Online Office Hours
Online Office Hours
Online Office Hours are scheduled virtual sessions where instructors meet with students individually or in groups, providing academic support and personal connection.
Alternative/linked methods: Connection Hours, Student Hours, Virtual Drop-In Hours, Learning Hours, Instructor Chat Time
Why?
- Fosters connection between students and instructors.
- Supports diverse learners, including international students and those with English as a second language.
- Encourages student engagement and participation.
- Promotes deeper learning and understanding.
How?
- Offer regular, predictable times using scheduling tools.
- Use platforms like Moodle Scheduler or Microsoft Bookings alongside Teams.
- Create a welcoming environment with informal conversation starters.
- Promote office hours in syllabus, Moodle, and class slides or an app such as Unibuddy.
- Encourage all students to attend, not just those struggling.
When?
- Early in the semester to establish rapport.
- Before/after assessments for feedback and clarification.
- During project work for guidance and support.
- Throughout the term as a consistent support mechanism.
Get Started
- Add office hour details to email signature and course slides.
- Use quizzes or polls to help students remember office hours.
- Rename them to ‘Connect Hours’ or ‘Student Hours’.
- Share a ‘teaser topic’ in class and invite students to discuss it further.
- Schedule them after class when students are more likely to have questions.
Digital Enhancement
- Use Teams for live sessions.
- Offer both in-person and virtual options in hybrid teaching.
- Use discussion boards or recorded video responses for asynchronous support.
- Leverage scheduling tools like Moodle Scheduler or Microsoft Bookings for appointments.
- Integrate office hours info in Moodle and email communications.