Desire2Learn

Chat Options for facutly

Chats enable students and instructors to interact with each other in real time. After you have created a chat, you may want to modify its name, description, or participants. This document explains how to accomplish these tasks as well as deleting and archiving chats. For more information about chats in Desire2Learn, see Working with Chats.

return to topModifying Chats

Once chats are created, you can customize them in several ways. You can change the chat name and description or add/remove members.

Changing the Chat Name and Description

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click EDIT CHAT.
    For general chats, the Edit General Chat dialog box appears.
    For personal chats, the Chat Details dialog box appears.

  3. In the Chat Title text box, make the desired changes.

  4. In the Description scroll box, make the desired changes.

  5. Click UPDATE.
    The chat name and/or description is updated.

Removing Members from Chats

This option is available only for personal chats and can be done only by the creator of the chat. By definition, general chats are open to all class members.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click EDIT CHAT.
    The Chat Details dialog box appears.

  3. In the Participant List section, select the user(s) you wish to remove from the chat.
    HINT: Users are selected if a checkmark appears in the checkbox next to their usernames.

  4. Click REMOVE.
    The selected members are removed.

Adding Members to Chats

This option is available only for personal chats and can be done only by the creator of the chat. By definition, general chats are open to all class members.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click EDIT CHAT.
    The Chat Details dialog box appears.

  3. In the Participant List section, click ADD.
    The Add Chat Participant(s) dialog box appears.
    Add Chat Participant(s) dialog box

  4. If you know the username of the person you want to add:
    1. Select Add Someone You Know.
    2. In the Enter Username of the Friend you wish to add text box, type the appropriate Desire2Learn username.
    3. Click ADD.
    4. Repeat steps b-c for each user you want to add.
    5. When all users have been added, in the upper right corner of the dialog box, click the X.

  5. To add a student or instructor from your course:
    1. Select Add Classmate(s).
    2. From the Choose a class to select friends from pull-down list, select the desired course.
      Members of the course appear.
    3. Select the users you wish to participate in your chat.
      HINT: A user is selected if a checkmark appears in the checkbox next to their username.
    4. When all users have been selected, click ADD.
    5. In the upper right corner of the dialog box, click the X.

return to topArchiving Chats

Archived chats are saved sessions that are viewable for future reference or grading purposes. Both instructors and students can view archived chats, but only the instructor can edit them. In addition, instructors can govern which chat archives are available for students to view by making them hidden.

Viewing Archived Chats

Desire2Learn automatically archives chat sessions. Once all members leave a chat, the session is considered completed and the chat is saved.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click SEE ARCHIVE.
    The Chat Archive and Active Sessions dialog boxes appear.

  3. Click the appropriate chat session.
    The Chat Session Archive dialog box appears displaying the chat and session information.
    The Session Text dialog box also appears displaying the text of the selected session.

  4. When finished, click BACK TO CHAT SESSIONS.

  5. To return to the Available Chats dialog box, click BACK TO CHAT LIST.

Editing an Archived Chat

Instructors can change the title and description of archived chats. This can be helpful in order to describe the subject matter covered in the chat rather than simply the date and time of the session.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click SEE ARCHIVE.
    The Chat Archive and Active Sessions dialog boxes appear.
    If you have hidden sessions, the Inactive Sessions dialog box also appears.

  3. In the Active Sessions dialog box, next to the appropriate chat session, click EDIT SESSION.
    The Edit Chat Session dialog box appears.

  4. In the Session Title text box, make the desired changes.

  5. In the Description scroll box, type a description for the session.

  6. Click UPDATE.
    The archived chat is edited.

Hiding an Archived Chat

If you want only certain archives to be available to students, you can hide chats that you do not want students to view.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click SEE ARCHIVE.See Archive button
    The Chat Archive and Active Sessions dialog boxes appear.
    If you already have hidden sessions, the Inactive Sessions dialog box also appears.

  3. In the Active Sessions dialog box, next to the appropriate chat, click EDIT SESSION.
    The Edit Chat Session dialog box appears.

  4. Select Is Hidden.

  5. Click UPDATE.
    The archived chat is now hidden and appears in the Inactive Sessions dialog box.

Unhiding an Archive

To make a previously hidden chat viewable to students, follow these instructions.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click SEE ARCHIVE.See Archive button
    The Chat Archive, Active Sessions, and Inactive Sessions dialog boxes appear.

  3. In the Inactive Sessions dialog box, next to the appropriate chat, click EDIT SESSION.
    The Edit Chat Session dialog box appears.

  4. Deselect Is Hidden.

  5. Click UPDATE.
    The archived chat now appears in the Active Sessions dialog box.

return to topDeleting Chats

Instructors have the option of making personal chats persistent, meaning that they will not expire. If this is the case or if you are dealing with a general chat (which also does not expire), you can delete the chat. This option is available only to the creator of the chat.

WARNING: Deleting a chat also removes any archives associated with the chat.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click CHAT.
    The Available Chats dialog box appears.

  2. For the desired chat, under Options, click DELETE CHAT.Delete Chat button
    A confirmation dialog box appears.

  3. Click OK.
    The chat is deleted.