5 ways to use chat messaging to enhance your e-learning platform

by Chris Meyns a year ago 3 min read

The online learning market keeps expanding, so it's vital that digital platforms offer the communication tools that their users need. Nowadays, younger generations prefer to type instead of talking, and that’s where chat messaging comes in. It’s estimated that by 2025, the number of mobile chat messaging tool users will exceed 3.5 billion.

Chat messaging is fast becoming essential infrastructure for any online learning environment

If you’re looking to create an engaging e-learning experience on your online learning platform, consider incorporating chat messaging. Here are five ways in which you can make the most out of chat for online education.

1. Real-time lecture chat for active participation

With real-time chat, students can participate more actively in online lectures, workshops, or talks. For example, instructors can share prompts for group discussion, and students can ask questions and share their insights on complex topics.

A chat window with a group chat with a large number of participants. — *TalkJS’ group chat offers real-time interaction between instructor and students.*

To ensure that conversations stay on-topic, TalkJS offers chat moderation tools to help you keep things focused.

2. Chat-based tutoring and office hours for personal support

Chat-based tutoring and virtual office hours allow instructors to provide students with one-on-one support. Students can get direct feedback on their assignments, and instructors can update them on exam results, or give comments on projects, assignments, or presentations. One-on-one chat gives students a record of feedback that they can check back later for review. It’s a flexible format where everyone can respond when it suits them.

A direct message exchange between an instructor and a student. The instructor sends a file, and the student confirms receipt. — *Instructors can use chat to easily send students a direct message with feedback.*

3. A culture of collaboration with student group chats

Group chats can foster teamwork among online study cohorts. Students can share ideas, documents, and resources with each other, collaborate on assignments, help one another out with questions, and give constructive feedback on their peers’ work. Chat-based teamwork can create a culture of collaboration, which boosts motivation and productivity.

4. Notify users about course updates and learning resources

Chat messaging is an effective tool for instructors to keep their students informed about important information related to their course. Notifications can help communicate relevant course information, such as upcoming deadlines or changes to the course schedule.

Chat window with a message exchange between a instructor and a student. The instructor sends a notification, and the student confirms receipt of the information. — *Instructors can quickly notify students of upcoming events, deadlines or changes through a direct chat message.*

Instructors can also share presentations, recordings, and other learning materials through file-sharing options.

File-sharing and notifications make chat an all-in-one space for staying up to date

TalkJS offers ways to notify a user who is offline or not active in the chat via email, SMS, or browser or mobile push notifications.

5. Keep learning on track with chat-based quizzes and progress check-ins

Many students will be using chat messaging pretty much all day, so chat-based tools can be highly effective for regular check-ins and keeping students on track with their learning progress.

A chat window with the heading 'DailyQuiz', showing a message exchange between a quiz bot and a learner. — *A daily quiz in a one-to-one chat format. TalkJS offers an interface that allows you to* *integrate a custom Chatbot*.

Instructors can set daily challenges and quizzes to help students test their knowledge, or conduct short pulse surveys to spot any challenges that students may be facing and point to further support.

And there you have it! These are just five ways you can leverage the power of chat messaging to create an engaging and effective online learning experience. With TalkJS, it’s easy to build chat into your learning environment in just a few minutes. You can check out a demo or try it out for free.