diff --git a/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.html b/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.html
index a0608597446..f5dd917b23a 100644
--- a/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.html
+++ b/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.html
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
       />
       @if (studentCanRespond) {
         <chat-input
-          (focusEvent)="startPinging()"
           [submitDisabled]="isWaitingForComputerResponse"
           (submitEvent)="submitStudentResponse($event)"
         />
diff --git a/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.ts b/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.ts
index c7fb9ccc212..83308561608 100644
--- a/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.ts
+++ b/src/assets/wise5/components/dialogGuidance/dialog-guidance-student/dialog-guidance-student.component.ts
@@ -108,9 +108,10 @@ export class DialogGuidanceStudentComponent extends ComponentStudent {
       this.constraintService
     );
     this.initializeComputerAvatar();
+    this.pingCRaterEndpoint();
   }
 
-  protected startPinging(): void {
+  private pingCRaterEndpoint(): void {
     this.cRaterPingService.startPinging(this.getItemId());
   }
 
diff --git a/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.html b/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.html
index 0758b9d3bdd..31c3b172867 100644
--- a/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.html
+++ b/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.html
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
       (ngModelChange)="studentDataChanged()"
       [disabled]="isDisabled"
       cdkTextareaAutosize
-      (focus)="onFocus()"
     >
     </textarea>
   </mat-form-field>
diff --git a/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts b/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts
index eb5ee7ff06d..593c4a9e7da 100644
--- a/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts
+++ b/src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts
@@ -107,10 +107,11 @@ export class OpenResponseStudent extends ComponentStudent {
       });
     }
     this.updateAudioAttachments();
+    this.pingCRaterEndpoint();
     this.broadcastDoneRenderingComponent();
   }
 
-  protected onFocus() {
+  private pingCRaterEndpoint(): void {
     if (this.isCRaterEnabled()) {
       this.cRaterPingService.startPinging(this.getItemId());
     }
diff --git a/src/messages.xlf b/src/messages.xlf
index 8349e2f4675..5c846f67e56 100644
--- a/src/messages.xlf
+++ b/src/messages.xlf
@@ -16531,7 +16531,7 @@ Are you sure you want to proceed?</source>
         </context-group>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.html</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">58,60</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">57,59</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="7589669206989444799" datatype="html">
@@ -16542,11 +16542,11 @@ Are you sure you want to proceed?</source>
         </context-group>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">179</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">180</context>
         </context-group>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">195</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">196</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="4965414112249568013" datatype="html">
@@ -17483,7 +17483,7 @@ Are you ready to receive feedback on this answer?</source>
         </context-group>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">182</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">183</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="2353574516166744013" datatype="html">
@@ -20480,7 +20480,7 @@ Current Score: <x id="PH_1" equiv-text="currentScore"/></source>
 Are you ready to receive feedback on this answer?</source>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">186</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">187</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="7482125205220618294" datatype="html">
@@ -20489,7 +20489,7 @@ Are you ready to receive feedback on this answer?</source>
 Are you ready to receive feedback on this answer?</source>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">198</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">199</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="6316287012266891697" datatype="html">
@@ -20498,21 +20498,21 @@ Are you ready to receive feedback on this answer?</source>
 Are you ready to submit this answer?</source>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">202</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">203</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="8936495196157450285" datatype="html">
         <source>We are scoring your work...</source>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">321</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">322</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="2283191014272031538" datatype="html">
         <source>Please Wait</source>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">322</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">323</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="8785209093929133444" datatype="html">
@@ -20520,7 +20520,7 @@ Are you ready to submit this answer?</source>
 If this problem continues, let your teacher know and move on to the next activity. Your work will still be saved.</source>
         <context-group purpose="location">
           <context context-type="sourcefile">src/assets/wise5/components/openResponse/open-response-student/open-response-student.component.ts</context>
-          <context context-type="linenumber">344</context>
+          <context context-type="linenumber">345</context>
         </context-group>
       </trans-unit>
       <trans-unit id="1703970408358128709" datatype="html">