Admins: Understanding the Student Online Drop-In Flow – Penji

This article is specifically School Admins.

Key Takeaways: Understand how a student would utilize online Drop-In.

Penji Recommendation: We recommend practicing using Drop-In as a student would, within your community, before moving on.

Overview

This article explains how students use Online Drop-In in Penji. This is typically used to help admins understand the virtual Drop-In experience and ensure proper setup for remote support.

Important

⚠️ Important:

Online Drop-In requires Queue Mode
Students can only check in through Penji (web or mobile app) — Kiosk is not supported
Providers are responsible for starting sessions and checking students out

When to Use This

Use this if:

You are setting up Online Drop-In
You want to understand the virtual student experience
You need to troubleshoot Online Drop-In workflows

Steps to Set Up

Student Check-In (Own Device Only)

Go to web.penjiapp.com or open the mobile app
Log in as a student
Select Drop-In from the home screen
Choose a Course/Topic
Select a Location
Click Check-In
Wait for notification that a provider is ready
Click Open Zoom (or your configured meeting platform) to join

Check-Out Process

You will not check out of Queue mode. Your providers are responsible for checking students out and saying when they are done working with them.

How It Works

Online Drop-In uses a queue-based system:
- Students check in and are placed in line
- They receive updates via email or push notifications
- When it’s their turn, they are given access to the meeting link
Meeting Access:
- Once a provider is ready, students will see a button (e.g., “Open Zoom”)
- This connects them directly to the online session
Session Completion:
- Students do not manually check out
- Providers are responsible for ending the session and logging attendance

Best Practices

Ensure Drop-In locations are set to Queue Mode before enabling Online Drop-In
Test the full student experience, including joining the meeting link
Confirm your meeting platform (Zoom or otherwise) is properly configured
Communicate clearly to students that they will be notified when it’s their turn

Limitations

Kiosk check-in is not supported for Online Drop-In
Students cannot check themselves out
Students must wait for provider availability before joining a session
Requires a stable internet connection for both students and providers