJa (you will need to download the recording from the session chat, and upload the file to YuJa / make it available to your course channel).
- Monitor attendance – download the register (if needed)