Course members can start group or one-on-one chats outside course content. To enable, go to Settings > Advanced and check Enable open group chats and or Enable one-on-one chats and private group chats.
Announcements
When you click Chats in the left navigation sidebar, Announcements appear right at the top of the panel. Instructors can use this feature to broadcast important updates, reminders, or course changes to all students simultaneously.
Only instructors can create announcements, but any student can view and respond. Make an announcement by clicking New conversation.
Chat types
Group chats can be either open (accessible to all students in the course) or private (restricted to select students). The top panel displays a list of all the chats you are a part of. If a chat has a lock icon next to it, this symbolizes that it is a private chat.
- Open chats: Ideal for general discussions about assignments, class projects, non-Perusall assignments, or general topics. Instructors can create open group chats. Only instructors have the ability to create, edit, delete, and download open chats.
- Private chats: Perfect for close collaboration. Instructors and students can create, edit, delete, and download private chats.
Chats are not counted toward a student's score. Both instructors and students have the ability to create private group chats.
Creating a chat
To start a new conversation or navigate your existing ones, use the following steps:
- Click the big blue + Start new chat button in the upper right-hand corner.
- Create a chat name and select if it is open or private.
- Compose your message using the rich text editor and click OK.
Once a chat is created, you can navigate it in two ways:
Start a new thread: Click New conversation to start a brand new topic within that chat.
Reply to an existing thread: Select a current conversation from the list to expand it in the right-hand panel and reply.
Direct messages
Direct messages (marked with a horizontal arrows icon (⇆), this is a private space for secure, 1-on-1 conversations between you and individual students, or between students collaborating privately. To start a direct message, select a user from the roster or use the search bar; a direct chat thread will then appear in the right panel for you to communicate.
Managing chats and notifications
Both teachers and students have identical controls within the chat interface to customize how they receive updates. This allows everyone to stay plugged into important conversations without flooding their email inbox.
There are two distinct "notify" options available to all users:
- Enable Notify me when new conversations are started in this group chat. This ensures you are automatically notified and emailed when new conversations are created.
Enable Notify me of updates to this conversation. At the very bottom of the text editor panel (right below the message box). This ensures you are automatically notified and emailed whenever someone replies directly to that specific conversation stream, even if you have channel-wide notifications turned off.
When there is new activity or unread messages, an orange dot will appear next to the Chats tab in the left sidebar, as well as on the specific chat channel tab at the top of the panel. A blue dot will also appear next to the notification bell icon to show you have unread updates.
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