Messaging Students

Messaging Students

Overview

Simplify classroom communication, increase engagement and shift focus with the messaging and chat features in LanSchool Air. After starting a class, instructors can receive students’ questions and chat one-on-one, or send a message out to the entire class.

For a quick, 1-minute video demonstration of using the Messaging features of LanSchool Air, check out the video link below:

Messaging All Students  

With the chat sidebar open and "Classroom" selected at the top, instructors can send a classroom-wide message that will appear on all student devices in the class. Student will have the option of replying to the message. Those replies will be directed back to the instructor as private messages.
  1. Start a class.
  2. Click the Show/Hide Chat icon  at the top right of the screen. The messaging sidebar opens, showing: 
    • A drop down menu that allows you to view “Classroom” messages and individual student messages.
    • A list of online students.
    • A Message to all students… field for typing a new message to the class at the bottom.

  3. Type a message in the Message to all students...  field. 



  4. Press Enter. The message is sent to all students who are online. 

Messaging an Individual Student

Instructors can message an individual student directly by opening the messaging sidebar and select the student's name from the drop-down list. Students must be in the class and online in order to receive the message.
  1. Click the Show/Hide Chat  icon     to open the messaging sidebar. 
  2. Click on the drop down menu at the top and select which student to message. 

  3. Then type a message into the Message [Student Name] field.
  4. Press Enter to send the message. Your message and any student responses display in the messaging sidebar.



  5. When using Classroom, clicking on a single student’s message from the Classroom messages will start a direct message with that student.


  6. (Optional) To save the chat session as a text file, view the chat log, set LanSchool Air to always open text files or view the folder where the chat log is saved, follow the steps in the "Save Student Chat" section below.
Chat session logs are not stored in LanSchool Air. Chat history between teachers and students that is not saved as a file will be lost after class is ended. 

Receiving a Student Message

Students can initiate a messaging session from their computers, either by starting a regular messaging session or by raising a hand. If a student messages a teacher, a notification displays on the Show/Hide Chat icon at the top right of the page, and on the student thumbnail (Grid View) or in the list of students (List View):

  

The notification display will display the number of messages the student has sent.

The teacher can respond by clicking the messaging icon to open the messaging sidebar or messaging window.

Responding to a Student's Raised Hand

Students can raise a virtual hand from their computers by clicking the hand icon on their messaging windows. When a student raises a hand, the teacher is notified in the same way they are notified of a student message (see "Respond to a Student Message" above). 

  

The notification will also display the number of students who have raised their hand.

Clicking on the raise hand icon at the top right corner will lower all raised hands. 

The teacher can respond by:
  1. Clicking the name of the student who raised a hand, and then messaging the student or lowering the student's hand by clicking the hand icon in the student messaging window
  2. Clicking on the raised hand icon in the student thumbnail or in the list view will lower the hand.

Disabling Chat

Teachers can prevent students from messaging them by selecting the ellipsis menu  at the bottom right corner of the messaging sidebar and selecting Disable Chat. Chat can be disabled for an entire class or just for individual students.



While disabled, students can still use the "Raise Hand" option to notify the instructor that they need attention.

Saving Student Chat History

Follow the steps in this section to save an individual student messaging session to a text file, view the chat log, set LanSchool Air to always open text files, or view the file in the folder where it is saved. 

  1.          To save the Class Chat log select the ellipsis menu   at the bottom right corner of the messaging sidebar and select Download class chat log. 

        

  2. The messaging session is saved as a text file and can be opened from the bottom of the screen. The browser saves the file to the teacher’s default Downloads folder.


  3. (Optional) To view the chat log, click the files name at the bottom of the page. The chat log opens as a text file.

  4. (Optional) To open the chat log, set the system to always open text files or view the folder where the chat log is saved, click the arrow next to the file. An options menu from which you can select these functions opens.


  5. Select the appropriate option.

Student Emojis

From the student chat, students can select emojis to send to the teacher.



Muting Chat Notifications

To mute the chat notification sound without completely disabling chat for students, instructors can mute the LanSchool Air tab in their browser. 

Chrome

In Chrome, you will right click on on the browser tab. Once you do that, you should see a drop down menu. You will choose the "Mute site" option. 

      

Firefox

In Firefox, you will right click on the browser tab in which LanSchool Air is open. Once you do that, you should see a drop down menu. You will choose the "Mute Tab" option.

      

Safari

In Safari, you will need to click on the menu bar. Choose the Safari option and then click on "Settings for This Website." A drop down menu will pop up in the middle of the address bar. Go to the Auto-Play option and choose "Stop Media with Sound."

                        

Edge

In Edge, you will right click on the browser tab in which LanSchool Air is open. Once you do that, you should see a drop down menu. You will choose the "Mute Tab" option.

      


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