Question

OpenStudy needs a private messaging feature.

Answer 1

you can do that if u send a fan testimonial

Answer 2

http://openstudy.com/study#/updates/4f135c67e4b0a4c24f58a5e2

Answer 3

Yeah, I've been using it for that, but it's rather clunky and not totally private.

Answer 4

this is OPENstudy nothing private here :D

Answer 5

LOL good point

Answer 6

cool

Answer 7

Seriously, I know we said it like four times this week... Hang tight :p

Answer 8

how does private messaging add up to the achievements of the OPENstudy aims?

Answer 9

it will only be a diversion and distraction

Answer 10

if following saso's point, OpenStudy will become ClosedStudy or PrivateStudy

Answer 11

Then perhaps an open Notice Board where group issues can be raised or where conversations not directly related to a particular question can be posted - to reduce distraction.

Answer 12

This is something that jagatuba and I were discussing, oh, a week or so back, I think it was. (And we were using the fan testimonial window, as was suggested, to engage in metadiscussion.) We were thinking that it would be useful for tutors to have a way to coordinate if both working with the same student on the same project.

Let's say you happen upon someone providing a student with assistance, and you think of another approach or of a way to fine-tune that approach or you're just wondering if the person helping has considered such and such a point or something of that nature. Sometimes it works just fine to jump in and comment within the ongoing conversation. There are other times, however, when you might want to step in privately and check in with the tutor, rather than jumping in.

Or let's say that two of you become very vocal right at the outset when helping someone, but there are opposing perhaps not viewpoints, but methodologies. Again, it would be nice to have a way of discussing and agreeing upon a way to converge.

These situations probably do not come up all that often -- they certainly apply more to in-depth discussion and review, not quick little one-off questions -- and I believe I understand too why you did not implement some sort of "inmail" system (as Linked-in has, for instance) from the beginning. You mean for this to be a public forum, a group discussion and study tool. You certainly don't want to encourage rampant chatting among the students -- it could easily be yet one more distraction taking them away from studying. And, more seriously, there are a lot of young students on this site. Transparency translates to a kind of security as well. Parents can feel safe about their kids using this site freely, and that's important.

But, still, there are times when it would be so handy for tutors, while in that tutor role, to have a method for communicating outside the context of the question-answer forum with the student. Perhaps you could set up some line of communication that moderators have access to, so that you can continue to be assured of safety for the kids, while allowing those of us (generally older) to be able to communicate directly outside the study hall. Just seems like it would be a sweet enhancement, to allow for more coordinated "teaching."

WDYT? Possible at some point?

Answer 13

We're working on these ideas right now, more to come in the next few weeks.

Thanks for the detailed thoughts!