R-MC Faculty Teaching Toolkit: Microsoft Teams

 

Microsoft Teams is a real-time messaging system that includes a variety of communication and collaboration apps, of which Teams Meetings is an integral part. With Microsoft Teams, users can make voice and video calls, send messages, share files and hold online meetings (video conferences).

 

Teams Chat and Teams Calls allow RMC users to reach other community members using the recipient's RMC email address instead of a cell phone number.

 

Teams Meetings allows remote and hybrid teaching and other online meetings. The instructor can record Teams meetings for students to review. RMC users enjoy unlimited storage space, and online meetings can host a large number of participants for an extended meeting length. 

---

This page provides information on these topics:

• Accessing Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Teams Overview; Team & Channels
• Teams Chat & Calls
• Scheduling & Joining Teams Meetings
• Teams Meeting Options
• In the Meeting (screen-share, chat, recording etc.)
• Accessing Meeting Recordings and Shared Files 
• Pedagogical Considerations (including the guide Teams for Faculty)

---

Navigate to Teaching Toolkit Homepage

 

Microsoft Teams is part of RMC Microsoft 365, and is free for all community members.

 

Users can initiate Teams calls, meetings and chats through one of the following methods:

• The Teams App: We highly recommend downloading and installing Teams on your computers and mobile devices. 
• On a web browser: Users can access it via Buzznet (intranet)

When prompted, sign into Microsoft Teams using your RMC username and password.

 

***

NOTE: Users do not need RMC login credentials to join Teams meetings; learn how.

 

 

Microsoft Teams: 

• An Introduction

 

Team & Channels

 

Overview of Team and Channels (in Text and Video)

 

 

1) Learn how to create a Team and add members. Learn how to manage a Team.

 

 

2) The "General" channel is included in a Team. It is accessible by all team members. Learn more about Channels. 

• We recommend the user create custom channels for organization and flexibility. Learn how to create (custom) channels in a Team.

   Notes about channel Privacy setting:

• When creating a custom channel, select "Standard" OR "Private" for privacy. Once created, a Standard channel and a Private channel cannot be converted from one to the other.
• All team members can access the Team's "Standard" channels.
• To limit access to certain team members, create a “Private” channel. Then add members to the private channel.

Custom channels can be deleted or hidden. Deleting a channel will delete posts and access to the content (e.g. files and recordings) in that channel.

 

 

---

Back to Index of Teams Tutorial Topics

 

RMC users can call and message other community members using the recipient's RMC email address instead of a phone number. However, organizing chats and calls in one's Teams account can be tricky when there are a lot of them. Deleting a chat only removes it from the user's own Teams account; it remains in other participant's Teams chat. We recommend using chat and video- or voice-calls for one-time conversations. For an on-going group project or conversation with consistent group members, we recommend creating a Team and custom channel for the group instead of making group calls or group chat.

 

Chat / Messaging

• Sign into Microsoft Teams.
• If using a computer, on the left click "Chat". If using a mobile device, touch "Chat" on the bottom. Then select the round chat icon.
• Search for the recipients by typing their emails. 
• Type your message, add images or files as needed. To call someone's attention if there are more than one recipients, use @mention.
• Click the "Send" icon.

  Learn more about Teams Chat (in Text | Video).

 

Voice or Video Call

This feature is convenient for calling someone in the RMC community. You can also call someone outside of RMC who uses Teams. No phone number is needed for making the call. 

The laptop or mobile device must have audio and video input capability (e.g. microphone and webcam) and speaker connected or built in for making and receiving calls.

• Sign into Microsoft Teams;
• If using a computer, on the left click "Calls". If using a mobile device, touch "Calls" on the bottom. (You may need to touch  "More" for the icon ).
• Search for the recipient by typing his or her email; select the recipient. 
• Next to the recipient's name, touch the video or phone icon to begin the call.

 Learn more about using Teams Calls (in Text).

 

 

---

Back to Index of Teams Tutorial Topics

 

Scheduling Teams Meetings

Pre-scheduling is not required for holding Microsoft Teams meetings; read the instructions for starting an instant meeting in Teams. 

 

For planning and communication, you may want to schedule meetings in advance by using your Outlook Calendar or your Teams Calendar. Your Outlook Calendar and Teams Calendar are connected. Meetings you have scheduled or been invited to will be updated in both of your calendars. However, the two calendars offer different access levels to the meeting content.

