How do we perform office hours through D2L?

DAVID.L.935

I inquired to D2L Help as to why the Chat feature was removed from D2L, and was told it was a redundant feature because the Messanager feature that is on D2L. However, the Chat feature was the only way instructors could perform office hours through the D2L system as the left pane on the Chat feature would show when a student signed on to Chat. This is not available through the Messenger tab; therefore, instructors can't be certain if a student is currently online to discuss the class. Can the Chat feature to re-added to D2L or is there another way to perform office hours through the D2L LMS? Currently, I am unable to have online office hours unless it is through an external program, which I will not do as all intructor class responsibilities should be able to be performed through the LMS.

Aasim.Y.704

Hi @DAVID.L.935,

Thank you for sharing your feedback about the removal of the Chat feature in D2L and your concerns regarding the ability to conduct office hours within the platform. I completely understand how important it is to be able to easily connect with students in real-time.

While the Chat feature was removed due to redundancy with the Messenger feature, I’ve seen some other instructors successfully utilize different tools within D2L to maintain seamless office hours. Here are a couple of options you might find useful:

1. Zoom LTI Pro: This app integrates Zoom with D2L, enabling instructors to schedule and host Zoom meetings directly from the LMS. You can easily set up office hours and invite students to join, and it also allows you to manage meetings, capture recordings, and more. It’s a very popular choice for creating an interactive office hours experience, especially if you need to accommodate students remotely. You can learn more here: Zoom LTI Pro Overview.
2. Bongo Virtual Classroom: Bongo, partnered with D2L, offers a video-driven platform that supports live discussions, office hours, and other face-to-face experiences. It’s a great tool for offering more personalized, video-based office hours. You can check it out here: Bongo Virtual Classroom & Video Assignments.

Both of these options can provide a great alternative for holding online office hours without the need for external programs.

I hope these suggestions help!