As a teacher I have heard that I may not be able to use a Private Channel for each Student in my Class Team. Is this True?


Solution:

  • You can be aware of the limitations of Private Channels and then decide if you want to use them.


Please Note: Microsoft assume we use private channels for topics (not individuals). IT Support therefore advise against using private channels for individuals students. 


Steps:

There are technical limitations which teachers need to be aware of should they choose to use private channels in this way.
1. Microsoft limit you to 30 private channels per team AND when you delete a private channel, that channel remains on your tally of used private channels. 
Many teachers will run into this technical limitation when running a Class Team. At some point they will "run-out" of private channels.


Microsoft intended us to use private channels for "conversation topics", rather than for "people". Microsoft would expect us in this particular situation to have one private channel, rather than one-per-student (i.e. 26 channels), and call that one private channel "one on one chats". 

2. IT Support can not run scripts to repair private channels. Manual changes are possible, but not scalable. We can not do manual changes for hundreds of affected channels.


Alternative Solutions:

1. Use breakout rooms. They can be setup to be permanent groups in one of your meetings.


1. Use one private channel, named "Chat 1on1" or similar, and then add and remove student(s) on an as-needed basis. 
  • Advantage: You will not run out of private channels eventually, you are limited to 30.
  • Disadvantages: Teachers need to remove existing chatting before moving to another student. There is no way to export past chatting, unless you are willing to create a series of screen-shots.
2. Use one-on-one private chat with each student (this feature has been turned back on).
  • Advantage: Fast and easy to use. Informal and intuitive. The chat is not linked to any one subject. You see when a student has posted (either with bold text, or an alert bell).
  • Disadvantages: The chat is not linked to any one subject! This may be a advantage, it depends on your perspective!
3. Use the class notebook (reserve a page for "chat" in each student area, and then chat to each student in there).
  • Advantage: The chat is link to one subject. Chat is exportable.
  • Disadvantages:  You cannot see when a student has posted.

Further Information:

Comparing Teams and Channels:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/learn-about-teams-and-channels-5e4fd702-85f5-48d7-ae14-98821a1f90d3


30 Private Channels:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-channel-in-teams-fda0b75e-5b90-4fb8-8857-7e102b014525).