Resources

Microsoft Teams support →

Mobile and even tablet versions of the Teams application lack the functionality and screen real estate necessary to perform the vast majority of required tasks.

All students are required to use the desktop version of Microsoft Teams regardless of the technology solutions an institution has adopted — not Zoom, not WebEx, not Google Meet.

The Teams meeting link is listed on your course's homepage at your university's LMS (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.). For Office Hour appointments, the link is in the confirmation email.

• Make sure you are using the most recent (updated) link.
• Check your course's homepage.
• If this is your first time attending a lecture (not an appointment), the lecture link is available on the course's homepage hosted at your university (almost always either Canvas or Blackboard).

• If you are trying to attend your first class meeting, the meeting link is located on the course's homepage hosted by your university — usually Canvas or Blackboard.
• Office Hour appointment links are provided in the confirmation email.

Generally, extensions are rarely granted, and then only under truly extraordinary circumstances. But it never hurts to ask — e.g., an overwhelmed single parent, etc. Because an extension request is almost always more than a quick question, book an appointment to discuss it in person.

Each course has its own policy regarding attendance, so refer to your syllabus. See the general attendance policy for further information.

It is some institutions' general policy that if the professor hasn't arrived after x minutes, students may leave without penalty. I do not subscribe to this policy — students are expected to attend the full duration of each meeting.

This is especially relevant if there is a graded assignment (scheduled or not) and I arrive late, because — since make-up work is generally not allowed — only those students who waited would have the opportunity to complete the assignment.

Grade questions must be handled either in person after class or by appointment — not by email. If you'd like to discuss a grade, catch me after our next class meeting or book an appointment.

Keep in contact with another student in the class — I am not your initial, go-to person; your fellow students are. Keep in mind that while the general policy is that make-ups for any missed assignments are not permitted, you are strongly encouraged to book an appointment with me to discuss your issue.

As a general rule, assignments cannot be made up — especially those given in-class (either face-to-face or via Teams). However, do discuss your issue with me.

Use the online booking system. Read the policies on that page carefully before booking — violations result in the loss of appointment privileges for the rest of the semester.

For a quick question or a short note, email me at the address printed on your course syllabus. That is the only email address I monitor for student correspondence. Allow one to two business days for a reply.

For anything more involved — extensions, grade discussions, missed work, essay conferences, or any question that will run past a paragraph — book an appointment instead. A fifteen-minute meeting is almost always faster than a chain of emails.

Messages sent through your university's LMS (Canvas, Blackboard, etc.), voicemail, mailbox notes, or messages left with university personnel will not be seen. See the full Contact page for the details.

Contact the Help Desk at your university (see below).

• The Teams link to your course meetings is located on the course homepage (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.).
• The Teams link to your Office Hour meeting is sent to you in the confirmation email.

Most word-processors, including Google Docs, have this capability — usually a “Save As” or “Export” command where you select the PDF file format. If you get stuck, see the Right Software section.

The two most common reasons are that you have missed the deadline or your file is not in the proper format. Essays (and most other documents) must be submitted in the PDF file format. Otherwise, for all technical issues, consult your college's Help Desk (see below).

Check your course calendar — all coursework is located there. Be aware that assignments are added as the semester progresses and not all at once. It may be the case that the assignment has not yet posted, especially if we recently discussed it in class. Otherwise, consult with your university's Help Desk.

Another reason (though far less common) is that I rescinded the assignment. Check your email or the “Announcements” page of your course website.

Check with the Help Desk at your university (see below). To save you a trip: it is altogether possible that your email application has flagged the emails as spam or junk. If this is the case, adjust your email application so that emails from the university and from my applications are recognized as “safe.”