Private Chat (cont.)

[PangoChango]

Topic: using the Chat feature, more or less privately.

First, I believe that I've searched, and the most recent, relevant post seems to be from 2020. I'm building on that, but if I've missed a post that answers my Q, apologies and please correct me. 

Ok, I get that the Chat feature is not set up for 1-on-1 discussion with a student, if for no other reason than that any student in the class can log into and see the Chat. But...

Would it be possible to (hopefully this makes sense) create a section or group (?) within the course that is ordinarily left empty. Let's call it the "Office Hours Group." Then, when I want to discuss something with a student (or more, often, when they want to discuss something with me) privately, I could move them into that group, and then open the Chat app and discuss? Would those outside of the Office Hrs Group be able to "eavesdrop"? After the session, I could move the student back into the regular class, and the Group would once more be empty. 

The workaround that I've seen proposed here is to simply use the Canvas Inbox. I agree that it's useful, but the downside, in my experience, is that to the students it doesn't "feel" quite like the chats that they're used to. From our perspective, this might seem trivial, but from theirs, the ability to use emojis, the 1-line at a time entry box at the bottom, etc. that Chat gives them I think just feels more like their phone. Inbox, as much as we teachers might think it's cool, feels to them like email, and again in my experience, that's enough to keep some of them from fully jumping on-board. 

So basically, that's my criteria: my ideal solution would be housed within Canvas, so no navigating to a different program, app, website, etc. (e.g., Hangouts works, but also takes them out of Canvas), would have a chat "feel," and would allow for the quick give-and-take kind of conversation that many in the student demographic are comfortable with. 

Thanks for any advice!

[kmeeusen · Accepted solution]

Hi @PangoChango 

I agree, this would be highly desirable for students, and also actually rather convenient for the teacher!

I found just what you are asking for in Idea Conversations at Private messaging in Class Chat for students.Check it out, add your own comments and use-case scenarios, and rate as desired.

Good luck,

Kelley