 

 Outlook Calendar 

Use the Outlook Calendar to schedule an event that tends to have many attendees who may or may not be members of an organization or team. 

Follow these steps:

• Schedule the event as normal, and make sure to turn on "Teams meeting". 
• For "Add required (or optional) people": 
  • You can leave it blank. After you click the Save button, click on the event in your Outlook Calendar to view details. You will see the Teams Meeting Information (Meeting Link, Meeting ID & Passcode) next to the Save/Update button. Copy and paste the Teams Meeting Information and send it to potential attendees via email or other methods of communication, so that they can JOIN the meeting following the meeting link or by meeting ID/passcode.
  • Alternatively, you can invite attendees by typing their names/emails (which can be individuals and/or groups). When you click the Save button to complete the scheduling, the event will be entered in the invitee's calendar that is associated with his or her email address. The invitees can join the meeting in their calendar by clicking the "Join" button, or by following the Meeting Link, or entering the Meeting ID/passcode.

 

 Learn more about how to schedule a Teams meeting in Outlook and add participants.

  

 Join the Meeting: Additional Notes

• Users without RMC credentials or a Teams account can join Teams meetings; learn how.
• Join using mobile data (with no WIFI). 

 

 

 

---

 

 Teams Calendar

  

Teams Calendar is part of Teams, and works with Teams and channels seamlessly. 

Scheduling events in Teams Calendar works similarly to scheduling in Outlook (see information in the above section, "Outlook Calendar"). This section focuses on the unique features of Teams Calendar.

To take advantage of Teams Calendar, we recommend you first create a Team, add Team members and create standard channel(s). Then in Teams Calendar, fill out the information as you would in Outlook, but pay special attention to the following:

• For "Add required attendees", leave blank;
• For "Add channel", click to select the correct Team and (a standard) channel. Rather than typing the individuals or groups, you are automatically inviting every Team member.
• (Optionally) You may click on "More options" link to set up meeting options while scheduling (e.g. who can share screen). But you can also do that later when you join the meeting.
• Click the "Save" (or "Send") button. As you click the event just scheduled in Teams Calendar, you will see meeting information including the Meeting Link, Meeting ID/Passcode. Optionally, you can email the meeting information to the Team members.

 

 

Learn more about how to schedule a meeting in Teams Calendar. 

 

 

Join a Teams Channel Meeting Scheduled in Teams Calendar

 

Members can JOIN the meeting  

• by visiting the channel in the Team. The scheduled meeting is in "Posts", highlighted in a blue bar. Clicking the blue bar will take them to join the meeting (see screenshot);
   
  OR
• by following the link or or by meeting ID/passcode sent by the meeting organizer.

 

 

 

---

Back to Index of Teams Tutorial Topics

 

The meeting organizer (host) should configure Meeting Options before or at the beginning of the meeting.

"Meeting options" is accessible when the organizer is scheduling the meeting in Outlook (screenshot below, left)  or in Teams Calendar (screenshot below on the right).

   

 

"Meeting options" is also accessible in the meeting room, from "More" on the toolbar (A screenshot of the toolbar is in the next section of this page.)

 

 

In the "Meeting options" window, the organizer can choose co-organizers. Note that the co-organizers must have been invited during Outlook scheduling, or added as Team members during Teams Calendar scheduling; refer to Scheduling and Joining Teams Meeting.

 

The organizer and co-organizers have control over Meeting Options. See the screenshot for suggested selections.

• Who can bypass the lobby (waiting to be admitted into the meeting room): We recommend choosing "Only me and co-organizer".
• Choosing co-organizers: Make sure participants are already added to the meeting. Search for participants by emails to make them co-organizers.
• Who can present: We strongly recommend  choosing "Only me and co-organizers" to begin with. When it comes to time for other participants to present, change to  "Everyone".
  • See how to share presentations.
• Disable "Record automatically".
• Meeting Chat: If the meeting is scheduled from Outlook, the organizer can turn Chat on or off during the meeting, or leave the Chat on after the meeting. In a channel meeting, Chat is on.
• Accessing attendance report: Choosing Yes gives the organizer and co-organizers access to attendance report.
• The rest of the options can be left at the default settings.
• Remember to click to Save the options for the meeting.

