Unforeseen Benefits of Virtual Office Hours

Summary:

There's no doubt in McIntire Associate Professor Andrea Roberts’ mind: virtual office hours are here to stay.

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There's no doubt in McIntire Associate Professor Andrea Roberts’ mind: virtual office hours are here to stay. She says offering office hours online increases the number of students who can participate and allows her to use her time more efficiently, among other benefits. Her students have the opportunity to attend group sessions and schedule private appointments. She holds group virtual office hours during key times throughout the semester, generally right before an exam or a project is due. There are no space constraints, which allows more students to take advantage, and students learn from their peers by hearing what questions they’re asking. Roberts also offers private appointments using Microsoft Bookings. This tool connects to Outlook, automatically adding any meetings to her calendar, and enables her to change her availability from week to week.