Microsoft Teams

Tags teams

OVERVIEW OF SERVICE

The Microsoft Teams application (not to be confused with Office 365 groups) provides a unified communication hub where users can message via text, audio, and/or video with anyone else at the University. Users can also share files, group chat, and share computer screens during real-time sessions.

DESCRIPTION & FEATURES

CHAT

  • Search for and begin a conversation with other users
  • Share and collaborate on files for group coursework or research across academic units
  • Host Skype-like meetings using Teams audio and video functions

TEAMS (OFFICE 365 GROUPS)

  • Direct interaction with any team (i.e. Group) where the user is a member
  • Users in a Group can also share and collaborate on files
  • Create channels for asynchronous communication

SEARCH

  • Comprehensive search functionality in Teams covers all conversations and Groups
  • Users can quickly and easily find what they need
  • Conversations can be "liked" or saved
  • Channels can be "favorited" to provide notifications when new posts are made

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

When conducting meetings, keep two basic points in mind and abide by Question 4 on Recording Classes Under FERPA:

  1. When sharing your screen or window, pay attention to what might be visible outside of the area that you intend to show.
  2. When recording meetings or whiteboards for later access, be cognizant of whether any personal information had been discussed or shown and limit access as much as practical.

GETTING STARTED

Although users can utilize most of the features in the Teams Web interface, we recommend installing the application on your computer or mobile device for access to all available features. Also note that not all features listed in the Getting Started documentation are currently available within our license.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Many other tools are available in the Teams interface. For example, within a group, members can create a Wiki to build out content collaboratively. A Planner can be added to allow the Group to coordinate activities. A OneNote Notebook can also be linked as a place to centralize activity.