Teams meetings: Moderator’s checklist

Microsoft Teams meetings is a web conferencing tool. For a quick tour:

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. Download the Microsoft Teams Meeting Checklist.

Session preparation

1. Equipment required

An internet-connected computer with the Microsoft Teams Application installed, or the recommended browser Google Chrome installed

Headphones with microphone to avoid audio feedback

Webcam (if you wish to be seen by others)

2. Create a new Teams meeting through your Outlook Calendar or the Teams application

See guide Teams Meetings: Setting up a meeting

3. Make the meeting link available for your participants (e.g. as a link on Blackboard) – Make sessions available to students

4. 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

5. Send session details and 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

Etiquette – outline your expectations for online session conduct

6. Send instructions to Guest speakers (if applicable)

See guide: Invite Guests to a Session

7. 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

8. Prepare your session materials including:

Create a detailed session plan include timings and moderator roles

Resources such as slides, quizzes, graphics, links to videos etc.

Etiquette and session instruction information

Check accessibility requirements as required. See guides – Teams Meetings: Accessibility

Create any poll questions with accompanying slides – Polls in MS Teams

10. Enlist help (if applicable) – having an assistant to text chat and answer participant questions during the session is recommended

11. Book a quiet space with wired internet (preferred) or Wi-Fi connection to hold the session

Up to 30 minutes before the session

12. Join the session at least 20 minutes before the scheduled start time. Tip: mute your audio /mic before until you start the session.

13. Clear your screen of applications / private documents not needed for the sessions (especially important if sharing your screen)

14. Load your slides and resources to the session space (via Teams)

See guide – Teams Meetings: Share Content

15. Settings checks

Is your microphone, video and audio working? (you will be prompted to check these when you first join the session. For more information see – Teams: Device Settings

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

16. 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

17. Greet participants as they join the session via text chat or audio

18. Remind participants to test their microphone and speakers

19. 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)

20. 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.

21. Start recording (if applicable) – Teams Meetings: Recording Sessions

19. Guide participants throughout the session and remind them how they can interact and locate features on the Teams interface

20. Set up your breakout rooms once all participants have joined (if applicable) – Teams Meetings: Breakout rooms

End of the session

20. End the recording

21. Get participant feedback – post a slide / poll / or survey link at the end of the session (if applicable)

22. Save a copy of the whiteboard pages and chat (if required)

After the session

23. Session capture – Remind students that session recordings are available and where to find them – Accessing Recordings

24. Future improvements – note ‘what went well’ and ‘what could be improved for future’. Add your notes and changes to this checklist.

Page last updated on February 11, 2022 by Peter Moll