How do we perform office hours through D2L?

DAVID.L.935
DAVID.L.935 Posts: 7 🌱
edited July 23 in Higher Ed / Postsecondary

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.

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  • Aasim.Y.704
    Aasim.Y.704 Posts: 136 admin
    Answer ✓

    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!

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  • DAVID.L.935
    DAVID.L.935 Posts: 7 🌱

    This helps and I will look into these options. However, you probably should have removed the Messenger feature instead of the Chat feature because the Messenger feature is absolutely worthless. It is far more difficult to notice a notification if someone leaves you a message vs. signing on to the Chat feature. Personally, I prefer an easy option that does not require video sessions. This is why the Chat feature was ideal. When options are removed without instructor input, it just creates more work for the instructor to navigate new resources.

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