Microsoft Teams provides a simple and effective way to connect with students for virtual meetings, office hours, and special events. This tutorial walks you through creating a Microsoft Teams meeting link and posting it in Moodle for easy student access.
You can generate a single Microsoft Teams meeting link and reuse it throughout the semester to ensure consistency for you and your students.
Common Uses for Microsoft Teams Meetings in Your Course
- Student Group Work Facilitate discussions and collaboration outside of class.
- Snow Days & Emergency Sessions Hold a virtual session when in-person classes are disrupted.
- Guest Lecturers Invite experts from around the world to speak with your students.
- Additional Meetings Schedule extra sessions for review, Q&A, or special topics.
While Microsoft Teams can supplement in-person instruction, it should not replace scheduled on-campus lectures unless you have made formal arrangements for a modality change.
Set up your meeting room
You have two options for creating a Microsoft Teams meeting link:
- Creating an instant meeting link or
- Scheduling a calendar event.
Both methods generate a reusable Microsoft Teams meeting link. Once created, you can use the same link anytime to access your courses virtual meeting room.
- Go to https://teams.microsoft.com or open the Microsoft Teams desktop app. In the left navigation bar, select the Calendar icon.
- In the upper right corner, select Meet now.
- Enter a name for the meeting (for example, Course Virtual Classroom).
- Click Get a link to share
The meeting link will automatically be copied to your clipboard. You can now post the link in Moodle using the directions in the next section, or email it to students.
If you want a virtual meeting room to appear on your calendar, you can create a Microsoft Teams meeting when you schedule a calendar event.
Open Microsoft Teams and go to the Calendar, or open your Outlook Calendar. Although creating events in each program is similar, there are minor differences. Where you create the event from doesn't matter and your event will appear on all Microsoft calendars regardless of which method is used.
In Teams
Click New in Teams Calendar.
- Enter a name for the meeting
- Make sure that Teams meeting is toggled on.
- Enter the date and time for the class or meeting. Click Make recurring and fill in pop-up scheduling form if you would like a recurring meeting. Leave as-is if this is a one time event.
- Click Save when you are done.
In Outlook
Click New Event in Outlook Calendar.
- Enter a name for the meeting
- Enter the date and time for the class or meeting. Click on Does not repeat and select Custom if you would like a recurring meeting. Leave as-is if this is a one time event.
- Make sure that Teams meeting is toggled on.
- Click Save when you are done.
Copy the meeting link
Locate the meeting in your calendar. Double-click on the event to view the event details. In the event details, locate Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, then copy that link. You can now post the link in Moodle using the directions in the next section or email it to students.
Post your Microsoft Teams Meeting link to Moodle
Once you have your Microsoft Teams meeting link, you'll need to share it with your students. You can email it to them or send it through the Announcements forum in Moodle. In many instances it is helpful to add the link directly to your Moodle course page to ensure students can easily find it when needed. This section explains how to post your link to Moodle.
If you are following a course template, a placeholder is provided for entering your Microsoft Teams meeting link. If your course does not contain a placeholder, follow the directions for creating a URL from scratch in Moodle.
Make sure that editing is turned on by clicking the Edit mode toggle in the upper right hand corner of your screen. You can put your link anywhere in your course, but we recommend putting it in the top section.
At the bottom of the top section of your course, you'll see the option to Add an activity or resource. Click on this link and select URL from the list of options.
In the Name textbox, type a name for your link; e.g., "Virtual Classroom."
In the External URL textbox, paste the Microsoft Teams meeting link you copied in the first section. Be sure to click the Save button at the bottom of the screen. It is recommended that you test the link after saving to make sure that it is functioning properly.
Make sure that editing is turned on by clicking the Edit mode toggle in the upper right hand corner of your screen. Locate the placeholder for the Teams meeting link. In the newest template it is entitled "Link to Virtual Communication Space."
- Click the three-dot menu for this text
- Choose Edit settings.
In the External URL textbox, a generic link to Microsoft Teams is entered. Replace this link by pasting the Microsoft Teams meeting link you copied in the first section. Be sure to click the Save button at the bottom of the screen. It is recommended that you test the link after saving to make sure that it is functioning properly.
Finishing Up
Once you're done, instruct your students to click that link in Moodle to access the virtual classroom during scheduled class meetings, virtual office hours, or whenever you are your students need to meet virtually.
Again, remember that you don't need to create a Teams Meeting URL each time you meet with students virtually You can create one URL for your course and use it whenever you need to meet with students virtually.
Additional Tips
- Include the Link in Weekly Modules In addition to the main link, place the Teams Meeting URL within the specific week or module where a meeting is scheduled. This provides students with clear access at the right time.
- Communicate Meeting Details Clearly Always specify the date, time, and expected duration of each session so students know when to join.
- Remind Students as Needed Send reminders via Moodle announcements or email, especially for one-time events or changes to scheduled meetings.