Holding synchronous online office hours

At the start of your course, clearly communicate a plan for office hours so students know exactly when, where, and how to connect with you. Specify the days and times you are available, the platform you will use (e.g., Zoom, Teams, LMS chat), and how students should join (e.g., a standing link, sign-up system, or drop-in format).

Just as important, explain what students can expect when multiple participants attend at the same time. For example, let students know if you will use a waiting room and admit them one at a time, place them in breakout rooms, or meet with students in a small group setting. If there is a queue, communicate how it will be managed and how long students might expect to wait. This helps set expectations and reduces confusion during busy times.

You might also outline how you will acknowledge students who are waiting (e.g., a quick message in chat or estimated wait time) so they know they haven’t been overlooked. If you plan to shift between individual and group support depending on the situation, make that clear as well.

By providing this level of detail upfront, students can confidently plan how to join, what the experience will be like, and how they will interact with you and their peers during office hours.

Encourage students to come prepared for office hours so the time can be as helpful and focused as possible. You might share a simple checklist like the following:

• Specific questions or topics they find confusing 
• Notes from lectures or readings they’ve reviewed
• A draft of an assignment, problem, or discussion post they’d like feedback on
• Examples of where they got stuck or made an error  
• Any instructions or rubrics related to their question  
• A brief explanation of what they’ve already tried 

Framing preparation this way helps students take ownership of their learning while making your time together more productive and targeted.

Recognize that it’s not always easy for students to admit confusion or ask for help. Create a welcoming, low-pressure environment during office hours by intentionally setting a friendly tone. Greet students by name, invite them to share how they’re doing, and take a moment for brief conversation before diving into course questions.

Students learn best when they’re actively engaged, so aim to have them do most of the talking during office hours. Rather than jumping in with answers, invite students to explain their thought process, describe where they’re getting stuck, or walk you through how they approached a problem.

Use guiding questions to keep them moving, such as asking what they’ve tried, what they think the next step might be, or where something started to feel unclear. This keeps students actively involved and helps you better understand their thinking.

By positioning yourself as a guide instead of the primary speaker, you create space for students to work through challenges, build deeper understanding, and gain confidence in their ability to solve problems independently.

When students are confused, they may say “yes” to avoid feeling uncomfortable or exposed. Instead of relying on yes/no questions, use open-ended prompts to better gauge their understanding.

Ask students to explain concepts in their own words, walk through an example, or describe how they would apply what they’ve learned. For instance, you might say, “Can you show me how you’d approach this problem?” or “What do you think happens next?”

It’s important to provide quality feedback, touching on the student’s strengths and areas of opportunities. Aim to provide factual and descriptive rather than evaluative, and offer specific suggestions for how they can improve. Instead of simply saying, “This wasn’t a good solution,” try something like, “I see where you were going with this, but it doesn’t fully address the problem. Here’s what you might try next time.”