Start a Meeting with Students in Microsoft Teams

Last updated on October 19, 2021

Microsoft Teams will allow you to hold live, synchronous sessions with your students. Whether you’d like to hold a whole class activity, like a lecture or discussion, or 1-on-1 meetings with individual students, Microsoft Teams can be the tool you turn to.

Other tutorials on this website will show you how to use several features of Teams to make the most of your experience (refer to the Lectures section and the Videos section for more tutorials). The steps below will help you with the simplest way to get started in Microsoft Teams.

Directions

1. Launch the Microsoft Teams Application on your computer. 
   • If you don’t know where your Teams Application is search your computer for Microsoft Teams.
     1. For a PC:
        1. Type Microsoft Teams in the search bar at the bottom left of your desktop. 
        2. Open Microsoft Teams.
     2. For a Mac:
        1. Click on Search, a magnifying glass icon in the top right of your desktop. Type Microsoft Teams in the search bar.
        2. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Click Calendar, on the left-hand navigation bar in Teams.
3. Click + New Meeting, on the top right to schedule a meeting ahead of time.
   • Note: If you would like to meet immediately with students, follow steps 1-4 below:
     1. Click Meet Now to the left of the + New Meeting button.
     2. Click Join Now.
     3. Click the button in the upper right that looks like a Chain Link to copy the “Join Info.”
     4. Send or email the Link to the students in your course (visit the tutorial on Sending Email, if you need help with this).
        • Note: You can also type the email address in the Invite Someone text box in the upper right to invite a specific student.
4. Assign the appropriate Date and Times. 
5. Click the Add Channel textbox.
6. Select the Team, then select General. You should have created a Team for each class (refer to the tutorial “Set up a Course Team on Microsoft Teams”).
7. Click Send.
8. On the date and time of the meeting to access your meeting you can join through the either:
   1. The Course Team’s General Channel
      1. Launch Microsoft Teams Application.
      2. Click the Teams icon on the left navigation bar.
      3. Click the Course Team.
      4. Click the Meeting.
         
   2. Microsoft Teams Calendar
      1. Launch Microsoft Teams Application.
      2. Click the Calendar icon.
      3. Click the Meeting you scheduled.
      4. Click Join Now.

What the Buttons on the Screen Mean

• Teams (two people): View participants in the meeting
• Message Box: Opens the chat panel
• Hand and Smiley Face: Reactions that users can click on
  • Thumbs Up
  • Heart
  • Clapping Hands
  • Smiley Face
  • Hand- used to indicate a raised hand
• Two Squares (one smaller): Breakout Rooms
  • Visit “Use MS Teams Breakout Rooms” for more info
• Three Dots: Other settings and options
• Video Camera: Turn your video on or off
• Microphone: Mute or unmute yourself
• Share (square with upward arrow): Share your screen
• Red Telephone Leave: Hang-Up/End the meeting