Knowledgebase: Faculty: Teaching and Learning
Teams - Quick Start Guide for Faculty
Updated: 20 January 2021 02:36 PM

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration platform that combines chat, video and file storage. In this Quick Start Guide we will show you the basic functions of Teams.

Teams have been automatically created for all courses. Check out Using Course Groups to learn more.

When you are ready to learn more, the More Resources section provides links to online resources that will explain Teams in more depth.

Please note: Video or audio calls can be made using the Teams app to students or faculty without the need for a team to be created.
 

Install Microsoft Teams

Download and install Microsoft Teams. 

Sign in

  • In Windows, click Start > Microsoft Teams.
  • On Mac, go to the Applications folder and double-click Microsoft Teams.
  • On mobile, tap the Teams icon. 

Then sign in with your OCADUid in the form OCADUid@ocadu.ca. You will be redirected to an OCAD U login. Enter your credentials as you normally would.

OCAD U login window

Pick a team and a channel

A team is a collection of people, conversations, files and tools–all in one place. A channel is a discussion in a team. Every team has a main discussion area, the General channel. Under General, you may create more channels to organize topics.

Click Teams to see which teams you're in. If you have been already set up in a team, you'll see one or more team tiles.

  • All channels include a Posts and a Files tab.
  • The Posts tab is where you, your classmates, and your students can all start and reply to conversations.
  • Look for shared documents in the Files tab. 

Teams interface

Create and manage a team

  1. Select Teams from the app bar.
  2. Select Join or create team.
  3. Select Create team.



  4. Select Other as the team type. If you would like to create a Team for your class, see the article: Using Course Groups



  5. Add members by entering their email address. 

In order to add members to your team later, navigate to the team you'd like to add a member to, then select More options ••• next to your team. To add a member, select Add member and follow the steps. Select Manage team to view Settings and a full list of members.

Create a channel

Click on the tile for your team to see your channel. Every team comes with a General channel. Channels organize all the files and conversations for a topic in one place. 

  1. To add a channel, select More options ••• next to your team's name, then Add channel.



  2. Enter a Name and an optional Description for your channel.
  3. Choose whether you'd like your channel to be Standard or Private. Standard channels will be available to everyone. Private channels will only be amiable to members you choose.
  4. Check the box to automatically show this channel in everyone's channel list.
  5. Click Add.

Notifications

Check the Activity feed to make sure you don't miss a new post or an @mention.

Create and send a message

  • Click the compose box to create a message. You can type out a simple message.
  • Attach an image, gif, sticker, or file.
  • Select Format and use rich text to make your message stand out.
  • Format your message with bullets or make a numbered list.
  • @mention your students or a colleague.
  • To switch from a conversation in a team channel to a private chat group, select Chat.

Connect with video

Use meetings in Teams to present online classes, study groups, presentations, and whenever you need to talk face-to-face.

  1. Select Calendar to see any meetings your colleagues or students have added you to, or any you've created yourself. Click Join when's time to meet.
  2. Adjust your audio and video settings, then click Join now.

Answer a call

When your student or colleague calls you in Teams, you'll get a notification where you can decided how to answer. You can accept with video, audio or decline.

Schedule a meeting

Create a New Meeting from your Calendar in Teams. Add individuals or groups to the invitee field. If you are scheduling meetings with classes, please see the article: Scheduling a Meeting for a Class.

Scheduling a recurring meeting

Teams can schedule recurring meetings in a variety of ways (eg. Daily, Weekly, Monthly). A common recurring meeting is a weekly class meeting. In this case, we want to have an end date – the end of the semester – so the meeting does not repeat forever. For recurring meetings with end dates, use the Custom recurrence feature.

  1. In the New meeting panel, click Does not repeat and select Custom.



  2. In the Custom recurrence panel enter the details for how the meeting repeats.



    • Start Date for the recurring meeting series. 
    • Repeat every is how often the meeting repeats. A weekly meeting has this set to Repeat every 1 Week.
    • Select the day of the week for the meeting.
    • End Date for the recurring meeting series.

  3. Click Save and complete the meeting invitation.

How to use the toolbar during the meeting

  1. The current duration of the meeting.
  2. Turn your video on and off.
  3. Mute and unmute your microphone.
  4. Share your screen.
  5. Access options like backgrounds and live captions.
  6. Raise your hand.
  7. Participate in the chat.
  8. See who is in the meeting.
  9. Leave the meeting. The meeting continues even after you've left.

Share a file in a channel or chat

  1. In a new message or reply, click Attach.
  2. Choose a file you'd like to share.
  3. Include a message if you want, then click Send.

Find or create a file

  • See the files that you, your students have shared in a chat or a channel by selecting the Files tab.
  • While in Files, you can create a new Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document for you and/or your students to collaborate in.

 

Change your background

You can change your background to insure your privacy (or hide a mess). Learn more in the article Change your background for a Teams meeting.

More resources