Student Views on Online Office Hour Provision: Evidence from a Midsized UK University

Abstract

Office hours (OHs) are one of the most direct forms of student-faculty interaction in British universities. Research has shown that OHs offer a chance to develop student-faculty relationships, improving students' focus and drive by providing a sense of empowerment and genuine investment in their education by the teacher, and forming a mentorship relationship. However, others have noted that there is substantial confusion on the role of OHs in modern higher education provision. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most universities were forced to innovate and deliver OHs online. Using a midsized London university as a case study, this research builds on 23 semi-structured interviews to assess student experiences with online OHs during the period between 2020 and 2021. Findings suggest that students’ reasons to go to OHs fall along an instrumental-relational continuum. Students have heterogeneous reasons to go to OHs, and as such also have heterogeneous views on online provision. Online provision is found to be more convenient for time-pressed students and commuters. Additionally, some students find online OHs to be a lower-pressure environment. Students voiced hopes that online OHs would continue to be provided as an option.