Teams, channels and chats
A team is like your classroom. Channels are the different tables in the room, one for each subject or project, and chat is like whispering to a friend.
- A team is a group of people, content and tools around a project, class or department. Conversations, files and notes in a team's channels are only visible to members of that team.
- Channels are sections inside a team that keep conversations organized by topic. Types:
- Standard: open to everyone in the team.
- Private: only selected team members.
- Shared: can include selected people inside and outside the team (not supported in class teams).
- Files shared in a channel (on the Files tab) are stored in SharePoint.
- Chat is for one-to-one or small group conversations outside a channel.
- Team owners manage settings and membership; members are the people invited.
- Open Microsoft Teams (app or browser) and sign in with your school or work account.
- Click Teams on the left and open your class or work team.
- Look at the channels listed under the team name and click one.
- Open the Files tab in that channel to see shared files, which are stored in SharePoint.
- Click Chat on the left to see one-to-one and small group conversations.
- Check who the owners and members are by opening the team's members list (menu names can differ by version).
- Check: you can say the difference between a channel and a chat.
Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.
Read the video script
[Host] "Teams looks busy, but it's only three things."
[Screen: list of teams on the left] "Teams are your groups, like a class or a work department."
[Screen: channels under one team] "Channels are topics inside the team. Homework here, Project B there."
[Screen: chat window] "Chat is for quick private talks. Put team work in channels so everyone can find it later."
Open Teams. Write down the teams you belong to and the channels in one of them. Open the Files tab in one channel and look at what is stored there.
ClaudeStuck? Copy a ready-made prompt for Claude
Copy this, open Claude, paste it, and Claude will walk you through the lesson step by step.
For a grown-up: Claude is for adults (18+). Copy this, paste it into Claude, and use the answer to explain the lesson to your child.
I'm learning "Microsoft Teams for School & Work" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Teams, channels and chats". What the lesson teaches: - A team is a group of people, content and tools around a project, class or department. Conversations, files and notes in a team's channels are only visible to members of that team. - Channels are sections inside a team that keep conversations organized by topic. Types: - Standard: open to everyone in the team. - Private: only selected team members. - Shared: can include selected people inside and outside the team (not supported in class teams). - Files shared in a channel (on the Files tab) are stored in SharePoint. - Chat is for one-to-one or small group conversations outside a channel. The exercise I'm working on: Open Teams. Write down the teams you belong to and the channels in one of them. Open the Files tab in one channel and look at what is stored there. I'm stuck. Please: 1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example. 2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step. 3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Teams, channels and chats" from the course "Microsoft Teams for School & Work". Here's what the lesson says: A team is like your classroom. Channels are the different tables in the room, one for each subject or project, and chat is like whispering to a friend. The activity: Open Teams. Write down the teams you belong to and the channels in one of them. Open the Files tab in one channel and look at what is stored there. Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words. Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn, Overview of teams and channels in Microsoft Teams: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-channels-overview
Posting, replying and getting attention politely
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Joining meetings like a pro
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Sharing your screen and recording meetings
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Assignments in a Teams class
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Status, notifications and free vs school accounts
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Final project
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Quiz
What is the difference between a team and a channel?
A team is the group; channels are topic sections inside the team.
Where are files shared in a channel stored?
In SharePoint (on the channel's Files tab).
Shortcut to mute and unmute in Teams on Windows? On Mac?
Ctrl+Shift+M; Cmd+Shift+M.
Shortcut to raise your hand on Windows?
Ctrl+Shift+K.
How do you start a new line in a message without sending it?
Shift+Enter (Windows) or Shift+Return (Mac).
What happens when someone starts recording a meeting?
Everyone in the meeting is notified automatically.
Can guests record Teams meetings?
No.
How long can a group meeting last in free Teams?
Up to 60 minutes (with up to 100 participants).
Final exam
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Certificate
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