The Chat feature allows participants to have a real-time discussion via the web. This is a useful way to get a different understanding of each other and the topic being discussed – the mode of using a chat room is quite different from typical internet forums. Chat contains a number of features for managing and reviewing chat discussions.

Creating Chats:

To use the chat tool, you will need to create a chat room for you and your students and set a time when everyone can log in and meet in the chat room. You can create one session for the entire course or set up repeating sessions for multiple meetings.

To create a chat session:
1. Click Turn Editing Mode On.
2. Select Chat from the “Add an activity...” menu.

3. Give the chat room a name and provide directions on how to use the room in the Introduction text.
4. Set the time for the first chat session in the Next chat time.
5. Set the options for the chat room:

• Repeat sessions determines how frequently the chat is set to be in use.
• Save past sessions determines whether or not past chat logs are saved.
• Everyone can view past sessions determines who can view past chat logs.

6. Click “Save Changes”. 

Using Chats:
Even if you've set chat times, the chat is always open to students. Moodle does not restrict access to the chat based on the times you set when you create the chat. Instead it creates entries in the course calendar that remind people to log in for the chat at certain times.

During the chat, there are two things you can do.

• To type messages, enter text in the text field at the bottom of the screen and hit Enter. Your message will be broadcast to everyone logged into the chat.
• You can also beep users. This is fairly annoying and doesn't serve much of a purpose, it is merely a feature typical in Facebook and most chat programs.

On the right side of the screen, Moodle lists the chat participants and how long they have been idle in the chat room.

Chat can be used for online office hours or TA sessions. Additionally, if student groups have been set up, each group could have its own chat.