Scheduling private appointments for Office Hours

A student asks:

Can you show me how to schedule a private appointment with you using Canvas?

When I click “Office Hours” in the Canvas course, it leads to a Zoom meeting that keeps me waiting forever. I’m not sure what to do next.

Scheduling an appointment

To sign up for an appointment in Canvas:

1. Click Calendar in the global navigation on the far left of the screen to view the calendar.
2. Click the Find Appointment button on the right-hand side of the Calendar. The Calendar will show you the available appointment slots.
3. Click an appointment slot and choose Reserve.

For a detailed walkthrough with screenshots, see How do I sign up for a Scheduler appointment in the Calendar?

Then what does the “Office Hours” link in Canvas do?

Office Hours is what you’ll click to enter the meeting. If you join during walk-in hours, you’ll enter a meeting that may include other students. If you join at the scheduled time you’ll enter a Zoom waiting room. This ensures that our appointment is private by allowing me to admit only one student at a time.