 

 

 

Microsoft Resources on Meeting Options. 

 

 

---

Back to Index of Teams Tutorial Topics

 

In the Teams Meeting Room 

 

The meeting organizer can see a toolbar near the top of the screen, similar to this screenshot.

 

Next to the "Leave" button is Share. This function is only available to the meeting organizer and co-organizer unless the organizer selects "Everyone" for who can present; see "Meeting Options" in the previous section of this page.

 

Learn how to Share screen or window in a Teams meeting.

 

1. Mic and Camera: Learn about the details of audio and camera options and video background.
2. More ... :
   • The meeting organizer and co-organizer can set up or edit "Meeting options" (refer to a previous section of this page).
   • The meeting organizer and co-organizer can start and stop recording the meeting.
   • The meeting organizer and co-organizer can start and stop live transcription.
   • From "Language and Speech", the attendee can turn on live captions just for him/herself (available to RMC users).
3. View: Learn about customizing meeting views and screen layout.
4. React: Use emojis to give feedback.
5. Raise: Raise and lower hand. 
6. People: Show or hide participants.
7. Chat: How to use Chat
   • Attendees can participate in meeting chat in a channel meeting. If the event is scheduled in Outlook, Chat may or may not be turned on (see "Meeting Options" section.)
   • Note that in the meeting room, chat messages can be viewed by all attendees. To chat privately, point your mouse to the recipient's avatar and on the pop-up type in "Send a quick message". You may also use Teams Chat/Messaging.
8. Pop out: Make the Teams meeting room full screen. Press the "esc" key to exit out full screen.
9. Take over: Send a request to the Organizer or co-organizer to control meeting options.
10. Timer: shows how long the meeting has been going on. A red dot shows the meeting is being recorded and/or live transcription is on. To stop recording or transcription, click "More" (#2).

 

The organizer may want to end a Teams meeting by clicking "Leave" and select "End meeting". Other participants can simply click the Leave button.

 

 

---

Back to the index of Teams tutorial topics

 

Accessing the Transcription, Recording and Files

 

The Meeting Organizer/Team Owner can access and manage the meeting files 

• Channel Meeting: through the tabs “Posts” and “Files”.
• Meeting scheduled in Outlook: through the Tabs "Chat" and "Files".

For a (standard) channel meeting:

• Team memebers can access "Files" & "Posts" for meeting recordings, transcripts, and attachments.

• The above files are saved in SharePoint.

For a meeting scheduled through Outlook:

• In MS Teams, the scheduled meeting is listed in the attendee’s Chat.

• Through the meeting’s “Chat” tab, the attendees can access recordings, transcripts, and attachments.

• The above files are saved in the organizer’s OneDrive >> "My files" >> “Recordings” or “Microsoft Teams Chat Files” folder.

 

 

See details.

 

 

---

Back to the index of Teams tutorial topics

 

 

Instructors may want to try some of these methods to enhance communication and student interaction while using Microsoft Teams: 

 

• In MS Teams, create a Team for the course. 

• Create channels for specific tasks, collaboration groups, or topics. We recommend you create at least one custom channel and use it for online teaching and/or office hours. Refer to Scheduling and Joining Teams Meeting -- scroll to Teams Calendar.

• Use Teams Call instead of calling one's phone number as emergency contact; see how to make voice or video calls.

• Using Teams meeting/video conferencing:

  • Schedule the meeting in advance and communicate how to join the meeting.

  • Orient students with the toolbar in the meeting room.

  • Start recording the meeting, and start live transcription. 

  • Share screen and presentation.

  • Annotate on a shared whiteboard.

  • Have students share their screen to present. (The instructor must first change who can present. Then students can share screen.)

  • Polling students to check their understanding; see details.

  • Create breakout rooms and assign participants to rooms before or during the meeting; see details.

  • Manage the Attendance Report; see details.

  • The instructor can use Teams Meeting for lecture capture 

    • Schedule a meeting but do not invite attendees; then Join the meeting.

    • Share your screen/window, and record voice and shared screen.

    • Share the recording from your RMC OneDrive (inside the "Recordings" folder).

 

Refer to this slide deck for more information.

 

 

---

Back to the index of Teams tutorial topics