Implement Virtual Office Hours

Your availability is an essential part of instruction, i.e. course interaction/engagement. However, traditional face-to-face office hours are often limited by conflicting instructor-student schedules and student participation.

 

Try moving your office hours online! Virtual office hours are a simple and effective way to increase student engagement in your online course with great benefits for both the instructor and student:

 

• Meetings can take place anywhere

• Office hours can take place at more popular times, such as later in the evening, when more students can attend. Additionally, students can “pop” online when they're actually working on homework, ask a quick question, and go back to work.

• If you record the virtual hours activity and archive the discussions, students can go back through the conversation if they need clarification or want to review the material under consideration. Likewise, students who did not participate in the conversation have access to the material.

• Can cut down on having to reply to multiple emails with the same question or on the same topic. It also assures students of a timely response.

• Students can all be active participants, instead of waiting in a line outside your office door.

• Anonymity. Shy students might be more prone to participate if they can do so online as opposed to in-person.

• Offers the whole class a chance to see what types of questions individual students are asking. It is easy to get started

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VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS AT CPCC

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STEP 1:
Webex is a learning and productivity tool that provides interactive real-time (synchronous) video conferencing. Any CPCC faculty or staff can host a meeting, and anyone can be a participant.

To learn more about this way to connect with students go to this link: https://sites.google.com/a/cpcc.edu/webex/  It’s a small learning curve that will make your teaching life a whole lot easier.

 

 

 

STEP 2:
Set a day and time you can be available online, e.g. Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 pm (evening times can be popular but not necessary). Make sure to announce the time and instructions for connecting to the online platform in class and in writing on the syllabus.

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STEP 3:

Connect with students!

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Adapted from: University of Washington Virtual Office Hours (Center for Teaching and Learning) http://www.washington.edu/teaching/teaching-resources/engaging-students-in-learning/virtual-office-hours/