The Messages View serves as a communication channel between all students and instructors. If you are a student, you can send private messages to any instructor that you currently have a class with. If you are an instructor, you can send private messages to any student that you currently have in a class.
Using Messages in Halo
The use of Halo’s messaging feature functions differently depending on if you are a student or an instructor. The following will walk you through how to operate messaging depending on what your role is in the class.
Start by locating and clicking the Messages View icon in the upper left corner of Halo.
Once inside the Messages View, your current instructors’ names will appear in a list on the left. Select any of their names in order to start a message.
Type your message in the box below. If needed, you can also attach a file by selecting the Add Attachment link beneath the textbox. Once you’re ready, click Send.
The message will appear above with a date and time stamp. There is no way to edit a message once it’s been sent, but you can hide the post and make a new one. To hide a post, click the eye icon on the upper right of the message box. The post will then turn grey. Your instructor will be able to see that a message was sent at that date and time, but they will not be able to read the message itself. To unhide the post, simply click the eye icon again.
Once your instructor responds, you’ll be notified via the Messages icon. A number will appear to indicate how many new messages you have received. Click the icon to be taken back to your Inbox at any time. Doing so will clear the number indicating the number of messages you have.
Additionally, there is a like button that can be used to indicate that you have viewed a message.
Start by locating and clicking the Messages View icon in the upper left corner of Halo.
Once inside the Messages View, your class names will appear in a list on the left. Inside each class will be the students that had conversations with you. Select any of their names in order to continue messaging the student. To more easily find a conversation you have started, click the search icon and type the name of the student who you are looking for.
To start a new conversation with a student, click on the blue pencil icon and then type and search for the student’s name in the To: box.
The message will appear above with a date and time stamp. There is no way to edit a message once it’s been sent, but you can hide the post and make a new one. To hide a post, click the eye icon on the upper right of the message box. The post will then turn grey. Your students will be able to see that a message was sent at that date and time, but they will not be able to read the message itself. To unhide the post, simply click the eye icon again.
Once your student responds, you’ll be notified via the Messages icon. A number will appear to indicate how many new messages you have received. Click the icon to be taken back to your Inbox at any time.
You can change the view to “Unanswered” if you would like to view any message that might needed responses.
To clear the notification stating that there is a message, you will either need to respond to your student or like their message to indicate you read it.
FAQ
Instructors and students will be able to communicate with each other after the class is over for up to 3 weeks past the course end date. Once the 3 weeks are up, messages will no longer be able to be sent.
The answer to both is usually three days before the course begins. This is when students should be added to the class in Halo.
No, students can only use messaging to talk with their instructors.